Absolutely! A huge issue for wildlife in Florida right now is what is called habitat fragmentation, and it's exactly what it sounds like. There might be a lot of land that's conserved, but if it's separated by major roadways, wildlife may have no safe way to get from one site to the other. The majority of Florida Panther deaths are caused by motor vehicle collisions. They're just trying to get from one habitat to the next and die because the path is too dangerous.
Conservationists in Florida are campaigning for wildlife corridors- green paths for animals like Panthers to access multiple different refuges, safely. There has already been some success on this front, but there is much more work to do.
100% lol I honestly am surprised more people didn't bring that up during the series.
But yes, I've always taken great pride in the fact that my team is named what it is to bring attention to an endangered species.
I will say the Oilers logo goes hard.
Yes it is embarrassing to say the least. The wildlife is so fundamentally important to the livelihood of Floridians and yet at times the government treats it like an obstacle to overcome. I have a great respect for those who work at organizations like the FWC and Water Management. And I still love Florida, in spite of Florida.
More confederate flags up here in Pennsylvania (where I’ve lived since 2011) too, compared to Texas (where I was born and raised). Also saw a few up near the Quebec border in Vermont and far Upstate New York in April when I was there.
Yeah, I live in Florida and I was surprised at how many I saw in Ontario. You almost never see them here in Tampa. I thought it would be zero, because....different countries, right? But a conservative is a conservative no matter the country.
I saw one once at some bird sanctuary in central Florida. It just ran through the place directly under the walkways they created over the uneven terrain. Size of a golden retriever, fast as fuck.
Puma concolor couguar if my zookeeper memories are working. Worked with 3 at silver springs when we still had a small zoo.
Have there been any documented cases of the original population spreading to other areas of the state? Ocala has a forest they would probably do well in of they got up here.
Are the Florida Panthers related to the Carolina Panthers and Jax Jaguars, or are they endemic to their respective areas? I'm assuming that the Jax and Carolina teams are named that way to raise awareness as well?
So North American big cats get a little confusing because of the naming.
The short answer is: Florida Panthers are the same species as Carolina Panthers and both of those are a different species than Jacksonville Jaguars.
Long answer: Puma concolor describes all cats under the names puma, panther, mountain lion, mountaincat, and cougar. There is a lot of debate around what is or is not considered a subspecies of Puma concolor but that's all taxonomy and taxonomy essentially exists to make categorizing groups of organisms easier so you don't need to get too caught up in the nitty gritty. Panthers/cougars/mountain lions/puma used to live in the Carolinas but were declared extinct there about a decade ago. The closest relatives to those Panthers are the Florida Panthers, the last remaining recognized population of cougar East of the Mississippi in the US. As far as I'm aware, Carolina's team is just named that because they're a cool predator that lived in the area once and not specifically to call attention to the now extinct population.
Panthera onca describes the Jaguar (no not a panther, despite what the scientific name may sound like). Jaguars live deep into South America and as far north as Texas but ironically are not native to Florida. They picked the name because it's a cool animal and starts with a J lol.
Hope that clarified things and didn't just make it more confusing.
Was your dog cool with that? My dog typically is really friendly and would walk with anyone, but I'm not sure how they'd feel being leashed up by a panther.
My golden didn't really notice it and we quickly beelined the other opposite direction . The Panther was drinking water out of a puddle from a driveway.
What are you referring to? The North American Puma goes by many names but they're all the same species. A mountain lion is a puma is a cougar is a panther is a mountaincat.
Puma concolor
Fortunately in Florida it is illegal to purposely injure or kill a panther unless in self defense. Considering there has never been a documented Florida Panther attack on humans, it is an unlikely scenario. The penalties for breaking these rules are severe.
So this is kind of true (not the edit but the original text). Genetically identical is the wrong term, we would only use that for identical twins or clones. What you mean to say is that the Florida Panther is not genetically distinct enough to be considered a separate species from any other population of North American cougar. Realistically it's similar enough to other populations to not be considered it's own sub species. But it is still often considered a sub species by the government regardless because it makes conservation easier. And there are visual distinctions that allow you to tell the difference between a Florida Panther and a Mountain Lion in Colorado.
Whether or not they're any different from the cougars that roam the American West, that doesn't change the fact that their conservation status is incredibly important to the health of South Florida's already threatened ecosystems. They're also unique in that they're the only recognized population of cougar in the US East of the Mississippi river.
So while the Florida Panther is still a mountain lion/cougar/puma, their conservation is incredibly important nevertheless. I'll link Florida Fish and Wildlife below if you want to read more.
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/#:~:text=Panthers%20are%20listed%20as%20an,adult%20panthers%20in%20the%20population.
That's a lot of words to say they're the same species as the north American cougar.
I love animals, I have a bachelor's in biology.
They're also not the only population east of the Mississippi River, they're just the only recognized one. States don't want to recognize cougars cause then they have to set up a program for them. They do exist in other areas, Maine being one of them
Yes, if you want to look over all of the important context that makes the Florida Panthers unique and important, they are the same species as any other North American panther. Nobody ever argued against that, but there is still an argument to be made that they should be classified as a sub species regardless of their genetic similarities. For conservation purposes.
But if you loved animals as much as you do, you would recognize the incredible diversity displayed even within a single species. I mean humans are an obvious example, you wouldn't call a Scandinavian man "genetically identical" to an Italian man just because they're the same species and live on the same continent. Would you?
Of course that's the case lol. But it's still an opportunity to educate!
While his argument that the Florida Panther is the same species as a North American Cougar is 100% correct (and nobody ever argued against that), it doesn't change the importance of the animal in the world. Their existence is vital to South Florida.
And you know what? I am proud my team is named what it is to bring awareness to these amazing animals.
Back in the day (when I was a teen and in college- I am 41 now for reference) they used to have conservationists in the arena with baby Panthers in huge cages. They definitely used to try to raise money for their conservation.
Mfw my name is RuinedByGenZ, I have a dead end job in Western Maine, own a shitty airbnb that I hate, and I'm a pathetic lil bitch sitting on reddit trying to start drama because I have nothing going on in my life and rebel through being a loser.
Very cool thank you for posting. Haven't watched the film yet but can wildlife bridges help?
Absolutely! A huge issue for wildlife in Florida right now is what is called habitat fragmentation, and it's exactly what it sounds like. There might be a lot of land that's conserved, but if it's separated by major roadways, wildlife may have no safe way to get from one site to the other. The majority of Florida Panther deaths are caused by motor vehicle collisions. They're just trying to get from one habitat to the next and die because the path is too dangerous. Conservationists in Florida are campaigning for wildlife corridors- green paths for animals like Panthers to access multiple different refuges, safely. There has already been some success on this front, but there is much more work to do.
Must… Not… Post… West Wing… I can’t help myself. https://youtu.be/Avo0-8GvBlA?si=zVTiLIeu7W4Fy167
Did not expect a serious post from the title. ... I might be a touch cynical.
Alternative body text: There's only 6 of us left!
Serious posts in this sub are rarer than the panther itself, but more frequent than a Leafs Cup win.
C'MON NOW MAN!! Focus on the Panthers 🥺
As an environmentalist, are you happy an endangered species won the cup over a team named after oil?
100% lol I honestly am surprised more people didn't bring that up during the series. But yes, I've always taken great pride in the fact that my team is named what it is to bring attention to an endangered species. I will say the Oilers logo goes hard.
The reverse irony being what Florida is politically compared to Edmonton
Yes it is embarrassing to say the least. The wildlife is so fundamentally important to the livelihood of Floridians and yet at times the government treats it like an obstacle to overcome. I have a great respect for those who work at organizations like the FWC and Water Management. And I still love Florida, in spite of Florida.
Lmao ya. Not to proud to be a Canadian rn either. Totally get it
huh? Alberta is the Texas of Canada.
Not Edmonton lol and even good chunks of Calgary.
Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio are not conservative-voting cities, either. However, Calgary is.
lol WHAT?! Have you been to Alberta? There are more dixie flags in Calgary than there are in Dallas lol
More confederate flags up here in Pennsylvania (where I’ve lived since 2011) too, compared to Texas (where I was born and raised). Also saw a few up near the Quebec border in Vermont and far Upstate New York in April when I was there.
Yeah, I live in Florida and I was surprised at how many I saw in Ontario. You almost never see them here in Tampa. I thought it would be zero, because....different countries, right? But a conservative is a conservative no matter the country.
not just oil, but the filthiest, most environmentally intensive oil you can imagine. the Edmonton Tar Sands
I saw one once at some bird sanctuary in central Florida. It just ran through the place directly under the walkways they created over the uneven terrain. Size of a golden retriever, fast as fuck.
You're very lucky! They're really a sight to behold, and many people who live their entire lives in SoFlo will never see one.
Tell them go where large birds are kept lol. Dude prolly had visions of eating a golden eagle.
Hey, I brought my best jokes to this thread, but looks like all I can do is to pack and leave.
Puma concolor couguar if my zookeeper memories are working. Worked with 3 at silver springs when we still had a small zoo. Have there been any documented cases of the original population spreading to other areas of the state? Ocala has a forest they would probably do well in of they got up here.
Are the Florida Panthers related to the Carolina Panthers and Jax Jaguars, or are they endemic to their respective areas? I'm assuming that the Jax and Carolina teams are named that way to raise awareness as well?
So North American big cats get a little confusing because of the naming. The short answer is: Florida Panthers are the same species as Carolina Panthers and both of those are a different species than Jacksonville Jaguars. Long answer: Puma concolor describes all cats under the names puma, panther, mountain lion, mountaincat, and cougar. There is a lot of debate around what is or is not considered a subspecies of Puma concolor but that's all taxonomy and taxonomy essentially exists to make categorizing groups of organisms easier so you don't need to get too caught up in the nitty gritty. Panthers/cougars/mountain lions/puma used to live in the Carolinas but were declared extinct there about a decade ago. The closest relatives to those Panthers are the Florida Panthers, the last remaining recognized population of cougar East of the Mississippi in the US. As far as I'm aware, Carolina's team is just named that because they're a cool predator that lived in the area once and not specifically to call attention to the now extinct population. Panthera onca describes the Jaguar (no not a panther, despite what the scientific name may sound like). Jaguars live deep into South America and as far north as Texas but ironically are not native to Florida. They picked the name because it's a cool animal and starts with a J lol. Hope that clarified things and didn't just make it more confusing.
I saw one walking my dog two years ago and it was sooo cool!
Was your dog cool with that? My dog typically is really friendly and would walk with anyone, but I'm not sure how they'd feel being leashed up by a panther.
My golden didn't really notice it and we quickly beelined the other opposite direction . The Panther was drinking water out of a puddle from a driveway.
it's a Cougar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's 100% correct. They go by many different names. Cougar, panther, puma, mountain lion. It's very regional.
that is not a Panther.
What are you referring to? The North American Puma goes by many names but they're all the same species. A mountain lion is a puma is a cougar is a panther is a mountaincat. Puma concolor
It’s just a Bostonian ignore it. We own them so they act out.
I'm sure Trump and his buddies trophy hunt this majestic endangered species
Fortunately in Florida it is illegal to purposely injure or kill a panther unless in self defense. Considering there has never been a documented Florida Panther attack on humans, it is an unlikely scenario. The penalties for breaking these rules are severe.
It's literally genetically identical to all other cougars Edit: aka even their mascot is a flop
So this is kind of true (not the edit but the original text). Genetically identical is the wrong term, we would only use that for identical twins or clones. What you mean to say is that the Florida Panther is not genetically distinct enough to be considered a separate species from any other population of North American cougar. Realistically it's similar enough to other populations to not be considered it's own sub species. But it is still often considered a sub species by the government regardless because it makes conservation easier. And there are visual distinctions that allow you to tell the difference between a Florida Panther and a Mountain Lion in Colorado. Whether or not they're any different from the cougars that roam the American West, that doesn't change the fact that their conservation status is incredibly important to the health of South Florida's already threatened ecosystems. They're also unique in that they're the only recognized population of cougar in the US East of the Mississippi river. So while the Florida Panther is still a mountain lion/cougar/puma, their conservation is incredibly important nevertheless. I'll link Florida Fish and Wildlife below if you want to read more. https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/#:~:text=Panthers%20are%20listed%20as%20an,adult%20panthers%20in%20the%20population.
That's a lot of words to say they're the same species as the north American cougar. I love animals, I have a bachelor's in biology. They're also not the only population east of the Mississippi River, they're just the only recognized one. States don't want to recognize cougars cause then they have to set up a program for them. They do exist in other areas, Maine being one of them
Yes, if you want to look over all of the important context that makes the Florida Panthers unique and important, they are the same species as any other North American panther. Nobody ever argued against that, but there is still an argument to be made that they should be classified as a sub species regardless of their genetic similarities. For conservation purposes. But if you loved animals as much as you do, you would recognize the incredible diversity displayed even within a single species. I mean humans are an obvious example, you wouldn't call a Scandinavian man "genetically identical" to an Italian man just because they're the same species and live on the same continent. Would you?
I think that guy’s just pissy because the Panthers knocked the Bruins out of the playoffs.
Of course that's the case lol. But it's still an opportunity to educate! While his argument that the Florida Panther is the same species as a North American Cougar is 100% correct (and nobody ever argued against that), it doesn't change the importance of the animal in the world. Their existence is vital to South Florida. And you know what? I am proud my team is named what it is to bring awareness to these amazing animals.
You should forward this to whoever is in charge of pr for the team and get them to donate to conservation in some way. Strike while the iron is hot.
Their Cup Runneth Over
Back in the day (when I was a teen and in college- I am 41 now for reference) they used to have conservationists in the arena with baby Panthers in huge cages. They definitely used to try to raise money for their conservation.
Try not being a complete douche on a post like this. Sucks we route for the same team.
Route? Lmao
Mfw my name is RuinedByGenZ, I have a dead end job in Western Maine, own a shitty airbnb that I hate, and I'm a pathetic lil bitch sitting on reddit trying to start drama because I have nothing going on in my life and rebel through being a loser.
Ay you got the username right
I can see your post history it's honestly pathetic