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Conservation measures

Conservation of the Florida Cougar

AT recent times the population of the Florida cougar has declined so much that it became obvious that the program for its conservation began to be implemented late. Therefore, in order to save this subspecies from extinction, a lot of effort will have to be made. In 1970, the US government banned tourists from visiting the swamps located in the Everglades City area. In 1974, the American Congress adopted a swamp called the Great Cypress Swamp, covering an area of ​​about 2,000 km 2 .

In this reserve, not only the cougar is protected, but also the local American mink, as well as fox squirrels that live in mangroves, black storks and other species of birds and mammals. Soon, new areas with an area of ​​​​about 130 km 2 were added to this site, on the territory of which a national nature reserve Florida cougar. However, the mere creation of a reserve on a limited, albeit rather large in area, territory is not enough to preserve this species.

Many cougars die outside the reserve, they also die under the wheels of cars. To avoid this danger, it is necessary to limit the speed of movement of cars on certain sections of roads and build underpasses through which Florida cougars could cross roads without going out on carriageway. Previously, the cougar was a desirable hunting trophy, but today hunting for it is prohibited. In 1986, the Florida Puma Conservation Committee was created, which included several conservation organizations. The workers of this committee are trying to improve the living conditions for cougars and protect their environment from human interference. As part of this strategy, these predators have been fitted with collars with transmitters built into them, which allow them to accurately monitor their movement. Until 1988, 23 animals were caught, and fourteen of them were still alive in 1991. Now experts believe that these cats can be resettled in freedom again. For this, animals kept in reserves and national parks will be released.

Florida cougar is one of the subspecies of the cougar, which was formerly one of the many predators throughout North America. Today, great efforts must be made to preserve this subspecies, since only about 30 individuals remain in nature.

PLACE OF RESIDENCE

The Florida cougar was previously found in forested areas throughout the peninsula. To date, a few individuals live only in a few reserves isolated from each other. Despite the increasing onslaught of civilization, today in the southeast of the Florida peninsula there are places where nature has retained its virgin beauty. The ideal place for the life of these animals is wetlands overgrown with trees. In such places they find the necessary prey and places to rest. Most of the area that is located near Everglades City is covered with swamps or rivers that do not have permanent banks and at certain times of the year overflow and flood the surrounding areas. In many places, the water level has dropped due to the draining of swamps and the construction of canals.

Cougars being pushed out by civilization have found refuge in protected areas such as the Everglades and the Great Cypress Swamp.

BREEDING

Florida cougars are solitary animals. Each adult cougar has its own patch. Males protect territories up to 500 km 2, and there is enough land for the female, total area which can be about 180 km 2.

Individual territories of individuals of different sexes often partially overlap. During the mating season, which lasts from October to April, adult males go in search of females. Cougars do not know the concept of fidelity.

Individuals of both sexes mate with multiple partners. Bloody fights often occur between males. Pregnancy of the female lasts about 90 days. In a puma litter, there are usually two or three, less often - up to five cubs. Newborns are covered with gray hair with black spots. However, in half-year-old cougars, the spots on the coat are already disappearing.

NUMBER REDUCTION

By the end of the 19th century, cougars in large numbers inhabited the entire North America However, the development of civilization and the decrease in the number of biotopes that are suitable for their habitation led to the fact that in the 20th century the population began to decline sharply.

Within a short time, man managed to displace this cat from most of its habitat. At the same time, the number of animals that are the usual prey of this predator, that is, deer and wild pigs, was declining. This situation forced cougars to start hunting domestic animals, primarily foals. In response, horse breeders and cattle breeders began to shoot these cats.

In addition, hundreds of deer were shot by farmers in the 1930s and 1940s to prevent the spread of a disease carried by ticks. At the same time, the food sources of the cougar have been significantly reduced. Namely, a sufficient amount of food is one of the most important conditions for maintaining the population of these cats. If Florida cougars find enough food, they will breed well. However, if, in the absence of other prey, they are forced to hunt small rodents, lizards and birds, then the population growth will decrease.

Last hundred Incredibly beautiful Florida cougar. Video (00:00:47)

Puma is a member of the cat family, a species of cougar. There are 6 subspecies of this species. Between themselves, these subspecies differ in size and color.

In the world this animal is known by different names: cougar, mountain lion, panther and the most common - cougar. The last name comes from the language of the Peruvian Indians. These tribes even had a legend that "puma is a poor child who has embarked on the wrong path." Most likely, they thought so, because cougars often attacked livestock. Another name "American lion" puma received from the first settlers of the New World, who, apparently, were proud of the fact that they have to survive in harsh conditions, where danger awaits them at every corner in the form of a formidable lion.

Description of the cougar or its appearance

Puma is a rather large animal, although it is inferior in size to other large cats. In the Americas, this is the second big cat in size after the jaguar. In length, the cougar can reach 100-180 cm without a tail. The length of the tail of the animal is from 65 to 75 cm. At the withers, the cougar is from 60 to 80 cm. The weight is from 29 to 105 kg, and males in their dimensions are always much larger than females. The physique of pumas is dense, but flexible. The legs are slender and not high. The paws are large, equipped with sharp hook-shaped claws with four toes on the front paws and five on the back. The head is small and slightly elongated. The fur of the cougars is thick, but short, uniformly colored.

In terms of color and physique, the cougar really resembles a lion, only without a mane and a tassel on the tail. And the babies of the cougar have a spotted skin, like a lynx.

In different regions of habitat, different subspecies were formed, which differ slightly from each other in color and size. Cougars living in the southern and tropical regions of America are more golden-red in color and not as large as their relatives in the northern regions. In northern cougars, the coat color is light gray with a reddish undertone. But there are never cougars, the size of which would approach the lion.

Cougar lifestyle and breeding

Cougars lead a solitary lifestyle. They spend their whole lives in their territorial area, where they hunt and give birth to offspring. The territory of one cougar can cover hundreds of square kilometers. For example, the hunting area of ​​one female is from 30 km² to 375 km², and even more for a male - from 130 km² to 750 km². The sites of females and males may overlap, but the sites of males never intersect. Each cougar marks its territory with urine, feces, or leaves marks in the form of scratches on trees.

It is most convenient for this predator to move on the ground, although it also climbs trees superbly. Catching up with its prey, the puma is able to develop a fairly high speed of up to 65 km / h, as well as make a long jump up to 8 m. The animal also jumps well in height, by about 5-6 meters, and even more from a height down, up to 15 m.

Mostly ungulates, but on occasion they will not disdain even a mouse.

The mating season for cougars lasts all year round, although in the northern subspecies it lasts from December to May. During the mating season, males fight among themselves for the right to mate with the female. The male who won the fight stays with the female for some time. A married couple stays together from 1 to 6 days, for a maximum of 2 weeks.

Then, after 90 days, babies are born. Puma kittens are born blind, weighing from 200 to 450 grams, no more than 30 cm long. There are often two or three babies in one litter, less often one or five. Babies begin to see 8-10 days after birth, and by the sixth week they begin to eat meat.

Protection and population status of cougars

When the first settlers came to the New World, they considered the puma a formidable and harmful beast that exterminated their livestock. The result was a ruthless and massive extermination of cougars. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were so few cougars left that they began to be called "ghosts of the Wild West." But the destruction of these animals turned into a deplorable result for the people themselves. The populations of armadillos included in the diet of the cougar began to grow very quickly. Armadillos dug burrows into which cattle fell and broke their legs, and then died. As a result, farmers and pastoralists lost a large number of cows and horses than before. Until recently, the cougar was ruthlessly destroyed, but today it has to be reckoned with. Thanks to many efforts to preserve this species, in our time, the number of cougars has grown and is about 30 thousand individuals. Although several subspecies of cougars are still listed in CITES (Convention on international trade endangered species of wild fauna and flora), and the Florida cougar subspecies is even listed in the International Red Book with the status of "critically endangered".

Little kitty Florida cougar , weighing only half a kilogram, was found in mid-January 2014 in the deadly zone of the Alligator Alley alligator reserve, which is deadly for any animal. The baby was immediately examined by veterinarians and taken to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa for nursing.

The kitten suffered from hypothermia and dehydration, was very lethargic, barely moving, and would definitely have died if people had not found him. Now the baby already feels much better, he weighs 4 pounds (1.8 kg), behaves like a healthy and active cub of his species and has an excellent appetite. By that time, zoologists had not been able to determine what had become of his mother. Whether she herself abandoned her child for unknown reasons or died.

The cub is still being fed with a special milk formula from a bottle, and in a couple of weeks they are going to accustom it to meat dishes. It proved to be strong enough to survive, and observers have a good chance that it will safely grow into an adult capable of reproduction. For the Florida cougar, every cub counts. They are going to settle it in the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.

Florida cougar or Florida panther(Puma concolor coryi) is the rarest subspecies of the cougar. Its number in nature in 2011 was a little over 160 individuals (and in the 1970s it dropped to about 20 individuals). It lives in the forests and swamps of southern Florida (USA), mainly in the Big Cypress National Preserve area, before it was distributed from eastern Texas to the southeastern states.

The reason for its extinction was mainly the drainage of swamps, sport hunting, poisoning and the scarcity of genetic material leading to inbreeding. The Florida cougar is distinguished by its relatively small size and high paws. Her coat color is dark, reddish. As a result of inbreeding, individuals of this subspecies acquired a curved tail tip. There are plans to breed Florida cougars with cougars of other subspecies to create a stable self-regulating population.
Its main prey is deer. It feeds on coyotes, armadillos, porcupines, prairie dogs, hares, mice, anteaters, marmots, small birds, bird eggs, and even American alligators. The female brings from 1 to 3 cubs. Pregnancy lasts 90-100 days. AT wild nature live up to 20 years.

This is the only cougar subspecies listed in the IUCN Red List with the status of "critically endangered" (critically endangered).

Adult Florida Cougar

The Florida Puma is a mammal from the genus Puma of the cat family. To date, this animal is the rarest among all types of cougars. Another name for the Florida cougar is the mountain lion, or.

The appearance of the Florida cougar

Outwardly, the cougar is very similar to the panther, but in general its appearance is more elegant and graceful. This cat has a flexible, elongated body. On a relatively small head are small rounded ears.

In the mouth of the animal are four-centimeter fangs. At the end of a strong long tail there is a small brush. The paws of the cougar are short, wide and powerful. Extendable claws are located on wide feet. The body of the cougar is covered with short, thick and coarse fur.

The body length of the Florida cougar ranges from 145 cm to 275 cm. The body weight of an adult can range from 27 to 102 kg.

The body of the cougar is mainly colored in yellow-brown or yellow-gray tones. The tail is darker than the rest of the body. Fur on the chin and belly white color. This is the main color, in addition to which there are several more options. Individuals living in the tropics are painted in red tones, and representatives of the northern part of the habitat are gray in color.

The range and habitat of the Florida cougar

AT this moment most individuals of this species of cougars live in the Big Cypress National Preserve, whose territory covers the swamps and forests of southern Florida, USA.

Lifestyle and nutrition of Florida cougars

In nature, the animal lives both in flat areas and in the mountains. Adulthood for young cougars comes in the second year of life. From that moment on, the cougar leaves the territory of its mother and goes in search of its own site. The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe personal habitat of one adult individual can reach 1300 km2. The cougar is active only at night. The whole bright part of the day is devoted to sleep and rest. Puma, as a rule, does not make long-distance races, as it is quickly exhausted.

The prey of this cat are mainly mountain sheep, deer and elk. Smaller animals such as rabbits, squirrels and mice are also present in the diet. On occasion, the Florida cougar also preys on muskrats, raccoons, beavers, armadillos, porcupines, and even crocodiles. With the scarcity of the natural food supply, the cougar can attack poultry and farm livestock.

If a mountain lion is lucky enough to get a large animal, such as a deer or elk, then he can eat this prey for several days, or even a whole week. At the same time, the cougar hides its prey well from other predators.

Reproduction of the Florida cougar

The breeding season for these cats is not tied to any time of the year. A female cougar can go into heat at any time. During such estrus, the male tracks down the female by smell. Having sensed the presence of a female specimen nearby, the male enters its territory. Having met, the female evaluates the male: if she liked him, then a pair is formed that lives and hunts together for about one week.

During this mating season, mating can occur up to 70 times per day. After a few days of such love games, the male moves away, and the pregnant female remains in her territory to await childbirth. In the further process of caring for offspring and raising cubs, the female takes part independently, without the help of the male.

Pregnancy in a Florida cougar lasts a little over 3 months. At one time, the female gives birth to 2 to 6 cubs. The weight of newborns is only 400 - 500 g. Cubs are born deaf, blind and completely helpless. After about 10 days of life, the cubs open their eyes and ears, and the first teeth begin to erupt. For at least another two months, the mother will feed the cubs with her milk. A strong and grown up young growth lives with its mother for about 20 - 25 months, after which each of the cubs begins life on its own territory.