Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
By the late 20th century, the Florida panther was down to just 20 to 30 individuals. Now, there are about 200 of them… Or are there? What if preserving an animal means changing it?
Endlings portrait illustrations are by Zoe Keller. You can find out more about her and her work here: zoekeller.com
Find out more about the National Geographic Photo Ark here: joelsartore.com
youtube.com/@PhotoArk
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Follow us on socials:
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#BizarreBeasts #floridapanthers
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Sources:
zooidaho.org/animals/fact-sheets/cougar
myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/genetics
cougarfund.org/about-the-cougar/historical-timeline
fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2010-12-00_FL_Panther_RIT_FWC-FL_Panther_Population_Estimate_Statement_2010.pdf
evergladesfoundation.org/post/the-florida-panther-the-convoluted-family-tree-of-the-florida-panther
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10833043
researchgate.net/figure/Distribution-of-the-subspecies-of-puma-as-revised-by-the-Cat-Classification-Task-Force-of_fig11_355077988
evergladesholidaypark.com/attractions/everglades-animals/florida-panther
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/wecdept/2016/05/11/intervene-not-intervene-individual-based-approach-dynamics-persistence-florida-panther-population/
defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/florida_panther_identification_guide.pdf
imagineourflorida.org/story/1848-2/#:~:text=They%20are%20smaller%2C%20have%20longer,a%20black%20or%20melanistic%20panther
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/100-years/object/florida-panther/
dos.fl.gov/florida-facts/florida-state-symbols/state-animal
myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/genetics
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/the-relevance-of-evolution/conservation/inbreeding-depression/
myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/genetics
https://news.osu.edu/how-the-texas-puma-saved-the-florida-panther/
https://www.academia.edu/20906094/The_genetic_rescue_of_the_Florida_panther#loswp-work-container
https://www.academia.edu/20906094/The_genetic_rescue_of_the_Florida_panther#loswp-work-container
nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01182-3
fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Florida_Panther_Genetic_Factsheet_98A5BCF.pdf
https://www2.gwu.edu/~clade/bisc%20207/pimm_geneticrescue.pdf
nature.com/articles/s41598-024-67033-6#MOESM1
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW402
winknews.com/news/collier/nearly-back-to-back-endangered-florida-panther-deaths-reported/article_10b48287-a690-5a2b-989a-ab4a0cfb1c77.html
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Images:
docs.google.com/document/d/1NEU9OLX1rMtVI7-hVC9u9u-WmP-jjCAR7RYQtZIgi2o/edit?tab=t.0
By the late 20th century, the Florida panther was down to just 20 to 30 individuals. Now, there are about 200 of them… Or are there? What if preserving an animal means changing it?
Endlings portrait illustrations are by Zoe Keller. You can find out more about her and her work here: zoekeller.com
Find out more about the National Geographic Photo Ark here: joelsartore.com
youtube.com/@PhotoArk
Subscribe to the pin club here: https://complexly.store/products/bizarre-beasts-pin-subscription
You can cancel any time by emailing hello@dftba.com
Follow us on socials:
Instagram: instagram.com/bizarrebeastsshow
Facebook: facebook.com/BizarreBeastsShow
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bizarrebeastsshow.bsky.social
#BizarreBeasts #floridapanthers
-----
Sources:
zooidaho.org/animals/fact-sheets/cougar
myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/genetics
cougarfund.org/about-the-cougar/historical-timeline
fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2010-12-00_FL_Panther_RIT_FWC-FL_Panther_Population_Estimate_Statement_2010.pdf
evergladesfoundation.org/post/the-florida-panther-the-convoluted-family-tree-of-the-florida-panther
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10833043
researchgate.net/figure/Distribution-of-the-subspecies-of-puma-as-revised-by-the-Cat-Classification-Task-Force-of_fig11_355077988
evergladesholidaypark.com/attractions/everglades-animals/florida-panther
https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/wecdept/2016/05/11/intervene-not-intervene-individual-based-approach-dynamics-persistence-florida-panther-population/
defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/florida_panther_identification_guide.pdf
imagineourflorida.org/story/1848-2/#:~:text=They%20are%20smaller%2C%20have%20longer,a%20black%20or%20melanistic%20panther
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/100-years/object/florida-panther/
dos.fl.gov/florida-facts/florida-state-symbols/state-animal
myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/genetics
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/the-relevance-of-evolution/conservation/inbreeding-depression/
myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/genetics
https://news.osu.edu/how-the-texas-puma-saved-the-florida-panther/
https://www.academia.edu/20906094/The_genetic_rescue_of_the_Florida_panther#loswp-work-container
https://www.academia.edu/20906094/The_genetic_rescue_of_the_Florida_panther#loswp-work-container
nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01182-3
fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Florida_Panther_Genetic_Factsheet_98A5BCF.pdf
https://www2.gwu.edu/~clade/bisc%20207/pimm_geneticrescue.pdf
nature.com/articles/s41598-024-67033-6#MOESM1
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW402
winknews.com/news/collier/nearly-back-to-back-endangered-florida-panther-deaths-reported/article_10b48287-a690-5a2b-989a-ab4a0cfb1c77.html
------
Images:
docs.google.com/document/d/1NEU9OLX1rMtVI7-hVC9u9u-WmP-jjCAR7RYQtZIgi2o/edit?tab=t.0
