NAPLES, Florida — THE FLORIDA PANTHER POPULATION IS MAKING STRIDES TO REGAIN ITS POPULATION.
RESEARCH SHOWS THE NUMBERS GREW FROM JUST 20 TO 30 PANTHERS IN THE STATE, TO A POSSIBLE 230 IN THE PAST 40 YEARS.
A LARGE PART OF THIS COMING FROM THE HELP OF THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION.
"THEY PLAY KIND OF A VITAL ROLE IN KEEPING THE ECOSYSTEM HEALTHY, KEEPING PREY POPULATIONS IN CHECK," DAVE ONORATO RESEARCH SCIENTIST FOR FWC. "IT ALSO JUST KIND OF MAINTAINS A SENSE OF WILDNESS. WHICH WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH LOST IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. GIVEN THAT THERE ARE 22 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING HERE NOW.
AS THE POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW IN THE STATE, FOR BOTH THE PANTHERS AND THE HUMAN RACE,THE PANTHERS STILL FACE A CHALLENGE.
OVER THE LAST YEAR, THE STATE SAW 19 PANTHER DEATHS DUE TO ROAD KILLS.
FWC IS HOPING TO PUT A STOP TO THESE DEATHS.
AND THEY'VE EVEN TEAMED UP, WITH THE NAPLES ZOO.
"WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM," SAID LEE ANN ROPEMAN DIRECTOR OF ANIMAL PROGRAMS AT NAPLES ZOO. "WE'RE 24/7, IF THEY CALL WITH A PANTHER IN NEED, WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE. BECAUSE WE'RE IN PANTHER HABITAT, THE QUICKER THEY GET TO A HOSPITAL, THE BETTER CHANCE FOR SURVIVAL."
THIS HOSPITAL HAS ALREADY PROVEN TO BE A BIG HELP.
BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2020, LOGAN WAS BROUGHT IN AFTER BEING HIT BY A CAR.
AND IN JUST TWO WEEKS, HE WAS RELEASED.
"THE HOPE FOR THE PANTHER POPULATION IS THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE AND COEXIST WITH PEOPLE," SAID ROPEMAN. "FOR US AT NAPLES ZOO, WE HOPE THERE AREN'T PANTHERS THAT NEED TO COME INTO THE HOSPITAL, BECAUSE THAT MEANS THEY'RE THRIVING IN THE WILD."
