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Handbook
Natural Communities
Click on the legend to learn more about each community
Pinelands
Coastal strand 
Cypress swamp
Hardwood swamp
Prairies
Freshwater marshes
Mangrove swamp forests
Hardwood hammocks are within pinelands, cypress swamps, and fresh water marshes.
Panthers aren't found in these communities.
To explore the natural communities within the panther's range, click on the legend on the map.
As you explore, think of where you are most likely to find a Florida panther and what the panther might be doing. Panthers may travel across a wide range of natural communities and even partially cleared rangeland, especially at night, but they definitely prefer some natural communities to others.
Remember to survive panthers need food, cover, and water. Lack of water is rarely a problem in southwest Florida. Even in the much drier western U.S., cougars can survive for long periods with very little water. Most of the water they need is contained in the flesh of the animals they eat (Busch 1996).