How You Can Report a Florida Panther Sighting

Panther sightings are increasing.

According to a new report by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the public has reported 790 Florida panther sightings since the commission launched a panther sightings website last year, and 12 percent of those reports included photo evidence. 

“The public’s willingness to share what they have seen or collected on game cameras is incredibly helpful and shows us where panthers presumably are roaming in Florida,” said Darrell Land, who heads the FWC’s panther team, in a news release.

“As the population of this endangered species grows, the FWC expects more Florida panthers to be seen in areas of the state where they have not lived for decades,” Land said in the release. “To properly plan and manage for the expansion of the panther’s range in Florida, information about where the panthers are is vital.”

According to the FWC, there are an estimated 100-160 adult panthers in the wild today. Although that amount might seem small, it’s up from the 1970s when there were as few as 20 Florida panthers left in the wild.

Spot a panther? You can report it here.