Florida Panthers Walking Funny Back Legs

Please visit ourUpdates page for the latest news and updates on this situation.

The FWC is investigating a disorder detected in some Florida panthers and bobcats. Affected animals exhibit varying degrees of rear leg weaknesses that lead to difficulty in walking. The FWC takes this state of affairs seriously and is increasing monitoring efforts to locate affected animals via the deployment of video trail camera in areas where the condition has been most frequently documented. The FWC has termed this status feline leukomyelopathy or FLM.

Nosotros appreciate the outpouring of back up from the public and their aid as citizen scientists. We encourage the public to continue to submit footage and pictures of wild animals that appear to have problems with their rear legs at MyFWC.com/PantherSightings and to report dead or injured panthers to the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).

The FWC and collaborators go on to conduct extensive testing; notwithstanding, a cause of FLM has not yet been determined. Nosotros will go along to provide updates as more information become available.

You can support panther inquiry and management by the FWC via purchasing the "Protect the Panther" license plate.

Please meet our August 2019 news release and the FAQs below for more data about this status.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How tin can I assist? Expand/Collapse How can I help?

• People tin can aid by submitting trail camera footage or other videos that happen to capture affected animals.
  • Files less than 10MB can exist uploaded to our panther sighting webpage at MyFWC.com/PantherSightings.
  • If y'all accept larger files, please contact the FWC for more information on how to share those videos at Panther.Sightings@MyFWC.com.
• Florida residents can support panther conservation efforts by purchasing a "Protect the Panther" license plate at BuyaPlate.com. Fees from license plate sales are the master funding source for the FWC's research and management of Florida panthers.
• To report dead or injured panthers, call the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a jail cell phone.
• Donate money for the care of injured, sick or orphaned panthers at: https://wildlifeflorida.org/funding-priorities/

Exactly how many panthers have been affected by this condition? Expand/Plummet Exactly how many panthers have been affected by this condition?

It is unknown how many animals may be affected past this condition. The FWC has evidence of fewer than ten animals (including the bobcat). Since most of the evidence is from videos, information technology is at times hard to tell if some of the affected animals are ones that have already been documented.

How long has the FWC known about this condition? Expand/Collapse How long has the FWC known about this condition?

The first video footage of an afflicted kitten was received in the spring of 2018. Further review of earlier notwithstanding photos suggest that an afflicted kitten may have been documented in 2017. It was not until 2019 that additional reports have been received, suggesting that this is a broader issue.

Practice panthers die as a issue of this status? Expand/Collapse Do panthers dice as a result of this status?

At this point we practise not know for sure. Notwithstanding, we suspect several young panthers accept died perhaps because they could non keep up with their family and their power to catch their own prey was compromised.

Does this announced to be contagious (spread from panther to panther)? Expand/Collapse Does this appear to be contagious (spread from panther to panther)?

At this point we practice not know. All the same, for instance we do know of instances where a mother panther is unaffected but some of her kittens are affected.

Are you concerned for the panther population as a whole? Expand/Collapse Are you concerned for the panther population as a whole?

The number of animals exhibiting these symptoms is relatively few; yet, any disease or condition impacting multiple animals is crusade for concern. Nosotros are increasing monitoring efforts to determine the full telescopic of the issue.

Have whatever dead panthers been constitute every bit a result of this status? Expand/Collapse Accept any dead panthers been plant as a result of this status?

A panther that died afterward being struck past a vehicle was afterward determined to accept this status.  We too examined a bobcat that was found dead and determined information technology too had show of this condition.

Is there any manner to cure impacted animals? Aggrandize/Collapse Is there whatever way to cure impacted animals?

Nosotros practice not know at this time just we believe the status is permanent.

Why did the FWC non rescue the kitten in the video? Aggrandize/Plummet Why did the FWC not rescue the kitten in the video?

The FWC was initially hopeful the condition would ameliorate without the need to remove the kitten from the wild. At that place were also concerns that attempts at capture could pause up the family group and put both kittens at greater risk. When the kitten did non improve, the FWC set traps to capture the kitten but were not able to do and then.

Are the kittens in the videos all the same kittens? Aggrandize/Plummet Are the kittens in the videos nevertheless kittens?

No. There are a few family unit groups afflicted past this condition. However, it is hard to make up one's mind exactly how many panthers have been impacted as information technology is mostly not possible to identify panthers and their kittens as unique individuals from camera footage.

Tin this affect domestic cats and other animals? Expand/Collapse Can this impact domestic cats and other animals?

Until we know the cause of this condition, nosotros cannot say whether this will touch other animals. We do know that ii species, panthers and bobcats, appear to have been afflicted. In that location is a video of a wild squealer behaving abnormally near where some of the affected panthers were documented however, nosotros do not know if this is related to the condition affecting the felines.

Should this be a concern for people? Expand/Plummet Should this exist a concern for people?

While it is unlikely this condition would bear upon people, we do not know for sure. All the same, people should always avoid straight contact with wild animals, including panthers and bobcats.

What practise I practise if I see a injure panther? Expand/Collapse What do I do if I run across a hurt panther?

If you see a live panther impacted by this condition or you see a dead or injured panther, please contact the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a jail cell telephone.

Is this related to herbicides or pesticides? Aggrandize/Collapse Is this related to herbicides or pesticides?

While numerous diseases and possible causes have been ruled out, a definitive cause has not withal been determined. The FWC is looking at a variety of possible causes and is testing for a number of pesticides.

Does the FWC program to capture affected animals? Aggrandize/Collapse Does the FWC programme to capture afflicted animals?

If an affected individual appears unable to survive in the wild, then the FWC would consider capture and removal. Factors to consider include whether a capture is feasible and safe, and whether it could entail the risk of breaking upward a family unit group. A severely affected animate being that is captured may be placed in permanent captivity or humanely euthanized. All known affected live kittens appear to be capable of keeping up with their mother and may be able to survive in the wild.

What will we do if nosotros capture affected panthers? Expand/Collapse What will nosotros exercise if nosotros capture affected panthers?

If the FWC and/or USFWC capture an affected panther, it will be taken to an approved facility where it will receive appropriate care. To the extent possible, diagnostic testing and observation may allow us to acquire about the disorder.

What is the FWC doing to help panthers? Aggrandize/Collapse What is the FWC doing to help panthers?

The FWC takes this situation seriously and is taking a diversity of steps to make up one's mind the cause of this disorder.

• The FWC has deployed boosted cameras to capture more videos of affected animals.
• FWC biologists and veterinarians are studying existing evidence and current literature for any like cases in other parts of the world.
• The FWC is working with the U.Due south. Fish and Wildlife Service and a wide array of experts from around the world, including other puma biologists, wild fauna veterinarians and disease specialists to examine evidence, identify possible causes and to see if like cases have been reported elsewhere.

Could this status be related to distemper or feline leukemia virus (FeLV)? Expand/Plummet Could this status exist related to distemper or feline leukemia virus (FeLV)?

We accept considered these diseases and don't feel at this time that they are playing a primary function. All cats involved have been negative for FeLV which, among infectious diseases, has had the biggest touch on the panther population. Feline immunodeficiency virus and feline panleukopenia virus is present at a fairly loftier prevalence in the population (~40%) only does non announced to cause significant clinical disease in panthers. That existence said, we are non completely ruling anything out at this signal and will continue to test for these diseases in time to come cases.

Do you believe ticks or tick paralysis could be causing the condition? Expand/Collapse Do you believe ticks or tick paralysis could be causing the condition?

Tick paralysis was one of our initial considerations. Nonetheless, this proved not to be the case following the postal service-mortem test of an affected bobcat.

Do you believe inbreeding has played a office? Aggrandize/Plummet Do you believe inbreeding has played a role?

We do not believe so. Because this is occurring in bobcats besides, we exercise non retrieve in that location is a genetic component.

Practice you believe the condition could be related to pikestaff toads? Expand/Collapse Do yous believe the status could be related to cane toads?

Toxicity from cane toad seems to be unlikely at this indicate (the mail-mortem changes seen are not consistent with cane toad toxicity); however, this crusade has not been completely ruled out.

Do the kittens that FWC removed from the wild take the condition? Expand/Plummet Exercise the kittens that FWC removed from the wild take the status?

At this time, we cannot determine the extent to which the kittens under human care may be affected by this condition.

Tin these removed kittens be returned to the wild? Aggrandize/Collapse Can these removed kittens be returned to the wild?

Unfortunately, the kittens will not be able to return to the wild because they were just two weeks of historic period when they had to be removed. At that age, they were non able to acquire the skills necessary to survive from their female parent.

Would the kittens have died if the FWC did non remove them from the wild? Expand/Collapse Would the kittens take died if the FWC did not remove them from the wild?

It is likely that the kittens would non have survived if they had remained in the wild. The condition of the mother panther affected her power to find food to back up herself, making it very unlikely that she would have been able to provide acceptable intendance for her 2 kittens.

Where are the kittens at present? Expand/Collapse Where are the kittens now?

Currently these kittens are being monitored at a rehabilitation facility. A decision has not yet been made as to where they will be kept in the long-term.

Would the adult female panther have died as a issue of this condition? Expand/Collapse Would the adult female panther have died as a consequence of this status?

The wellness of this panther was compromised by the disorder, and the level of muscle loss in her hindquarters limited her hunting ability, likely restricting her to only small prey. This limitation, along with permanent harm associated with the disorder, would have prevented her ability to survive.

Why did the FWC non remove the woman every bit presently every bit biologists learned she had the condition? Expand/Plummet Why did the FWC not remove the adult female as soon as biologists learned she had the condition?

Biologists have the decision to remove panthers from the wild very seriously, especially when it is a female of convenance age. The condition of the female panther was closely monitored by veterinarians and biologists. When it became clear that her status was deteriorating, they made the decision to remove her.

How many reports of affected panthers and bobcats take you received from the public? Aggrandize/Collapse How many reports of afflicted panthers and bobcats have you received from the public?

We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of back up past the public with regards to panther conservation. Nosotros have received a multifariousness of reports of animals that may exist affected. The panther team is following up on leads to see if these animals appear to have the same status.

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Source: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/panther/disorder/

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