FWC pauses plan to remove panther from Immokalee after livestock attacks

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently paused a plan to remove a panther that was targeting livestock at an Immokalee ranch after an outcry from environmental groups.

In a letter submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida and the Sierra Club on March 1, they said removing an adult male panther from the wild would only further the species’ vulnerability, especially when seven panthers have already been lost to vehicle strikes just in 2022. Although Panther FP260 has killed livestock from a nearby ranch, leaders with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida says its removal from the wild would be unlawful because it does not pose a threat to human safety.

“They’re critically endangered, and we need every individual panther to remain in the wild,” said Amber Crooks, environmental policy manager at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. “Once a panther is removed, the population becomes more imperiled genetically. And there’s no scientific or legal justification that we have seen for removing this panther based on these depredations… this whole situation is very novel, we have not seen this before. That’s why it sets such a dangerous precedent.”

There are several programs in place that give ranchers money for livestock that is killed, but losing calves, among other animals, to panthers still has an impact on their livelihood.

“Those people who don’t wanna remove it: Let me just come and take $900 out of your pocket every other day,” said Immokalee rancher Jack Johnson. “It becomes more important when it’s your money.”

“One of the things that we have stated to the agencies… it’s very clear in the public record, at least the public record that we have access to, that the experts are not seeing that this panther is meeting the qualifications, the law and the guidance for removal from the wild for depredations,” Crooks said.

Despite plans to remove the panther being paused, leaders with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida say they still have concerns and have requested a meeting with FWC and FWS at their earliest convenience.