Population-Level Modeling of Mercury Stress in the Florida Panther (Puma concolor coryi) Metapopulation

Abstract

Abstract The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) is an endangered species that has been the focus of a national conservation effort since 1967, when it was listed as a federally endangered species (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). The Florida panther’s geographic distribution, which once extended throughout the southeastern United States, is now limited to a small area in southern Florida. A census taken in 2003 indicated that the entire Florida panther population may consist of fewer than 90 individuals (McBride 2003), indicating increased need for effective conservation and restoration efforts. The primary concerns of panther conservation have been decreasing habitat and genetic depression associated with low population abundance. Conservation efforts have focused on preserving and expanding suitable habitat and increasing genetic diversity within the population (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999; Beier et al. 2003). Florida panthers have been radio tracked since 1981, and several metapopulation models have been developed for conservation and land management plans (Root 2004; Maehr et al. 2002a; Kautz et al. 2006). However, an additional threat to the vitality of panther populations is the increased risk of anthropogenic stressors, such as contaminant exposure, which may be exacerbated by the geographic isolation of the populations in southern Florida.