Florida Panther Rescued in 2011 Released

A male Florida panther was released at the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area by The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

FWC had rescued the panther and his sister in September 2011 in northern Collier County. The cats are now 2 years old. Their mother was found dead at the time of the rescue.

The panthers were released Wednesday at a site that's along the borders of Palm Beach, Broward and Hendry counties.

"We chose this location because it is part of the species' known range, and it should provide ample undeveloped area for the panther to acclimate into the wild," said Darrell Land, FWC panther team leader.

The cats were raised at the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee. 

"These panthers most likely would not have survived without our intervention and the subsequent support of White Oak staff," said Land.

The female panther was released from the Center in February and is now doing well in the wild. However, male panthers have an additional task of looking out for other male panthers that might not let them survive in the wild.

"We are pleased with the progress of the female since her release," said Land in a news release. "Young males face the additional survival challenge of potential confrontations with older males, but we believe our choice of a release site will minimize the risk of such encounters."

The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) was the first species added to the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1973 as their numbers declined during the 1970s. There are currently about 100 Florida panthers left in the wild. These cats are found in southern Florida in swamplands such as the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, according to the National Wildlife Federation.