Genetic Restoration of the Florida Panther

TLDR

The rediscovery of remnant Florida panthers in southern Florida swamplands prompted a conservation program to protect and stabilize the population, yet ongoing habitat loss, inbreeding, disease, and potential saturation pose new challenges, illustrating the broader difficulties of managing large predator populations worldwide. The study aimed to increase genetic diversity, improve population numbers, and reverse inbreeding depression by translocating eight female pumas from Texas. The authors achieved this by translocating eight female pumas from Texas. Panther numbers increased threefold, genetic heterozygosity doubled, survival and fitness measures improved, and inbreeding correl.

Abstract

The rediscovery of remnant Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) in southern Florida swamplands prompted a program to protect and stabilize the population. In 1995, conservation managers translocated eight female pumas (P. c. stanleyana) from Texas to increase depleted genetic diversity, improve population numbers, and reverse indications of inbreeding depression. We have assessed the demographic, population-genetic, and biomedical consequences of this restoration experiment and show that panther numbers increased threefold, genetic heterozygosity doubled, survival and fitness measures improved, and inbreeding correlates declined significantly. Although these results are encouraging, continued habitat loss, persistent inbreeding, infectious agents, and possible habitat saturation pose new dilemmas. This intensive management program illustrates the challenges of maintaining populations of large predators worldwide.