Return of the Ghost Cat

For decades, the panther population remained dangerously low, hovering in the double digits. Meanwhile, Florida’s human population exploded. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, more than 200,000 people moved to Florida each year, drawn by the year-round sunshine, pristine beaches, and strong economy. 

To accommodate the state’s booming human population, its swamps were drained and its forests were cut down to make room for homes, grocery stores, movie theaters, and other modern conveniences. 

But all that development reduced the panthers’ habitat further. Even natural areas were crisscrossed by roads that had been built to connect the state’s growing cities. This further fractured the vast ranges the panthers needed to survive. 

Of course, during all this expansion, most people weren’t thinking about panthers. In fact, by the time the state population began exploding, the Florida panther was commonly believed to be extinct.

For decades, the panther population remained dangerously low. It hovered in the double digits. Meanwhile, Florida’s human population exploded. 

In the 1950s and 1960s, more than 200,000 people moved to Florida each year. They went for the sunshine, beaches, and strong economy. 

To make room for more people, swamps were drained and forests were cut down. Homes, grocery stores, movie theaters, and other modern conveniences were built. 

But that development reduced the panthers’ habitat further. Even natural areas were crisscrossed by roads that had been built to connect cities. This further fractured the vast ranges the panthers needed to survive. 

During this expansion, most people didn’t think about panthers. In fact, at that time, the Florida panther was believed to be extinct.

Fortunately, the rumors weren’t true—but they weren’t far off. By the 1970s, panthers were on the edge of extinction. Experts estimated just a few dozen remained in the wild.

Perceptions of this creature had begun to shift, however. In the 1960s, Americans began realizing that iconic animals such as bald eagles were at risk of disappearing—and it was because of human activity. 

People started to understand that if the Florida panther were to go extinct, it would be a great loss to the country—and the environment. And when the nation’s first-ever endangered species list was created in 1966, the Florida panther was on it. This made hunting the cats illegal. 

Then, in 1989, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased and protected an area of land about the size of Disney World, establishing the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge.

But even these actions couldn’t stop a looming threat to Florida panthers—one that had already taken hold inside their genetic code. 

By the mid-1990s, there were only about 30 cats left. That meant the likelihood of closely related individuals mating with one another was high. And animals that mate with close relatives often produce offspring with serious health issues.

Wildlife biologist Mark Lotz began working with Florida panthers around this time. “Panthers were on a downward spiral, genetically speaking,” he recalls. Kittens were being born with holes in their hearts. Some couldn’t reproduce. 

If something wasn’t done soon, experts warned, the species would almost certainly go extinct. 

Fortunately, the rumors weren’t true. But they weren’t far off. By the 1970s, panthers were on the edge of extinction. Experts estimated that just a few dozen remained in the wild.

Ideas about the panther began to change. In the 1960s, Americans began realizing that iconic animals such as bald eagles were at risk of disappearing—and it was because of human activity. 

People knew that if the Florida panther were to go extinct, it would be a great loss to the country—and the environment. The nation’s first-ever endangered species list was created in 1966. The Florida panther was on it. This made hunting the cats illegal. 

Then, in 1989, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service purchased and protected an area of land about the size of Disney World. It became the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge.

But even these actions couldn’t stop a looming threat to Florida panthers—one that had already taken hold inside their genetic code. 

By the mid-1990s, there were only about 30 cats left. That meant that closely related panthers would probably mate with each other. Animals that mate with close relatives often produce offspring with serious health issues.

Wildlife biologist Mark Lotz began working with Florida panthers around this time. “Panthers were on a downward spiral, genetically speaking,” he recalls. Kittens were being born with holes in their hearts. Some couldn’t reproduce. 

Experts warned that the species would go extinct if something wasn’t done soon.

Scientists scrambled to find a solution. They soon found one in a remote corner of western Texas. There, a close cousin to the Florida panther, the Texas cougar, darted over the rocky landscape and in and out of caves. Centuries earlier, when the Florida panthers’ range had extended much farther, the two groups of cats had interacted, occasionally even mating together. Scientists wondered if that could happen again—and whether introducing a few of the Texas cats to Florida could reverse the panther’s genetic decline. 

It was worth a shot. In 1995, a panther tracker captured eight female Texas cougars. The cats were released into protected areas in Florida where panthers lived. Then the scientists anxiously waited. 

About seven months later, the first litter of kittens was born. They appeared perfectly healthy, free of any of the issues that had been plaguing Florida’s panthers. 

In the following years, the panther population rebounded. By the early 2000s, it had nearly tripled, to an estimated 60 cats. This was a major step in the right direction. But the cat’s comeback led to a tricky new question: Where could all these panthers live?

In order to survive, even just 60 panthers would require thousands of square miles of wilderness to roam freely. That was much more land than was available to panthers in southwest Florida at the time. If their habitat didn’t expand, biologists explained, the male panthers would begin to kill each other over territory.

Conservationists joined forces with lawmakers to address this problem, advocating for ways to connect natural areas in Florida. Their goal was to create a continuous tract of land that panthers and other animals could wander wild and free. They called it the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

Scientists scrambled to find a solution. They found one in western Texas. That’s where the Texas cougar lived. It’s a close cousin to the Florida panther. Centuries earlier, the Florida panthers’ range had extended much farther. The two groups of cats had interacted. They had occasionally mated together. Scientists wondered if that could happen again. And they wondered whether their mating could reverse the panther’s genetic decline. 

It was worth a shot. In 1995, a panther tracker captured eight female Texas cougars. The cats were released into protected areas in Florida where panthers lived. Then the scientists anxiously waited. 

About seven months later, the first litter of kittens was born. They appeared healthy and free of any of the issues that had been plaguing Florida’s panthers. 

In the following years, the panther population rebounded. By the early 2000s, it had nearly tripled, to an estimated 60 cats. This was a major step in the right direction. But the cat’s comeback led to a tricky new question. Where could all these panthers live?

To survive, even just 60 panthers would need thousands of square miles of wilderness to roam freely. That was much more land than was available to panthers in southwest Florida. If their habitat didn’t expand, biologists explained, the male panthers would begin to kill each other over territory.

Conservationists joined forces with lawmakers to address this problem. They advocated for ways to connect natural areas in Florida. Their goal was to create a continuous tract of land that panthers and other animals could freely roam. They called it the Florida Wildlife Corridor. 

The groups worked with the Florida Department of Transportation to determine where panthers and other wild animals often tried to cross busy roads. Then they built wildlife crossings, special bridges and underpasses that panthers could use to safely get from one side to another. Fences were installed along the roads to funnel panthers into these crossings. Environmental groups also bought and preserved land between areas that were already protected, connecting these spaces and allowing panthers to move into new territory. 

Together, these efforts have resulted in a connected patchwork of more than 6,000 square miles of natural landscape in south Florida. And at the center of it all is the 40 square miles of the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. 

Biologist Mark Danaher, who works there, thinks of the refuge as a kind of panther factory. “The refuge is producing panthers that are then dispersing and expanding the panther range throughout Florida,” he explains. 

The refuge is also where Broketail was born, back in 2012. But it’s not the only place that Broketail spends her time, and that’s thanks to the underpasses that connect the refuge to other areas surrounding it. 

“If it weren’t for the wildlife crossings, Broketail probably wouldn’t have lived more than one to two years,” explains Danaher. 

Broketail is proof that underpasses can give panthers access to the large territories they need to thrive, while preventing them from becoming roadkill. 

But panthers aren’t born knowing how to use these crossings—they must be taught.

The groups worked with the Florida Department of Transportation. They identified where panthers and other wild animals often tried to cross busy roads. Then they built wildlife crossings, special bridges and underpasses that panthers could use to safely get from one side to another. Fences were installed along the roads to funnel panthers into these crossings. Environmental groups bought and preserved land between areas that were already protected. This connected the protected spaces. That allows panthers to move into new territory. 

Now there is a connected patchwork of more than 6,000 square miles of natural landscape in south Florida. Its center is the 40 square miles of the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. 

Biologist Mark Danaher works there. He thinks of the refuge as a kind of panther factory. “The refuge is producing panthers that are then dispersing and expanding the panther range throughout Florida,” he explains. 

The refuge is also where Broketail was born, back in 2012. But it’s not the only place that Broketail spends her time, thanks to the underpasses that connect the refuge to other areas surrounding it. 

“If it weren’t for the wildlife crossings, Broketail probably wouldn’t have lived more than one to two years,” explains Danaher. 

Broketail is proof that underpasses can give panthers access to the large territories they need to thrive, while preventing them from becoming roadkill. 

But panthers aren’t born knowing how to use these crossings—they must be taught.

That brings our story back to the day in 2021 when Broketail brought her kittens to the underpass. A wildlife camera captured the incredible scene as Broketail spent hours encouraging her babies to cross. Eventually, despite the roar of traffic and the unfamiliar environment, one by one, her kittens scampered to the other side of the crossing. They had made it!

Less than a year later, Broketail’s three kittens were caught on camera at that same crossing. By then almost fully grown, they traveled through the underpass with confidence. 

Since then, Broketail has given birth to at least two more kittens. She’s now 13, older than most Florida panthers in the wild.

Meanwhile, thanks to the Florida Wildlife Corridor, the panther population has been slowly expanding northward. But as the felines approach more densely populated regions in northern Florida and beyond, they will need human allies more than ever. 

For panthers to thrive in these areas, more land will need to be made available for them to roam and many more wildlife crossings will need to be constructed under and over busy highways. 

While there’s much more work to be done, scientists like Danaher are determined, driven by their big dreams for Florida’s iconic cat. 

“My biggest hope is to see panther populations expand,” he says. “One day, I hope to see them reclaim the historical territories that their ancestors once roamed.” 

That brings our story back to 2021 when Broketail brought her kittens to the underpass. A wildlife camera captured the incredible scene. Broketail spent hours encouraging her babies to cross. Eventually, one by one, her kittens scampered to the other side of the noisy, strange crossing. They had made it!

Less than a year later, Broketail’s three kittens were caught on camera at that same crossing. By then almost fully grown, they traveled through the underpass with confidence. 

Since then, Broketail has given birth to at least two more kittens. She’s now 13. That’s older than most Florida panthers in the wild.

Meanwhile, the Florida Wildlife Corridor has helped the panther population to slowly expand northward. But as the cats approach more densely populated regions in northern Florida and beyond, they will need human help more than ever. 

For panthers to thrive in these areas, they need more land to roam and more wildlife crossings under and over busy highways. 

There’s much more work to be done. But scientists like Danaher are determined, driven by their big dreams for Florida’s iconic cat. 

“My biggest hope is to see panther populations expand,” he says. “One day, I hope to see them reclaim the historical territories that their ancestors once roamed.”

Today Florida panthers are the only type of puma found in the eastern United States.

Today Florida panthers are the only type of puma found in the eastern United States.

Panthers play a key role in their ecosystem. Their presence protects many other species living in their environment.

Panthers play a key role in their ecosystem. Their presence protects many other species living in their environment.

In 1982, a statewide student vote selected the Florida panther as Florida’s official state animal.

In 1982, a statewide student vote selected the Florida panther as Florida’s official state animal.

^{This article was originally published in the November 2025 issue.}

^{This article was originally published in the November 2025 issue.}