Night Moves – Tracking the Florida Panther (October 06, 2007)

Millions of wild animals are affected by ever increasing traffic on our nation’s highways each year.  While most of these animals are common species, others, like the Florida panther, are rare.  The razor-thin margin separating the Florida panther from extinction – fewer than 90 are thought to remain in the wild -- has prompted renewed efforts to protect habitat corridors and establish wildlife crossings along major roads.

That concern is shared by the Florida Department of Transportation, which has constructed numerous wildlife crossings, including two new wildlife underpasses on SR 29 in Collier County, which bisects the Big Cypress Preserve and the Florida Panther Wildlife Refuge.  The 50’ by 8’ tunnels supplement existing crossings further south.  Scheda was hired to monitor daily animal “traffic” before, during and after construction, and compare that against usage at other smaller and larger underpasses.  Crossing locations were chosen based on tracks documenting panther use of an old limestone road and bridge nearby. 

Using infrared Reconyx cameras triggered by motion sensors, Scheda scientists have already documented thousands of critter crossings, including one inquisitive black bear who sniffed out the hidden lens.  The cameras have also captured the nocturnal movements of deer, bobcats, opossum, armadillo, raccoon, and feral cats.  Also, the occasional human fisherman or hiker is photographed.  “So far, Florida panthers have been photographed during three separate monitoring periods” says Scheda project manager James Fine.  “We know they’re nearby, and travel patterns are a learned behavior that adult cats pass on to their kittens.”  Because panthers, like humans, prefer the path of least resistance, scientists are confident they will favor the manmade tunnel rather than dodging traffic on the road.  Fencing along the road guides them toward the wildlife crossing structures.

The Reconyx camera holds up to 19,000 images, firing every 0.2 seconds and taking five photos each time the motion sensor is triggered by movement.  “It’s like opening a present,” says Scheda’s Bob Mrykalo, who regularly reviews the photo images.  “You get something different every time.”