Endangered panthers are stumbling as though they've been poisoned and scientists don't know why

[Zorro]

A mother panther walks into frame and pauses. She looks around, ears alert. One of her cubs appears and looks healthy and strong. Then her other cub stumbles into the frame and falls to the ground. The young cat doesn’t have full control of its hind legs — as if a neurological disease, or even poisoning, is making the cub dangerously sick and vulnerable to attack.

At least 10 panthers and bobcats in Florida are having (or had) trouble walking, and wildlife experts don’t know why. Two cats died recently from other causes, but scientists confirmed they, too, were suffering from whatever is going around. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is monitoring the status of the cats on trail cameras.

The list of possible panther and bobcat afflictions is long. Researchers are testing for infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies, exposure to heavy metals and multiple toxins including rat poison and toxic algae.

The FWC always completes necropsies — autopsies for animals — even if they already know the cause of the panther’s death, said Mark Cunningham, a veterinarian at the commission. On Wednesday, researchers examined the two dead cats and tested for toxins and contaminants. The bobcat was injured during a fight and subsequently was hit by a vehicle. The panther was euthanized after she was injured by a vehicle and contracted an infection, Cunningham said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/08/21/endangered-panthers-are-stumbling-like-theyve-been-poisoned-scientists-dont-know-why/

[Tommy_Carcetti]

1. I dunno, but hey, let's go gut the Endangered Species Act.

[Beringia]

2. I read about this

May be rodenticides.

[dhill926]

3. that's what's been happening to mountain lions...

in SoCal...

[Maru Kitteh]

4. Sounds like a prion disease

[Phoenix61]

5. Wonder if it could be lead from bird shot.

I’d like to know what area of the state this is happening in.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. Southern tip by the Everglades.

That's essentially the exclusive range for the Florida Panther.

I would love to see one of those babies in the wild one day. They just fascinate me....a mountain lion that lives in a lowland wetland. Absolutely incredible.

[Phoenix61]

7. There's a few up in the Panhandle which

is a lot more rural than most folks realize. We affectionately call it LA for Lower Alabama.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

8. I think the males sometimes wander out of the main territory.

But the females essentially stay put in the southern part of the state.

Funny story, sort of--in Parkland (which as you now know is part of the heavily populated Broward County suburbs) people saw what they believed was a Florida Panther wandering around their neighborhood.

Turns out it was a cougar, but not of the Florida Panther subspecies--that a former boxer who lived in the area kept as a pet and allowed for it to escape.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fl-ne-cougar-neighborhood-mystery-20190815-ov7qg5cervbwzn43vw3opeoski-story.html

[Beringia]

10. Florida F&W says Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties

Florida Wildlife Comission asks public to help document disorder impacting panthers

The FWC is investigating a disorder detected in some Florida panthers and bobcats. All the affected animals have exhibited some degree of walking abnormally or difficulty coordinating their back legs.

As of August 2019, the FWC has confirmed neurological damage in one panther and one bobcat. Additionally, trail camera footage has captured eight panthers (mostly kittens) and one adult bobcat displaying varying degrees of this condition. Videos of affected cats were collected from multiple locations in Collier, Lee and Sarasota counties, and at least one panther photographed in Charlotte County could also have been affected. The FWC has been reviewing videos and photographs from other areas occupied by panthers but to date the condition appears to be localized as it is only documented in three general areas.

“While the number of animals exhibiting these symptoms is relatively few, we are increasing monitoring efforts to determine the full scope of the issue.” said Gil McRae, director of the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “Numerous diseases and possible causes have been ruled out; a definitive cause has not yet been determined. We’re working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a wide array of experts from around the world to determine what is causing this condition.”

The FWC is testing for various potential toxins, including neurotoxic rodenticide (rat pesticide), as well as infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies.

The public can help with this investigation by submitting trail camera footage or other videos that happen to capture animals that appear to have a problem with their rear legs. Files less than 10MB can be uploaded to our panther sighting webpage at https://public.myfwc.com/hsc/panthersightings/Desktop.aspx

If you have larger files, please contact the FWC at [e-mail].


https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/panther-disorder/

[Phoenix61]

11. Thanks for posting! nt

[stopdiggin]

9. why one and not the other?

what struck me is one (seemingly) healthy cub, and mother, alongside an apparently effected cub. All would almost certainly be feeding in (and off of) the same place ... I'm assuming necropsy haven't turned up anything (since this has been going on for a while)?