CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. – It was a rare sight, their paths crossed during a walk on a trail in Babcock Ranch Preserve in Charlotte County. Two Florida panthers were captured by a remote trail camera, mating in late August.
Florida Fish and Wildlife researchers are happy about the discovery and say breeding success north of the Caloosahatchee River is critical to the long-term viability of the Florida panther population.
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They are hopeful the mating event resulted in a litter of kittens that would have been born at the end of November.
It’s possible the new family will emerge from their den as early as January of next year.
Florida panthers once roamed the entire Southeast of the country, but now their habitat mostly is confined to a small region of Florida along the Gulf of Mexico.
If you think you may have seen a Florida panther, take a picture and share it with FWC by clicking on this link. You can also view the map to see where others have spotted them.