Florida panther or bobcat? Here's how to tell the difference and 10 things to know
Quick glimpses of a large feline have fascinated Floridians for years.
Outdoor cameras triggered by motion sometimes pick them up, raising questions of exactly what it was that wandered through the yard.
There are only two wild cats native to Florida: the Florida panther and bobcat, with panthers being by far the larger of the two.
The Florida panther was chosen as the state animal of Florida in 1982 by a vote of elementary school students throughout the state.
Here's how to identify them and where they can be found.
Florida panther related to puma
The puma, of which Florida's panthers are a subspecies, once had the largest range of any land mammal in the Americas, living as far north as the Yukon to the southern tip of South America, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Today in the U.S., pumas are found primarily in the mountain and desert regions of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
The only pumas east of the Mississippi River are Florida panthers.
Where can the Florida panther and bobcat be found?
Florida panther: Florida panthers range from the extreme southern portions of the state into Central Florida up to Orlando and occasionally farther north. They are found primarily in the Big Cypress/Everglades ecosystem in Collier, Lee, Hendry, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties.
Although there are a few female panthers north of Lake Okeechobee, most are found south of the lake.
Florida panthers are reclusive and rarely seen by people. They normally live in remote, undeveloped areas.
Bobcat: The bobcat can be found throughout Florida. In rural areas, bobcats can range five or six square miles and generally cover their territory in a slow, careful fashion. In urban to suburban areas, their range usually decreases to 1 or 2 miles.
What cat is that? Mysterious feline captured on camera roaming near Wellington
What do Florida panthers and bobcats eat?
Florida panther: Deer, raccoons, rabbits, armadillos and wild hogs are prey for the Florida panther.
Panthers generally suffocate their prey by biting the throat at the base of the lower jaw and collapsing the windpipe. Another method used by panthers is to bite the back of the neck at the base of the skull, dislocating the vertebra.
Bobcat: The bobcat hunts by sight and usually at night. Seeing a bobcat during the day is not uncommon because they sleep for only 2 to 3 hours at a time.
In Florida, squirrels, rabbits and rats are the primary prey species. Occasionally, a bobcat will take a feral cat or domestic chicken. During the winter months, bobcats often prey on birds.
Are Florida panthers and bobcats considered endangered?
Florida panthers: Yes. Panthers are listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act and it is illegal to harm or harass them in any way. There are approximately 120 to 230 adult panthers in the population.
Bobcats: No. Bobcats are a native species with a legal hunting season in Florida that runs from Dec. 1 through March 31. Bobcats may be taken by rifle, shotgun, pistol, muzzleloader, air gun, crossbow or bow. There is no bag limit.
A bobcat can be taken as a nuisance if it causes or is about to cause property damage, presents a threat to public safety, or is an annoyance around a building.
What do Florida panthers and bobcats look like? How to identify them
The native Florida panther:
Description: Light to dark tan. There are no black Florida panthers. Adults are not spotted. Tail nearly length of body.
Weight: 60-160 pounds
Total length: 7-8 feet
Body length: 4.5 feet
Tail length: 3 feet
Shoulder height: 2.25 feet
Tail: 3 feet long, black tip
Track: Size of a baseball. A male panther track is roughly 3 1/4" length x 3 1/4" wide
How big are Florida bobcats?
Description: Typically reddish brown with spots. White spots on backs of ears. Black bobcats have occasionally been documented in Florida. Tail much shorter than length of body.
Weight: 20-30 pounds
Total length: 3 feet
Body length: 2.5 feet
Tail: 6 inches long with white underside
Shoulder height: 1.5 feet
Back of ears: white spot
Tip of tail: white underside
Track: Bobcat tracks are the size of a golf ball. About 1 1/4" length x 1 5/8" width
What sounds do panthers and bobcats make? Do they roar?
One way scientists classify cats is according to whether they roar. Lions, tigers, leopards, snow leopards and jaguars roar by vibrating a flexible cartilage at the base of their tongue.
Florida panthers (and all other puma), domestic cats, lynx, bobcats and cheetahs do not roar.
What sounds do they make? Sometimes they chirp, peep, whistle, purr, moan, scream, growl and hiss.
Females signal their readiness to mate by yowling or caterwauling.
How safe are Florida parks? Pretty safe, but some are more deadly than others
Spanish explorer said he saw a lion, others called it a tiger
As he traveled near the Florida Everglades in 1513, Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca reported seeing a lion.
Other European explorers believed they were seeing tigers or panthers (a name used for African leopards). European settlers modified lion to mountain lion, which is a name still used today in the western United States.
People in portions of the southern and eastern U.S. referred to the cat as a "painter." New Englanders use the term "catamount" or cat of the mountain.
In Florida until the 19th century when panther became the most common term, the puma was referred to as "tiger," according to FWC.
Deadly interactions: Which Florida animals are the most dangerous? Interacting with these creatures can turn deadly
Living with Florida panthers and bobcats
Florida panther and bobcat safety tips:
Don’t feed wildlife that panthers or bobcats prey on: birds, squirrels, rabbits, deer, hogs.
Keep pets indoors and secure livestock in predator-resistant enclosures.
Reduce low vegetative cover, like bushes, that can provide hiding spaces for wild cats.
Seeing a Florida panther or bobcat in the wild is not an immediate cause for alarm. However, if you’re faced with a threatening encounter:
Do not run.
Keep children close to you.
Make yourself look larger to appear more threatening.
Avoid crouching or bending over. Squatting or bending over makes you look smaller, resembling prey.
Fight back if attacked. Do not turn your back.
Do not run.
Protect people and wildlife on the road:
Observe posted speed limits.
Be aware when driving during dusk, dawn, and nighttime.
Scan the road for the reflective eyes of animals or animals on the roadside and slow down.
Who to call to report injured, sick or dead panther or bobcat
Call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922 to report injured, sick or dead panthers or to report livestock or pet loss due to a Florida panther or bobcat.
FWC biologists are interested in panther sightings or its tracks. Send details and upload photos to: Report Florida Panther Sightings.
For more information about Florida’s wild cats, visit FWC.
View wildlife crossings under state highways
Florida panthers, bobcats, alligators, bears, otters, deer and coyotes are just some of the animals spotted moving under highways via wildlife crossings around the state.
Curious about what's under you as you're traveling Florida's highways? Take a peek at photos and videos available through the Florida Department of Transportation's website.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida panther, bobcat are native and here's how to tell difference
