The Florida panther (Felis concolor coryi), a subspecies of the mountain lion, is a member of the cat family, Felidae, and is severely threatened with extinction. Listed as endangered, the Florida panther population currently numbers between 30 and 50 individuals. Its former range probably extended from western Louisiana and Arkansas eastward through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and southwestern South Carolina to the southern tip of Florida. Today the Florida panther's range consists of the Everglades-Big Cypress Swamp area. The preferred habitat for this large cat is subtropical forests comprised of dense stands of trees, vines, and shrubs, typically in low, swampy areas.

Several factors have contributed to the decline of the Florida panther. Historically the most significant factors have been habitat loss and persecution by humans. Land use patterns have altered the environment throughout the former range of the Florida panther.

With shifts to cattle ranching and agriculture, lands...