Abstract
Prescribed fire is frequently used as a management tool in south Florida, the last remaining habitat for the endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi). Information is needed on the influence that fire has on panther den site selection, since habitat used for raising kittens may directly influence panther kitten survival. In this study, I tested the hypothesis that female panthers select den sites that are closer to earlier stages of post-fire habitat than to later stages of post -fire habitat or habitat that is unburned. This hypothesis was tested using a Euclidean distance analysis to determine which stages of post-fire habitats were preferred and avoided. I used 4 3 dens of radio-collared panthers located on Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, Big Cypress National Preserve, and Everglades National Park from 2001-2007. Panther dens were closer to habitat that had burned :54 years prior to denning (P:S .03). No preference or avoidance was shown for habitat burned 2:4 years prior to denning. Results suggest that utilizing a prescribed burn cycle of 4 or less years while maximizing patches of unburned habitat may optimize Florida panther den habitat.
