CREDIT: R. CHRIS BEL.DEN 



FLORIDA PANTHER 



Felts concolor coryi Bangs 



KINGDOM Animalia 



CLASS Mammalia 



ORDER Carnivora 



FAMILY Felidae 



OTHER COMMON NAMES .... cougar, painter, 



mountain lion, puma 



DATE 



Entered into SWIS to be determined 



Updates 7 October 1976, 8 March 1977 



LEGAL STATUS 



Federal: Endangered (32 FR 4001, 11 March 

 1967) 



State: Endangered: Florida, Georgia, 



Mississippi 



REASONS FOR CURRENT STATUS 



The primary cause for their present status is 

 excessive hunting and habitat disruption (Laycock 

 1969, Anon. 1973, Nowak and McBride 1973). 

 Although legally protected since 1958, illegal kills, 

 highway mortality, and habitat loss probably con- 

 tinue to depress the population below potential 

 carrying capacity (Layne and McCauley 1976). 



PRIORITY INDEX 



Not assigned. 



DESCRIPTION 



The panther is a large (1.5 to 3.1m), long- 

 tailed cat, usually rusty on the back, fulvous on 

 the sides, and buff underneath. The sides of the 

 nose, tip of the tail, and backs of the ears are dark 

 brown or blackish. Young panthers, until 6 months 

 old, arc buff colored with black spots (Audubon 

 and Backman 1851, Merriam 1901, Hamilton 



