'We are shocked and dismayed that the Florida Wildlife Commission is backing off decades of protection for the Florida panther,' said Laura Bevan with the Humane Society. Many gathered recently in Sarasota at a hearing to discuss the new policy. When the ranch started 15 years ago, says ranch manager Cliff Coleman, you never saw panthers.Īnimals Florida's Hunt For Giant Snails Leads To 'Smelly Easter Eggs'Įnvironmental and animal welfare groups are outraged. They're slightly smaller than their cousins, but like them, the panthers need lots of room to roam.Īt the northern end of the panthers' range is Black Boar Ranch, a hunting preserve near the town of LaBelle. And some officials, ranchers and hunters in the state say that may be about enough.įlorida panthers are a subspecies of the cougar or mountain lion. Now, nearly 200 range throughout southwest Florida. From a low point in the 1970s when there were only about 20 panthers in the wild, the species has rebounded. The Florida panther has been on the endangered species list for nearly 50 years. In Florida, the official state animal triggers mixed feelings. As the Florida state animal's population has grown, wildlife officials may seek to take the panther off the endangered species list.Ĭourtesy of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida Panthers roam in rural Collier County, in southwest Florida.

Ohs daily panther prowl