Florida panther
There were a pathetic 20 panthers left in Florida when the species was granted federal protection in 1967. Development was a major threat to this animal’s survival, as was (and continue to be) collisions with automobiles and fear among humans willing to shoot them in the name of ‘safety.’
The Florida panther has rebounded to an estimated 280 individuals, but conservationists point out that two additional, genetically distinct populations are essential to their continued survival.
