Conservation groups have protected over 1200 acres near the Florida Everglades, with the purpose of easing the migration of the critically endangered Florida panther. The panthers have been moving with increased frequency from the Everglades into Central Florida. Even though very few of the creatures are presumed to live and travel among the protected area, there are so little of the animals (especially females) left that their preservation is considered a top priority to many.
The Florida panther is perhaps most notably Florida's state animal. As with all cats, the animal is a carnivore, subsisted primarily on rabbits, birds, and deer. Habitat loss due to human's development is the main cause of the stark population decrease. The panthers require about 200 square miles of habitat per breeding group of one male and three females.
