Florida Panther Genetic Restoration Progress Report

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Information provided by the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission

August 1995
TX101 -- TX101 spent the entire month around McDaniel's ranch. She used a smaller area than last month, not venturing into the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation or the Addition Lands as she did in July. TX101 has been in close proximity to TX102 but they have not been located together.

TX102 -- This cougar also continued using the area around McDaniel's ranch. She was located near TX101, usually remaining south of her and north of the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.

TX103 -- TX103 continued her movements on the south side of Highway 41 from Turner river Road to Loop Road in the Big Cypress National Preserve. She remained about four miles southwest of the Monroe Station in an area of pines and cabbage palms for the last two weeks of August. This area probably offers some dry ground for her and prey items after Tropical Storm Jerry dropped about 14 inches of rain in the Preserve.

TX104 -- TX104 continued to use the northern Belle Meade area south of I-75 between Naples and the Picayune Strand State Forest (South Blocks).

TX105 -- This female cougar has spent all of August in the Long Pine Key area of Everglades National Park. She is using a 10 square mile area of pinelands and hardwood hammocks, making only short movements of less than two miles. TX105 was located with male panther #16 on 16 August. Panther #16 has remained on Long Pine Key for most of the month.

TX106 -- This cat continued to use her usual two areas in the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve and has recently started using a third area in the middle of the Picayune Strand State Forest (South Blocks). She has returned to this new area twice thus far and was located there on four flights. TX106 was located with male panther #51 on 7 August 1995.

TX107 -- TX107 has remained in the Calusa Ranch area of the Big Cypress National Preserve. The pinelands of Calusa Ranch are the only areas without standing water in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Jerry. Female panther #23 has also used two of the same airstrips in the Calusa Ranch area as TX107 but they have not been located together.

TX108 -- This cougar has confined her movements to the pinelands of Long Pine Key in Everglades National Park. TX108 continues to make short movements, using a 5-10 square mile area. Although male panther #16 frequents the same area, she has not been located with him. As in July, high water and high temperatures appear to have restricted movements of both cougars and panther #16 to the relatively high ground of Long Pine Key.

Prepared by Darrell Land, Mark Lotz, Ken Johnson, Deborah Jansen, and Sonny Bass (9\5\95).