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Insufficient Large Prey
What's the Panther's dietary breakdown?
Panthers need sufficient numbers of large prey (deer and hogs) to survive and to reproduce. Any activity that permanently decreases the number of large prey has a potential negative effect on the panther. On the other hand any activity that permanently increases the number of large prey has a potential positive effect on the panther.
The effects of sport hunting of deer and wild hogs on the Florida panther and of the Florida panther on sport hunting are topics of considerable debate. Florida has long been known as "a paradise for devotees of the rod and gun" (Derr 1989:192).
Research Question
What kinds of hunting are currently permitted on public and private lands in Florida? Discuss the pros and cons of different types of hunting. What potential effects do different types of hunting have on the Florida panther.
A summary of current hunting regulations may be obtained from the:
Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission
620 S. Meridian Street
Tallahassee, Fl 32399-1600
850-488-4676
During the 1980s, concerns over disturbances to panthers caused by hunting in the Big Cypress National Preserve resulted in banning the use of dogs for hunting deer and hog, shortening the hunting season by 100 days, restricting use of off road research questionvehicles, and eliminating raccoon hunting at night (Maehr 1997). In the first reintroduction study in north Florida, cougars released in Osceola National Forest adapted well to their environment until hunting season began (Belden, Hagedorn, and Frankenburger 1990). After hunting season began, two of the cougars were illegally shot and the others wandered outside of their established home ranges. Biologist Chris Belden has suggested that hunting dogs were the main disturbing factor (Logan et al. 1993a).
Hunting stand and automatic
feeder in north Florida.
These feeders attracted cougars
as well as deer and hogs.
In 1987 Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park was closed to deer and hog hunting find out if panthers and hunters mixbecause of a low deer population and relatively poor health of resident panthers. Hunting is also prohibited in Everglades National Park and the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. The Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge is open to the public on a limited basis and is managed specifically to enhance conditions for the panther.
Hunting is a popular activity on private lands within the panther's range. Many of the ranches are managed for deer and hogs as well as for cattle, and are leased to limited numbers of hunters. Game is generally abundant on these private lands where natural soil fertility is higher than it is on public lands. There appear to be few conflicts between hunters and panthers on private property. Panthers with ranges encompassing these lands are generally healthier and produce more kittens than panthers whose ranges are solely on public lands (Schortemeyer 1994).
Do Hunting and Panthers Mix?
A healthy environment can support both panthers and hunters. During the 1990-91 hunting season in Big Cypress, 6 percent of the estimated deer herd was killed, well below the documented productivity of Big Cypress deer (Logan et al. 1993a). In 1993, panther 48 gave birth to and successfully raised her first litter of three kittens during hunting season 50 yards from one of the busiest trails in the Bear Island unit of Big Cypress (Maehr 1997). Reintroduction studies in north Florida did not show any negative effects of cougars on deer or hog populations (Belden and McCown 1996).
Biologist Dave Maehr thinks the key to successful coexistence between humans and panthers is regularity in human activities (1997). In Big Cypress hunting is only permitted during the day, dogs are not allowed, and off-road vehicles are confined to designated trails.
Eliminating hunting does not necessarily improve the habitat for panthers. Hunting is prohibited in Everglades National Park and in Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve. Still, these are not the best panther areas because of generally poor natural soil fertility, high water for much of the year, lack of cover (Everglades), and lack of forage for deer (Fakahatchee Strand).
During a second reintroduction study in north Florida, conflicts again occurred between some hunters and the cougars released as surrogates for panthers (Belden and McCown 1996). Two of the cougars were illegally shot and one died after being caught in a snare. Some hunters use stands to shoot deer and hogs coming to nearby automatic feeders. The cougars quickly learned that the deer and hogs were concentrated around the feeders, and to the distress of some of the hunters the cougars also began hunting around the feeders. Some hunters called for the removal of the cougars because they feared they would take all the game or scare deer from the feeders.
Florida Panther Second Reintroduction Study - 1993-95
Nineteen mountain lions (Puma concolor stanleyana) were released in the area of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge/Osceola National Forest. The mountain lions were used as surrogates to evaluate the panther press - Walt McCownfeasibility of re-establishing Florida panthers in the area. Eleven females and 8 vasectomized males were released. Of these, 6 were born and raised in captivity, 10 were captured in the wild in Texas, and 3 were captured in the wild in Texas and held in captivity in Florida 2-8 years prior to their release.
Fifteen of the 19 lions established home ranges. The captive-raised animals established ranges more quickly and were more likely to be found in association with other lions than were the wild-caught animals. The captive-raised animals (especially the males), however, were less afraid of people and were more likely to be seen. Wild-caught males, on the other hand, dispersed farther and were less likely to establish home ranges. One suggested solution to these problems would be to release 4-5 wild-caught females into the target area. Once they established home ranges, a captive-raised male could then be released only long enough to breed the females.
As in the previous reintroduction study, the lions were most likely found in forested wetlands along river drainages and in pinelands.
During the study, 5 of the 19 cats died. Two were illegally shot, two were killed on highways, and one died after being caught in a snare.
Capture of Lion T-40 near
Thompson, Georgia, 1/95.
Although he was vasectomized (twice), one of the males sired kittens with 3 of the females. He also sired a litter with a captive female after he had been removed from the wild.
Home ranges for females in this study were about half the size of home ranges of Florida panthers in south Florida, suggesting a greater abundance of prey animals in north Florida than in south Florida.
Some of the residents that lived in the immediate area of the study were strongly opposed to reintroduction efforts and formed a "Not-in-My-Backyard" organization to oppose reintroduction. Their opposition centered on human safety, safety for pets and livestock, landowner rights, and effects on the deer population.
Livestock depredation incidents did occur but there were no incidents of threat or harm to people (Belden and McCown 1996).
Principal Use Areas of Eleven Released Cougars
In this study home ranges were defined as areas where an animal was consistently found for more than two months. Use areas are places used for less than two months. Note the relationship of the use areas of several cougars to rivers.
T-40, a wild-caught 1.5-year-old male, established a series of large use areas during the study, one of which is shown on this map. He traveled long distances before settling into temporary use areas. By January 1995, he had traveled more than 380 km north of the original release site and had to be removed from the study. Why do you think he traveled so far?