Comparative Ecology of Bobcat, Black Bear, and Florida Panther in South Florida

Maehr, David

Comparisons of food habits, habitat use, and movements revealed a low probability for competitive interactions among bobcat(Lynx rufus), Florida panther (Felis concolor),and black bear (Ursus americanus) in south Florida. All three species preferred upland forests but consumed different foods and utilized the landscape in ways that resulted in ecological separation. Further, panthers exhibited crepuscular activity whereas black bears were predominantly diurnal. Seasonal variation in diet, movements, and reproduction were extensive for all species. In addition, high primary productivity, year round food availability, and a warm climate encourage mass growth rates in south Florida black bears that exceed those of other North American black bear populations. Subadults of all three species demonstrated extensive dispersal abilities, but only male black bears were documented to have crossed the Caloosahatchee River, a potential landscape barrier that may restrict effective dispersal northward in bobcats and panthers. Because bobcat and black bear in south Florida occur at relatively high densities, anthropogenic changes to the landscape and sea level rise will affect them less severely than panther. The problems associated with the habitation of a naturally fragmented and patchy forest are exacerbated by the conversion of productive habitat types to types that are avoided. Another factor that threatens the stability of ecological relations among this carnivore community is the range expansion of the coyote (Canis latrans) into south Florida. This canid is known to exhibit interference competition with bobcats, black bears, and panthers in other parts of North America. The diet of coyote in Florida may overlap with the diets of the three native carnivores by at least 38% and as much as 64% . The highest concentrations of black bears and panthers in south Florida coincide with an extensive forest, a landscape feature that accounts for only a small proportion of public land. Increasing forest fragmentation from the Sarasota area southeastward suggests that most public lands are relatively unimportant to the two larger species. Because the demographics of even the smallest of these populations (panther) are shown to be typical of healthy populations, creative management such as flexible reserve boundaries and the enlistment of private property owners in conservation efforts may be of more immediate value than symptom-oriented management practices such as genetic introgression.