From the Southeast Regional office of the FWS:

Final Environmental Assessment for Interagency Florida Panther Response
Plan Available

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the availability of a
final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Interagency Florida Panther
Response Plan.

The response plan establishes guidelines for responding to and managing
potential interactions between people and Florida panthers, and for
educating the public about appropriate behavior when living and
recreating in panther habitat.

The final Environmental Assessment and the plan are at:
http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/images/pdflibrary/R4FWS_Panther%20EA.final.pdf
The response plan is included in the assessment as Appendix C.

In a related development, the Service plans to release the final version
of the updated Florida Panther Recovery Plan in the Federal Register
before the end of calendar year.  This plan outlines future goals and
initiatives designed to stabilize and recover the population of this
endangered species.

“The Service, the National Park Service, and the Florida Fish and
Wildlife Conservation Commission are ensuring public safety by
establishing protocols for responding to possible encounters between
humans and panthers,” said Sam D. Hamilton, Southeast Regional Director
for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.   “At the same time, we also are
trying to address the conservation needs of this critically endangered
animal mainly found south of Lake Okeechobee.”

“This response plan is an outstanding result of the combined efforts of
biologists and many stakeholders, who are working hard to recover the
endangered Florida panther,” said Ken Haddad, executive director of the
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. “Our strong
partnership is resulting in progress towards recovery of the Florida
panther and the response plan is an important part of the work that is
underway.”

Florida’s urban and suburban growth has expanded into panther habitat.
Concurrently, recovery actions increased the Florida panther population
from 20 to 30 animals to about 80 to 100 animals in 2007.  Meanwhile,
Florida’s human population grew from 14.2 million people in 1995 to an
estimated 17.8 million people in 2005, according to the U.S. Census
Bureau. This situation increases the possibility of interaction between
people and panthers.  Definitive guidelines and instructions were needed
to allow for panther conservation and public safety.

While there has never been a documented attack by a Florida panther on a
human, panthers have killed livestock and pets.

The draft EA was published in May 2006 and a revised version was
published in November 2007 for public comments.  Comments were also
solicited from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida and the
Seminole Tribe of Florida.  A peer review of the Response Plan was also
conducted.

To obtain a written copy of the EA, contact Layne Hamilton, Project
Leader, Southwest Florida Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex,
3860 Tollgate Blvd., Suite 300, Naples, Florida 34114, telephone
239/353-8442, ext. 227, or Elizabeth Souheaver, Southeast Regional
Office, Fish and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century Boulevard, Suite 420,
Atlanta, Georgia 30345, telephone 404-679-7163 or fax 404-679-4082.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting fish, wildlife, and plants, and
enhancing their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American
people.  Visit the Service’s websites at http://www.fws.gov or
http://www.fws.gov/southeast/.