TAMPA (BLOOM) – Recently, a team of dedicated biologists tracked down three tiny Florida panther kittens, dubbed K522, K523, and K524, as part of an ongoing effort to monitor and conserve this endangered species.
The team used a GPS collar to follow an adult female panther to her den and waited for her to head out on a hunting trip before jumping into action.
Once inside the den, the team quickly began their work. Each kitten, just two to four weeks old, was sexed, weighed, dewormed, microchipped, and had a small biopsy taken for genetic research. These assessments are vital to the continued study of Florida panthers, providing data on litter size, sex ratios, den site selection, and more.
Over the last 32 years, researchers have sampled 524 kittens as part of this critical conservation work.
Despite the team’s dedication, the life of a Florida panther is fraught with danger. Sadly, two of the three kittens were confirmed to have been predated by another carnivore—likely a bear or another panther. With a survival rate of just 32% for kittens making it to their first birthday, K524 remains the sole survivor of this litter.