| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 607.1 | Florida Panther's extinct? Not quite..... | STUDIO::COLAIANNI | I have PMS and a handgun ;-) | Thu Sep 16 1993 05:10 | 17 |
| Nick,
I don't have a list of the wild cats at this time, but I do have a
bit of info on the Floridas Panther.
I believe there are still about a dozen (maybe a bit more) left, and
most of those are in captivity. About a year ago they discovered I
htinkg three more, one of which was a young male, and hopes soared.
They are so very secretive in their existence, that researchers don't
really know if they have a proper head count or not. But to answer your
question, no they are not extinct, but are just barely hanging on at
this time.
Hope this helps.
Yonee
|
| 607.2 | Wild Cars across the pond | RUTILE::MURRELL | | Thu Sep 16 1993 08:21 | 4 |
|
A Saab 9000 Turbo is pretty wild in any country but for the
Glades I would recommend an old Land Rover (turbo).
|
| 607.3 | | POWDML::MANDILE | medium and messy | Thu Sep 16 1993 08:42 | 5 |
|
We also have here in the U.S.:
Mountain lions (also called a cougar), Bobcats, and Lynx...
|
| 607.4 | I teeny bit more info.... | STUDIO::COLAIANNI | I have PMS and a handgun ;-) | Thu Sep 16 1993 10:59 | 25 |
|
Lynne,
I knew that, I just didn't want to be wrong! ;-) Kidding! I actually
thought there might be more, and I couldn't think of them, so I
chickened out of answering at all! 8-} Actually, I believe
that the Florida Panther is some member of the
cougar/mountain lion/puma family. It 'looks' just like a cougar. I
don't know what the genetic differences are, but I'm sure they are
related somehow.
I remember being very disappointed the first time I saw a picture of a
Florida Panther. When I saw the signs on the roads down there that
read "Panther Crossing" we were looking for big black 'panthers' in the
sense of a black leopard! I was not expecting to see a cougar in the
picture! ;-) My Dad explained it all to me, and I felt better after
that. At least I know what I'm looking for now!
My brother-in-law, (who lives in Naples) fishes a lot in out of the way
places down there, and actually saw one once. It went down to the water
to get a drink about 100 feet away from him! I'd kill to see one of
those in the wild! Of course it would have to be a person, cause I'd
never kill a critter! ;-)
Yonee
|
| 607.5 | Our Most Magnificent Cat | DRUMS::FEHSKENS | len, Engineering Technical Office | Fri Sep 17 1993 08:37 | 14 |
|
The "Florida Panther" is a local species of Cougar (Mountain Lion,
Catamount, Puma). Because it's an isolated population that doesn't breed
with other populations its named separately, but it's basically the
same cat.
Because of the size of the population these cats (like the African
cheetah) are in serious genetic trouble. It's a very depressing story.
There was a substantial article on these cats sometime in the last year
or two in National Geographic. I'll try to get a more specific
reference.
len.
|
| 607.6 | Thanks | JURA::BULLOWS | | Fri Sep 17 1993 09:08 | 18 |
| Thanks for the replies about the panthers, I won the bet on big cats in
the USA.
Are you also an authority on the Manatees that are living dangerously in
the warm radioactive water from the nuclear power stations on the
Floida coast. How many Manatees are there now ? Last time I was in
Florida they estimated less than 1000.
<<< I'd kill to see one of those in the wild! Of course it would have
to be a person, cause I'd never kill a critter! ;-) >>>
Does that explain the demise of the European tourist in Florida. :-)
The bet is still unresolved about the Big Cats in Costa Rica.
Cheers Nick
|
| 607.7 | I'm innocent I tell ya!.... ;-) | STUDIO::COLAIANNI | I have PMS and a handgun ;-) | Fri Sep 17 1993 09:18 | 17 |
| Hi,
Nope! That wasn't me! I haven't been anywhere near Florida this year!
;-) Anyway, I could think of better people to bump off than innocent
foreign tourists! Like maybe the people who ARE bumping them off? 8-) ;-)
Anyway, I don't really have any recent info on the manatees. I know
they are still holding their own in the wild, but again, just barely.
Sigh, why do so many humans think they are the only ones worthy of life
or being cared for? So sad.... I could give up a beach or a boat ride
to save other ceatures in a heartbeat. Why is it so hard for so many?
I guess this should have gone in the WHINE note, but.... I'm pretty
WHINY today I guess! :-}
Yonee
|
| 607.8 | Jaguar = Wild Car! | DRUMS::FEHSKENS | len, Engineering Technical Office | Fri Sep 17 1993 09:54 | 10 |
|
Regarding Costa Rica, my memory isn't that specific, but the big cats
in Central and South America include the Ocelot, Jaguar and Jaguarondi.
I believe there's a very large Jaguar preserve in Belize.
I have a fairly substantial library on big cats, so I'll check on this
and post on Monday.
len.
|
| 607.9 | | ASABET::MANDERSON | | Fri Sep 17 1993 10:29 | 16 |
| My folks live in Bradenton, Florida and my Mom volunteers her time at
the local Aquarium. They have a resident Manatee ... who had been
injured by a motorboat blade(s) and people from all over come in to
see him. (She talks about him all the time and for the life of me I
cannot remember his name.)
Part of the proceeds of this Aquarium goes to the preservation of
these marvelous (gentle) animals. Although they are now an endangered
species I believe they are NOT bred in captivity as is the case of
some animals (i.e., white tiger, penguins, panda bears, etc.).
If anyone wants, I can have her send me some material and I'll post
it in here. Just say the word.
Marilyn
|
| 607.10 | That Puma is a distant relative of your house cat! | FSTCAT::COMEFORD | I'd rather be a Bandit than a Bogey... | Fri Sep 17 1993 10:39 | 12 |
| The Puma/mountain lion/panther/catamount are in the family Felis,
and are the largest member of that family. I believe the different namings
are due to slightly different markings from long physical isolation from the
rest of the species, sort of like cat breeds (Siamese and tabbys still
inter breed (if allowed) even they look quite different).Most of the North
American cats (lynx, bobcat etc.) are also members of Felis. A more familiar
member of this familyis Felis Cattus, aka the common house cat. The classic
asian/european/African big cats are all in another family (panthera ?).
I haven't a clue to what family the Jaguar and the south american cats belong.
Keith
(a confirmed nature show addict :-) )
|
| 607.11 | Cats of the World | DRUMS::FEHSKENS | len, Engineering Technical Office | Mon Sep 20 1993 10:31 | 89 |
|
cheetah acinonyx jubata
lion panthera leo
tiger panthera tigris
leopard panthera pardus
jaguar panthera onca
snow leopard panthera uncia
clouded leopard neofelis nebulosa
marbled cat felis marmorata
North American lynx lynx canadensis
bobcat lynx rufus
Eurasian lynx lynx lynx
Spanish lynx lynx pardinus
caracal lynx caracal
serval felis serval
African golden cat felis aurata
Asian (Temminck's) golden cat felis temmincki
leopard cat felis bengalensis
fishing cat felis viverrina
flat-headed cat felis planiceps
rusty-spotted cat felis rubiginosa
bay cat, bornean red cat felis badia
Iriomote cat felis iriomotensis
jaguarundi felis yagouaroundi
puma, mountain lion cougar felis concolor
ocelot felis pardalis
margay felis wiedii
oncilla felis tigrina
kodkod felis guigna
Geoffroy's cat felis geoffroyi
Andean mountain cat felis jacobita
pampas cat felis colocolo
wild cat felis silvestris (includes f.s. libyaca)
Pallas' cat felis manul
jungle cat felis chaus
black-footed cat felis nigripes
sand cat felis margarita
Chinese desert cat felis bieti
The domestic cat is a variant of Felis Silvestris, F.s. catus
Current habitats:
Puma, mountain lion, cougar North/South America
Cheetah Africa
Lion Africa
Tiger Asia
Jaguar Central/South America
Leopard Africa, Asia
Marbled cat India, nepal, Sumatra, Borneo et al
Clouded leopard Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo
Snow leopard Central Asia
Bobcat North America
Jaguarundi South America
North American Lynx Canada, Alaska
Caracal Africa, Middle East, India
Serval Africa
Spanish Lynx Spain
Eurasian Lynx Northern Europe, Asia
African Golden Cat Africa
Asian Golden Cat Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Sumatra
Leopard Cat East Asia
Fishing Cat Southeast Asia
Flat-headed cat Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, et al
Rusty-spotted cat Southern India
Bornean Red Cat Borneo
Iriomote Cat Iriomote Island
Ocelot Central/South America
Oncilla South America
Margay Central/South America
Pampas Cat Southwestern South America
Andean Mountain Cat Andes Mountains
Geoffroy's Cat Bolivian Andes
Kodkod small areas of Chile/Argentina
Wild cat Africa, Middle East
Pallas' Cat Central Asia
Jungle Cat Egypt, Middle East, India, Indochina
Chinese Desert Cat Central Sichuan, Inner Mongolia (China)
Black-footed cat South Africa
Sand Cat Northern Sahara, Middle East
(from Great Cats, Rodale, ISBN 0-87857-965-6; one of the most beautiful
books on cats I have ever found. $40 at The Nature Company)
len.
|