FL Panther Spotted At Manatee County Preserve: Watch

DUETTE, FL — A park ranger recently spotted a Florida panther at the Duette Preserve and captured video footage of the endangered animal, according to a Facebook post by Manatee County. (Watch the video below.)

“Male panthers are known to explore a broader territory, spanning over 200,000 acres, compared to females. Duette's 22,000 acres have become a frequent sighting location for male panthers as they seek out females and additional food sources,,” the county wrote. “What a fantastic illustration of the success of Manatee County preserves!”

Duette Preserve, located in the northeastern part of the county, is home to a variety of game and non-game animals, including species of special concern, such as the burrowing owl, snowy egret, white ibis, gopher tortoise, and at least three endangered/threatened species, the Florida scrub jay, the Florida panther, and the Eastern indigo snake, the county website said.

The Florida panther, typically found south of Orlando, is one of two native cat species in the state, the other being the bobcat, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

Adult panthers grow up to 5 to 7 feet in length and can weigh between 50 and 160 pounds.

Protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule, the panther has rebounded from the brink of extinction over the past 50 years, according to the U.S. FIsh & Wildlife Service.

Since it was put on the first endangered species list in 1967, the Florida panther population has grown from an estimated low of 10 animals to more than 200, the agency said.

Watch video of a Florida panther at the Duette Preserve: