Florida Panther Genetic Restoration Progress Report

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Information provided by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission

April 1995
Four female Texas cougars have been released into south Florida to begin genetic restoration of the Florida panther population. All four cougars were captured from the wild in west Texas, quarantined at the Houston Zoo, and flown to Fort Myers. TX104 and TX106 were transferred to a soft release pen in the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve (see map) during the night of 28-29 March. TX104 escaped the next day during observation and watering by forcing apart a side panel from the corner post. A quick repair with cable and pad locks secured TX106 in the release pen. An on-site press conference was held on 30 March to disseminate information about genetic restoration and management of Florida panthers. The door of the release pen was left open after 12 days and the departure of TX106 was recorded on a remote camera at 6:58pm on 9 April.

TX101 and TX102 were flown to Fort Myers on 5 April and directly released from their air shipment crates at midnight in the Bear Island Unit of the Big Cypress National Preserve (see map). Movements and activities of these four cougars and their interactions with Florida panthers are summarized below:

TX101 -- This cougar has yet to leave the Preserve, traveling within a 6 mile radius of the release site. TX101, TX102, panther female #56, and her male kitten #58 were within one mile of each other near Little Marsh on 23 April.

TX102 -- This cat traveled southeastward following her release to an area south of Little Marsh were she remained for 10 days. She began traveling eastward into the Addition Lands after 23 April, reaching the L-28 Interceptor Canal on 28 April, some 19 miles from the release site. She has not crossed any paved highways or major canals.

TX104 -- This female remained in the general area of the release pen after her escape and even returned close to the pen on 30 March. Her longest distance traveled from the release site was 7.7 miles to within one mile of I-75, but she returned south to the release area where she was located with TX106 on 21 April.

TX106 -- This cougar has not traveled more than 2.1 miles from the release site since her release on 9 April. She was near male panther #54 on 17 April and located with this adult male on 19 April, a pattern suggestive of mating. The gestation period is approximately 90 days for these large cats; so, we will be monitoring closely for a movement pattern indicative of denning and birth of our first litter of kittens during the third week of July.

Prepared by Darrell Land, Mark Lotz, and Ken Johnson (5/5/95).