Wildlife officials suspect toxins, including harmful Blue-Green Algae toxins, to be the cause of fatal panther disease

In the 1970s, Florida’s panther population was low, with around 20 to 30 left in the wild. While their population has climbed to somewhere between 120 to 230, algae toxins might be hindering the species’ recent success.

“These are threatened animals. There’s not a lot of them in the environment, and anytime you’re losing any of them, it’s problematic,” said Nora Demers, an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University.

One of the biggest problems panthers face right now is Feline Leukomyelopathy or FLM; It was first documented by state wildlife agencies in 2017. FLM causes varying degrees of rear leg weakness, eventually leading to walking difficulty.

Florida Fish and Wildlife suspects it could be caused by harmful blue-green algae toxins in our water.

Amber Crooks with the Conservancy of Southwest Florida agrees with this assessment, “Here in Southwest Florida that we do have a problem with our impaired and poor water quality, and so we’re concerned that there could be a link between water and our listed species, in this case of Florida panther.”

FWC has tested the animals for algal toxins and the tests have come back negative, but the agency believes algae could still play a role. They have also looked into causes like tick paralysis, nutritional deficiencies and genetic defects.

Mark Cunningham is a wildlife veterinarian at the FWC mentions the relation between Feline Leukomyelopathy and harmful algal blooms.

“Toxins, including harmful algal toxins, are a primary suspect in our investigation of FLM. Although FLM cases so far have tested negative for a suite of algal toxins including cylindrospermopsin, microcystins, anatoxin, BMAA and others. We are continuing to pursue testing for additional biotoxins. The distribution of FLM cases may provide clues to a possible cause, and most cases do occur in SW Florida,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham documents where the bobcats and panthers are developing Feline Leukomyelopathy within Southwest Florida.

“However, since FLM has only been documented in bobcats and panthers, the distribution of FLM is likely skewed somewhat by the geographic range of panthers in Southwest Florida,” Cunningham said. “Nevertheless, FLM in both bobcats and panthers has been documented from Collier County, north to Alachua County and east to Brevard County. There are a variety of habitat types ranging from relatively intact wilderness areas in Big Cypress National Preserve and Fakahatchee Strand, to urban/suburban neighborhoods in Naples, Punta Gorda, Tampa/Riverside and elsewhere.”

There is no cure for Feline Leukomyelopathy, and it can only be tested for after a panther has died.