And, from the other side of the country...

...a very different story about Puma concolor. The endangered Florida panther is represented by about 100 individuals in extreme south Florida. The highest densities of panthers are in the area of the Big Cypress National Preserve on the northwestern edge of the Everglades, and that's where far too many panthers die on roadways. Last year, 17 of the big cats fell prey to motorists. Other fatalities brought the total number of deaths to 24. In a way, there's good news embedded in there somewhere - the numbers are up from the rock bottom numbers of a couple of decades ago. There's also good genetic news, in that the influx of genes provided by a handful of female cougars introduced from a population in Texas is helping address the genetic disorders that had resulted from years of inbreeding. Still, the highways deaths are slowing an already torturous recovery.

The state of Florida is trying to help by installing special detectors along a stretch of highway in the Big Cypress that has seen too many deaths in recent years. The devices, known as Roadside Animal Detection Systems (RADS), employ a variety of technologies to detect large animals moving toward roadways. When movement is detected, the RADS set off a a network of flashing lights to warn drivers to slow down and be on the lookout.

There's serious debate about whether Florida panthers represent a distinct subspecies (P. concolor coryi) or just a regional population of the cougar. Current evidence is indicating that the various subspecies of P. concolor in North America may, in fact, all be the same animal. This, of course, encourages vocal idiots (like poster "outsidethebox" in the comments at the end of the article) to assume that the loss of an animal like the Florida panther is inconsequential - that they're somehow easily replaced. But the key is, while species epithets may be somewhat contrived, biodiversity is real. At all levels. Hard for me to understand how anyone could believe that an animal like the Florida panther doesn't need to be saved. To paraphrase, don't ask why they're ringing that bell. It's for you, bud.

My Subtropical Ecology class and I will be headed south to land of the Florida panther later this year. We like to pretend we saw one in the Fakahatchee Strand late one night a few years ago. Hard to say for certain - just an eyeshine and a big animal bounding across a back road. Still a special moment (right, Daneen?). We need to go to the wall for these guys. Hopefully this new technology will save a few.