Florida PanthersThe endangered Florida panther is the official Florida state animal. A large tawny-colored cat, the adult male weighs up to 130 pounds, while the female can reach 70 pounds. Florida panthers are solitary animals, active mostly by night. There are about 80 to 100 panthers remaining in Florida, most of which are located in Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park.
On a backpacking trip to Big Cypress, we came across quite a few Florida panther tracks in the muddy ground.
There are rumors of panthers existing as far away from these areas as Volusia County. And, at least one knowledgeable biologist with whom I spoke said panthers probably do make their way up to North Florida, that is, if they can manage not to get run over on a busy highway. Too many of these magnificent creatures meet their end under a car's wheels. They are superb hunters and wily cats, but it seems they just don't have much traffic sense.
These big cats, a subspecies of mountain lions, are so elusive they are an uncommon sight even for researchers who track them. For this reason, your chances of a dangerous encounter with a Florida panther are extremely small. But, in the highly unlikely case you are attacked by a panther, wild animal experts say to fight back with all your might. Take special care to protect your neck and abdomen. Do not play dead. If the animal attacks you from behind, try to throw it over your shoulders. If you’re not attacked but find yourself in what seems to be a dangerous encounter with a panther, try to make yourself look bigger and more threatening by holding out your arms and yelling in a loud and deep voice. If wearing a jacket, unzip it, and grasping the bottom of each side in each hand, hold out the jacket over your head to present a large surface area which the cat may find threatening. Or wave a stick, backpack, or other object. Face the cat head on and make direct eye contact with it. Just be sure you don’t have the animal cornered. Allow it plenty of room to escape. Back away slowly, but do not run from the encounter. Running only tells a cat you’re something to be chased. Also, do not turn away from the animal and don’t hunker down. Both of these actions may entice the big cat to attack. Those familiar with the predatory behavior of house cats already have some insight into panther behavior. The above information is a "just in case" plan. Don't worry too much about panther attacks. Consider yourself lucky if you even see one. I've roamed the backwoods of this state almost my whole life, and I may have seen one panther in the wilds. For more info on Florida panthers, be sure to visit this page brought to you by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Convservation Commission.
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