'Major Milestone' For Florida Panthers Reached

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FL — The recent discovery of two Florida panther kittens and their mother in an area north of the Caloosahatchee River may be cause for celebration. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the sighting is the first documented north of the river since 1973.

“This is good news for Florida panther conservation,” Kipp Frohlich, deputy director for the FWC’s Division of Habitat and Species Conservation, said in a Monday statement. “Until now, we only had evidence of panthers breeding south of the Caloosahatchee.”

Evidence of the kittens and their mother was captured by trail cameras that biologists have been monitoring for some time. The cameras have long been used to keep up with male panthers that are known to roam in public and private lands north of the river. In 2015, FWC biologists reported a photograph of what appeared to be a female panther in the Babcock Ranch Preserve Wildlife Management Area in Charlotte County. That discovery led to the placement of more cameras in 2016. Those cameras also captured images of a female panther.

“Early this year, the cameras captured images of a female that appeared to be nursing,” said Darrell Land, FWC panther team leader. “For many years, the Caloosahatchee River has appeared to be a major obstacle to northward movement of female panthers. This verification of kittens with the female demonstrates panthers can expand their breeding territory across the river naturally.”

Florida panthers are classified as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. It is believed that the adult population contains only between 120 to 230 panthers at present, according to FWC’s website. These cats are the larger of the Sunshine State’s two native cat species – bobcats and panthers. Most panthers tend to live south of Lake Okeechobee, but have been documented as far north as Georgia. Females, however, have remained largely in South Florida, the agency noted.

“This is a major milestone on the road to recovery for the Florida panther,” said FWC Chairman Brian Yablonski. “We are mindful and appreciative of all the many partners and cooperators who have supported panther conservation efforts over the years leading to meaningful moments like this.”

FWC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service work together to promote panther conservation on private and public lands. Residents who wish to help with conservation efforts may do so by purchasing a Protect the Panther license plate at BuyaPlate.com. People who see panthers in the wild are also asked to upload photos and videos and to report sightings on FWC’s website.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission