Florida+Panther

Name

 * Terrell Harris
 * Florida Panther
 * Puma concolor coryi

Description
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 * The category of the fish is mamal
 * The Florida panther is a large, long-tailed cat with a great deal of color variation: pale brown or rusty upper parts, dull white or buffy under parts; tail tip, back of ears, and sides of nose are dark brown or blackish. Mature male panthers weigh from 1O2 to 154 pounds and measured nearly 7 feet from nose to tip of tail. Females were considerably smaller, with a weight range of 50 to 1O8 pounds and measuring about 6 feet.
 * [[image:http://sweetmagnoliaphoto.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/florida_panther_with_cub.jpg width="252" height="173"]]
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 * The Florida panther is a carnivore. Its favorite prey is the white-tailed deer. It also eats raccoons, armadillos, birds, and other small prey. It stalks its prey and pounces on it, bites the animal's neck and cuts the spinal chord
 * Live birth between 5-6 kittens

Habitat

 * Tropical Part of the United States, mostly Florida
 * Florida Panthers are usually found in pinelands, hardwood hammocks, and mixed swamp forests. Adult males may range over an area of 200 square miles, while females range over a 70 to 80 square mile area. Florida panthers are very solitary animals.
 * They do not hibernate they are active year around and live above ground
 * Florida Panthers are predators

Problems

 * It's sad to say that Florida panthers are killed by cars and trucks, particularly on State Road 29 and Alligator Alley (I-75), hunters also still shoot panthers occasionally. Florida Panthers health and continuing loss of habitat. Florida panthers have an unusually large number of health problems. Most are related to poor habitat conditions and genetic defects. Around the Everglades, panthers have been contaminated with mercury.

Solutions

 * **First**, additional habitat must be secured and enhanced. **Second**, programs are under way to breed panthers in captivity for later release back in the wild. **Third**, scientists are exploring ways to increase the genetic variability of panthers through cross-breeding with closely related subspecies.
 * **the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge lies 20 miles east of Naples, Florida. Interstate 75 parallels the south boundary; State Road 29 parallels the east boundary.**
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