Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumFlorida 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 FWCs Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. Numerous diseases and possible causes have been ruled out; a definitive cause has not yet been determined. Were 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 Panther.Sightings@MyFWC.com.
https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/panther-disorder/
There is a bill going through the California legislature right now to ban rodenticides.
Assembly Bill 1788 would ban the use of the most toxic rat poisons in California, making California the first state to do so. At the heart of the bill is the use of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs), blood thinners that cause hemorrhaging and internal bleeding that lead to a slow death. They have been showing up in, and having disastrous effects upon, an alarmingly large swath of non-target species like bobcats, owls, hawks, and mountain lions.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1788
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 509 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (4)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Florida Wildlife Comission asks public to help document disorder impacting panthers (Original Post)
Beringia
Aug 2019
OP
Duppers
(28,127 posts)1. This is sad.
We're indirectly killing a lot of wildlife.
Thanks for posting this, Beringia.
Beringia
(4,316 posts)2. You're welcome Duppers