Report: State must move panthers to save them

[DoYouEverWonder]

January 31, 2006

Booming South Florida no longer has enough room for Florida panthers, according to a new federal wildlife agency report on bringing the big cats back from the brink of extinction.

"There is insufficient habitat in South Florida to sustain a viable panther population," states the report released Wednesday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "The prospects for population expansion into south-central Florida are questionable at this time."

The solution: Move some of Florida's official state animal to other states -- wilderness areas in Georgia and Arkansas are the leading possibilities -- in hopes of building thriving new colonies there.

Arkansas officials, however, already have said no thanks, according to Florida panther experts. And the report, officially known as the Florida Panther Recovery Plan, contains no schedule for moving the endangered animals. Instead the plan calls for holding extensive public hearings and coordinating with state agencies first.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/31/State/Report__State_must_mo.shtml


I guess if they figure out how to get rid of the last few panthers that are left, then they can go ahead and finish developing all that valuable real estate. Way to go assholes.

[AGKISTRODON]

1. Well, honestly

If everyone in the N.E. would just find somewhere else to retire to, we would have room.
The panther population is more widespread than the state biologists admit, but still in trouble. Thing is, any area that has panthers must be regulated to protect habitat, and the real estate industry spends big bucks to stop that. I have seen panthers in N.E. Florida, but if you report a sighting, the state will call you crazy. I've spent the best part of 64 years in the woods, I know a panther when I see one. I can get along with them, and bears, and alligators, but when one of them moves through a gated community, the soccer moms go crazy. This will happen more often, the habitat is just about too chopped up to support large predators. I live in the middle of nowhere, and can hear bulldozers and chainsaws almost any day.
If I told you, "just come visit, don't plan to move here", it would sound impolite, but at some point people are going to have to stop moving in. I won't bet on it!

[theHandpuppet]

2. People can't keep moving in...

If stricter zoning laws were enacted and enforced and undeveloped lands were protected by state law. Florida invites its own overdevelopment via the greed of developers and those whose palms they grease. Hmmmm... panthers vs. billions in development. Who do you think will win at the Florida statehouse?

[AGKISTRODON]

3. No doubt, here

If the demand wasn't here, the whole damn thing would derail. If they were not selling houses, they wouldn't build them.

[blindpig]

5. Nice handle.

Copperhead or Moccasin?:D

[AGKISTRODON]

6. No Copperheads this far South n/t

[blindpig]

10. To the best of my knowledge

the southernmost record for the copperhead is in Alford, Jackson Co on the Panhandle. Found a DOR there about 30 years ago.(not the record)

[FlaGranny]

15. DId you hear the story about the bear

a few years ago? It was on the news here every night. It was spotted moving from south to north over a distance of about 20 miles. It did go through some back yards. Everyone panicked, calling police and sheriffs. I think they finally were able to dart to the poor thing. All they had to do was leave it alone and let it go where it wanted to go - north and into more uninhabited areas.

I've never seen a panther in this area. The closest I've come is seeing the tracks of a bobcat, but that was some time ago. We have a pair of foxes living in my neighborhood now. My cousin lives in a rural area near Melbourne and sees bobcats and wild pigs, but she says she never saw a panther.

[noonwitch]

16. My dad lives near Port Charlotte, and he sees bobcats and wild pigs

But no panthers. Gators, yes.

We get panther sightings in Michigan, along with cougar sightings. In both cases, it could be exotic pets gotten loose, although both were native here once. There was a bear spotted pretty far south near Grand Rapids last fall.

[blindpig]

4. Utter bullshit.

It's the FLORIDA PANTHER, you worthless whores! This subspecies has closer affinities to the panthers of Yucatan than those of the mainland US. If this stupid, greed inspired scheme were to be realized there would be a very good possibility that they would breed with members of the relict populations which do exists and both taxa would be diluted. The species would be much better served if growth were frozen or restricted in what remains of natural S Florida. That growth is already cancerous. The bu$histas corrupt and ignore science at will when it suits them. The Real Estate Bund will not be satisfied until every acre is turned into cash.

America's tropical paradise wasted for Rolexes, Hummers and off shore accounts. Dwelling on this makes me sick.

[AGKISTRODON]

7. I hope you aren't jumping on my case

Some of my ancestors settled near here 250 years ago, the rest of them walked across the Bering Straits. I would have hung Henry Flagler as soon as he showed up, had I been around in person then.
You, however, could stand to work on your manners!:evilgrin:

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. I think he's screaming at the powers that be

Like Jeb & Co who are selling our state to the highest bidder.

[AGKISTRODON]

9. Could be

But I can't see the need for screaming at each other. When you don't control your anger, your anger will control you!

[blindpig]

11. I'm not

unless you're in the Real Estate biz.:evilgrin: Sorry you took that wrong. I feel the way you do about population growth in Florida and I tend to get a bit emotional about what's happening to so much unique habitat and the endemic species therein. As though things weren't bad enough and along comes Jeb to administer the killing blow.:mad:

[KittyWampus]

12. Won't Florida Run Out Of Water Soon Enough?

that ought to hamper growth.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. Probably not

It rains all the time and rising sea levels will just make it a shorter drive to the beach.

[LiberalEsto]

13. Put em in a temporary nuclear waste dump

kill two birds with one fuel rod. :sarcasm: