About this series

• As residential and commercial development expands across Florida, wildlife is adapting to live closer to people.
• The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) shares tips through Ask IFAS publications, available in English and Spanish, to help residents and visitors understand, learn to coexist with and protect our wildlife.
• Building on this mission, February’s Wildlife Watch installment spotlights the Florida panther, emphasizing how public awareness and protection are essential for the species’ continued survival.

The Florida panther, one of the Sunshine State’s most iconic and endangered animals, is in one of the most sensitive and biologically active periods of its yearly cycle this month.

As breeding increases and females begin preparing secluded dens for their soon‑to‑arrive kittens through Spring, UF/IFAS is sharing timely, research‑backed information in the Ask IFAS publication Wildlife of Florida Factsheet: Florida Panther, also available in Spanish.

To help Floridians understand panther behavior, habitat needs and how to coexist safely and responsibly around these elusive big cats, this Ask IFAS factsheet distills decades of research on Florida’s only breeding population of panthers. The animals are found mostly in and around South Florida, with the core population found south of Lake Okeechobee.

The resource outlines the biology of Florida’s largest cat, its habitat needs, threats and behaviors residents may witness as panthers become more active during this season.

One of the key takeaways? As adult males and females seek mates, and females prepare dens, panther movement often increases, often bringing them closer to roads, neighborhoods and agricultural areas. This is also when vehicle collisions peak, making human awareness especially critical for supporting panther recovery.

Historically, the panther was close to extinction in the late 1980s through the mid-1990s, with an estimated population of 30 to 50 adults in southern Florida. Today, the panther is managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Conservation measures, combined with federal protection, have effectively increased the population to an estimated 120 to 230 adults and juveniles.

UF/IFAS wildlife experts say these are the keys to keep in mind:

Basics on protecting the species:

• Florida panthers are a protected species.
• Despite successful conservation strategies, panthers are still endangered and face threats to their survival from habitat loss, vehicular collisions and disease.
• Stay safe and help protect panthers by driving slowly and staying alert in areas where panthers roam.
• Report any panther sightings to the FWC.

What makes them unique:

• The Florida panther is the only breeding population of puma east of the Mississippi River, making it uniquely important among all North American pumas.
• It is a distinct, endangered subspecies with specific needs for places with plenty of trees and thick vegetation where panthers can hide and feel safe. Rangelands, forests, prairies and wetlands are their go-to.
• Its breeding range is restricted primarily to south of the Caloosahatchee River.

These behaviors and diets matter:

• Panthers are carnivores, with more than 80% of their diet consisting of white-tailed deer, feral swine, opossums, armadillos and raccoons.
• They are solitary hunters that use stalking and ambush to capture prey and often cache their kills under vegetation. They are most active at dawn and dusk.

Inside a panther family’s life:

• Mothers give birth in hidden, sheltered spots, such as thick palmetto plants or other dense vegetation that help keep their kittens safe.
• Pregnancy lasts about three months, and mothers typically give birth to one to four kittens.
• Kittens start learning to hunt small animals around nine months old and stay with their mother for up to two years before living on their own.

Para acceder a este contenido en español, por favor utilice este enlace. 

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By Lourdes Mederos, rodriguezl@ufl.edu

ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.  ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS

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