TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Florida Governor Rick Scott has proclaimed Mar. 16 as "Save the Florida Panther Day."
Gov. Scott issued the official proclamation on Mar. 6. In it he said, "It is proper and fitting for all Floridians to pause and reflect on the plight of the Florida panther and the task of preserving this rare component of Florida's diverse natural resources as a legacy to generations of Floridians yet to come."
The panther is Florida's official animal and can be found primarily in South Florida. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 100-160 adult panthers remain in the wild south of the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee.
The Florida Wildlife Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service say the population has risen in the past two decades because of a larger effort to conserve the species. Their research, management and protection efforts are funded through the sale of Florida panther specialty license plates.
For more information on Florida panthers or to view Governor Scott's proclamation, visit www.floridapanthernet.org. The public is encouraged to also visit the website to submit photos of panther sightings.
