Final Performance Report; Florida Panther Biomedical Investigation

Roelke, Melody

State: Florida; Project Title: Panther Research; Section Title: Recovery Plan Implementation; Subsection Title: Florida Panther Recovery; Study Title: Florida Panther Biomedical Investigation The physical condition, body weight, reproductive status, and hematologic and serum values all indicate that the panthers utilizing land north of State Road 84, particularly the private ranches east of Immokalee, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Bear Island Unit of the Big Cypress National Preserve (BCNP), and adjacent ranches were in excellent health and in better condition than those in the Everglades National Park (ENP) or Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve (FSSP). The north/south "health cline" in southwestern Florida appears to be associated with the type and abundance of prey taken. Nine panthers have-been rescued and removed from the wild due to injuries or illness; 4 were successfully rehabilitated and released back to the wild, 3 did not survive because of the severity of their injuries or illness, and 2 are still receiving treatment in captivity or are permanent residents. Twenty panther deaths have been documented since 1 July 1986, and human activity continues to be responsible for the majority of all documented panther deaths (road killed, 46.5%; illegally killed, 16.3%}. Other important causes of mortality are intraspecific aggression (11.6%) and disease (9.2%). Serologic evidence from 51 different Florida panthers indicates that they were exposed to or are infected with several potentially pathogenic agents: feline panleukopenia virus (FPV){65%), feline calicivirus (FCV)(43%), feline enteric corona virus/feline infectious peritonitis virus (23%), feline immunodeficiency virus (25.6%), rabies virus (26%), feline syncytia-forming virus (FeSFV)(33.3%), Toxoplasma gondii (8.0%) and Brucella sp.(2.4%). All were negative for pseudorabies virus (PRV), feline leukemia virus, and feline viral rhinotracheitis virus (FVRV). The prevalence of FPV was significantly higher in the FS/Big Cypress Swamp (BCS) ecosystem than in the ENP (p less than 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in prevalence of FCV by location (p greater than 0.05). The significance of many of these agents in free-ranging panthers is yet to be determined, but an unvaccinated panther died of a raccoon rabies virus. We believe that this is the first documented case of rabies in a wild cougar. Results from a population genetics study of Felis concolor reveal that the species has abundant genetic diversity (minimum of 11 of 41 loci are polymorphic (P), allozyme analysis), but F. c. coryi has fewer polymorphic loci (7.5%) and lower heterozygosity (0.019) than other wild subspecies examined. The results of the genetic study coupled with an increase in abnormal male reproductive traits (greater than 90% abnormal spermatozoa and 44.4% cryptorchidism) raise serious concern for the reproductive potential and genetic health of this subspecies.