Looking for Ways Panthers and Ranchers Can Coexist in FL
(Posted December 28, 2011 12:40 am)
By
Glen Gardner
GAINESVILLE, FL - A new study in Florida is aimed at helping determine the best ways for cattle and panthers to coexist.
The
endangered Florida panther has made an amazing comeback.
Once only 20 remained, but now the population is
estimated at 100 to 160. However, finding a place for
all those panthers to live without conflict is getting
more difficult.
Last year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission began receiving reports of the cats preying
on calves, beyond their natural prey of deer, wild hogs
and other native game. The University of Florida and
Defenders of Wildlife are studying the situation in
an effort to find solutions.
Caitlin Jacobs, a graduate student and researcher at the
university, says radio tags on calves and
motion-detecting cameras are being employed to help get
answers.
"We have them placed around the study areas to try and
capture pictures of panthers to show how much panther
activity there is on these ranches."
The two-year study is focusing on two ranches in
southwest Florida where the goal is to determine the
extent to which predators, in particular the Florida
panther, are responsible for calf mortality.
The research, Jacobs says, should answer a number of
questions about how the calves are dying and about how
many panthers may have developed a taste for calves.
"Is there one cat that has learned that calves are easy
prey?"
Liesa Priddy, owner of J-B Ranch in Immokalee and one of
the ranchers participating in the study, says having
good information is key to coming up with a plan to
balance the panthers' habitat needs with ranchers'
concerns.
"Only with that solid information, having everybody on
board in agreement with what the problem is, are you
going to be able to address it and come up with a
solution."
So far, 24 panthers have died in 2011, which is tied as
the most deadly year with 2003 and 2009.