Panther Ready To Expand Population, Crosses River To Northern Part Of Florida

When it comes to big cats, most people would think of tigers that can swim across a river. After all, they are known to be strong swimmers. However, most large cats can swim: a female Florida panther recently made its way across Caloosahatchee River. While it is amazing in its own way, there is a bigger impact to this: it could signal some hope for the species, which has been considered endangered.

The cats, which were listed as endangered almost 50 years ago, are still dwindling in numbers. Today, the Science Recorder noted that there are only roughly 200 of them left, all of which are living in a small section in southern Florida. If they have any chance of surviving at all, they will have to expand their territory to north of the river, in order to find more resources and even spread out their population.

Unfortunately, these cats have not moved out of their territory since the 1970s, and the fact that the panthers finally crossed the water is a milestone for their survival.

Larry Williams, the state ecological services supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said in a statement that they have been working with landowners to secure wildlife corridors to help the animals travel from the south and reach the important new habitat.

Williams noted that "While we do not know if this female used these tracts of land, we do know that securing lands that facilitate the natural expansion of the panther population are critical to achieving full recovery."

The Washington Post pointed out that Southern Florida is not a great place for panthers to live in the first place -- wide ranging males are often victims to cars on freeways and condos, ranches and parking lots sit on cat habitats, leading them to have to establish new territories -- and a female crossing the river may just mean that their population is expanding someplace better.