The Florida panther is one of the few native species surviving in a state being rampantly developed, drilled, and mined, and they do so on the small Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge.
Now, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service which manages the refuge, is considering opening up much of the refuge to just that; drilling, development, and mining. Ranchers, developers, and two sugar companies want the rights to create a new "city" of 10,000 homes on what was protected property.
In fact, one rancher, who was also appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is a moving force behind the effort to reduce panther habitat, and, in fact, to allow "incidental take" of endangered species in the area, meaning they could "harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect" panthers or other endangered species in the area. Now, that doesn't sound like conservation, does it?
The panthers, who now number only 100 to 180, will not only lose precious habitat, but will become prey once again.
Public comment on this awful plan, a plan that will benefit ranchers, developers, and possibly drillers, and will most certainly harm Florida's shrinking wildlife, closes April 25, 2016.
So, please, won you be part of the important effort to save the Florida panther? SIGN and SHARE.
