South Florida is home to the Florida panther, a species of North American cougar (P. c. couguar). It dwells in freshwater swamp forests, tropical hardwood hammocks, and pinelands. Numerous common names have been given to it, such as Florida puma and Florida cougar. The Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Picayune Strand State Forest, as well as rural areas in the counties of Collier, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade, and Monroe are all within the range of males, who can weigh up to 73 kg (161 lb). It currently occupies 5% of its historical range and is the only cougar population in the Eastern United States that has been positively identified.
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In the 1970s, there were thought to be 20 wild Florida panthers, but by 2017, there were thought to be 230. The Florida panther was selected as the state animal of Florida in 1982. Of Florida's two native cat species (bobcats and panthers), Florida panthers are the larger of the two. Numerous reports of Florida panthers have been made across the majority of the peninsula and even into Georgia. However, the main population is located south of Lake Okeechobee. It is prohibited to harm or harass panthers in any way because they are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
