A team of Florida researchers recently captured and collared what they say is the heaviest panther ever caught in the state.⁠ ⁠ The big cat, a male, weighed 166 pounds. FWC says the record-sized panther was captured on Babcock Ranch, a master-planned residential community that borders the Babcock Ranch Preserve in southwest Florida. The capture operation was carried out by the FWC’s research arm, the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and it was part of a long-term project to monitor Florida’s panther population, which is listed as endangered. Official estimates say there are only around 200 of the cats left in the wild in the Sunshine State, and a key component of the ongoing research project is using GPS collars to track panthers and guide recovery efforts. One avenue of FWC research includes a mysterious disorder that’s affecting panthers and bobcats in the state.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in profile for the full story 🔗⁠ ⁠ #panther #floridapanther #florida #fwc #wildlife #conservatio...