20 of Florida's Threatened, Endangered & Protected Species

Large connected landscapes of pinelands, hardwood hammocks, forests, swamps and wet prairies. Most breeding panthers occur in South Florida, although individual males may travel much farther north.

Primarily white-tailed deer and wild hogs, along with raccoons, armadillos, rabbits and other smaller animals.

Large connected territories, abundant prey, protected habitat, genetic diversity and safe wildlife corridors that allow movement between habitat areas.

Habitat loss and fragmentation, vehicle collisions, reduced genetic diversity and conflict where development overlaps panther range.

As a top predator, the panther helps balance prey populations. Protecting enough land for panthers also protects huge areas used by many other Florida species.

Florida rivers, springs, estuaries, bays, canals and coastal waters. During cold weather they rely heavily on warm-water refuges.

Mostly seagrasses, freshwater vegetation and other submerged, floating or shoreline plants.

Clean water, healthy seagrass and aquatic plants, dependable warm-water habitat and waterways where boat strikes are minimized.

Watercraft collisions, loss of warm-water habitat, poor water quality, seagrass loss, entanglement and harmful algal blooms.

Manatees are major aquatic grazers and are closely tied to the health of Florida's springs, rivers, estuaries and seagrass systems.

Open ocean, continental-shelf waters, bays and estuaries. Adult females use sandy Florida beaches for nesting.

Crabs, mollusks, whelks and other hard-shelled marine animals that they crush with powerful jaws.

Dark, undisturbed nesting beaches, healthy marine feeding areas, clean water and safe migration routes.

Fishing bycatch, vessel strikes, marine debris, artificial beachfront lighting, coastal development and climate change.

Loggerheads help shape seafloor communities and transfer marine nutrients onto nesting beaches.

Dry sandy uplands including longleaf-pine sandhills, scrub, flatwoods, pastures and some open disturbed lands.

Grasses, wiregrass, broadleaf plants, flowers, fruits and other low-growing vegetation.

Dry sandy soil for burrows, native groundcover, open sunlight and regularly managed upland habitat.

Habitat loss, road mortality, incompatible development, fire suppression, disease and disturbance of tortoises or their burrows.

Its burrows shelter hundreds of other species, making the gopher tortoise one of Florida's best-known keystone species.

Florida scrub and scrubby flatwoods with sandy openings and low oaks maintained by periodic fire.

Acorns, insects, spiders, berries, seeds and occasional small vertebrates.

Large connected patches of correctly managed scrub habitat and regular prescribed fire that keeps vegetation at suitable height.

Habitat loss and fragmentation, fire suppression, poorly timed habitat management and development.

Scrub-jays cache large numbers of acorns and help disperse oak seeds throughout scrub ecosystems.

Open mature longleaf and other southern pine forests with frequent fire and little hardwood midstory.

Ants, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, roaches and other insects, plus some fruits and seeds.

Old living pine trees for nesting cavities, frequent prescribed fire, open pine habitat and connected family territories.

Historic logging, loss of mature pines, habitat fragmentation and decades of fire suppression.

Its cavities are later used by many other birds, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals.

Open ground with short vegetation, including dry prairie, pasture, airports, golf courses and some vacant urban lots.

Insects, small mammals, frogs, lizards, snakes and occasionally small birds.

Open feeding areas, healthy burrows, low vegetation and protection from disturbance during nesting.

Development, destruction or collapse of burrows, flooding, vehicles, pets, predators and human disturbance.

These small predators help control insects and rodents in Florida's open landscapes.

Freshwater marshes, swamps, lakes, ponds, rivers, canals and other wetlands throughout Florida.

Fish, turtles, snakes, birds, mammals, crustaceans and other available prey.

Healthy wetlands, functioning natural water systems, nesting habitat and properly managed human-wildlife interactions.

Wetland loss, illegal killing, pollution and conflicts caused by feeding or habituating wild alligators.

Alligators are ecosystem engineers. Their 'gator holes' can retain water and provide refuge for wildlife during dry periods.

Forests, swamps, flatwoods, hammocks and other large connected natural areas throughout several parts of Florida.

Mostly plants, fruits, berries, nuts and insects, plus occasional animal matter.

Large connected habitats, natural food sources, secure den sites and safe movement across roads and developed areas.

Vehicle collisions, habitat fragmentation, unsecured human food and garbage, and conflicts near developed areas.

Bears disperse seeds over long distances and are an important part of Florida's large connected forest ecosystems.

Coastal ocean waters, bays, lagoons, inlets and estuaries throughout Florida.

Fish, squid and crustaceans, often captured using cooperative hunting strategies.

Clean productive coastal waters, abundant prey, low entanglement risk and freedom from feeding or harassment by people.

Entanglement, pollution, vessel strikes, habitat degradation, harmful algal blooms and illegal feeding or harassment.

Dolphins are upper-level predators and useful indicators of coastal ecosystem health.

Shallow coastal and estuarine waters, especially mangrove shorelines, bays, river mouths and nearshore South Florida.

Fish and crustaceans. Its saw-like rostrum helps detect, stun and manipulate prey.

Healthy mangrove nurseries, shallow estuaries, good water quality and protection from capture and habitat loss.

Historic fishing mortality, accidental capture, loss of mangrove habitat and a naturally slow reproductive rate.

Sawfish are large predators in coastal food webs and their young depend heavily on intact mangrove nurseries.

Coral reefs, rocky bottoms, ledges and other structured tropical marine habitats, including waters off South Florida and the Keys.

Fish, crabs, lobsters and other reef animals.

Healthy reefs, adequate prey, protected spawning aggregations and reduced fishing pressure.

Historic overfishing, loss or degradation of reef habitat and vulnerability when adults gather in large spawning groups.

Large groupers are important reef predators that help shape healthy reef food webs.

Freshwater and coastal marshes, mangroves, flooded fields, swamps, mudflats and shallow wetlands.

Crayfish, insects, crabs, small fish, amphibians and other small wetland animals.

Healthy shallow wetlands, productive feeding areas, clean water and secure nesting colonies.

Wetland loss, altered water levels, pollution, disturbance and reduced availability of aquatic prey.

White ibis move energy through wetland food webs and their breeding success can reflect wetland conditions.

Mangrove islands, shallow estuaries, coastal marshes, lagoons, mudflats and other shallow wetlands.

Small fish, shrimp, crayfish, crabs, aquatic insects and other small wetland animals.

Productive shallow feeding areas, healthy estuaries, secure nesting colonies and appropriate freshwater flow.

Wetland degradation, altered water management, habitat loss, disturbance, pollutants and reduced prey.

Spoonbills are highly visible indicators of productive shallow-water wetlands and coastal food webs.

Sandhills, pine flatwoods, hammocks, scrub, wetland edges and other connected upland and wetland habitats.

Snakes, frogs, turtles, small mammals, birds, lizards and other vertebrates.

Large connected landscapes, safe movement between habitats and healthy gopher tortoise burrow systems in many upland areas.

Habitat destruction and fragmentation, road mortality, illegal collection and disturbance of tortoise burrows.

As a large native predator, the indigo snake helps regulate numerous smaller vertebrate populations.

Forested wetlands, swamps, marsh edges, gardens and other moist habitats, especially across the Florida peninsula.

Small insects, spiders and other invertebrates.

Clean wet breeding sites, vegetation for shelter, healthy insect populations and reduced pesticide exposure.

Local habitat loss, pollution, pesticides, drought and predation or competition from invasive species.

Treefrogs consume large numbers of insects and are prey for birds, snakes and other native predators.

Dry uplands associated with gopher tortoise burrows and nearby temporary, fish-free wetlands used for breeding.

Insects, spiders, worms and other small invertebrates, plus occasional small vertebrates.

Both healthy upland burrow habitat and seasonal breeding ponds, with safe connections between the two.

Loss of uplands, wetland drainage, fire suppression, roads, altered hydrology and declines in burrowing species.

Gopher frogs link two different ecosystems: dry uplands where they spend much of the year and isolated wetlands where they breed.

Open fields, roadsides, gardens, coastal areas and other places containing milkweed and nectar-producing flowers.

Caterpillars eat milkweed; adults drink nectar from many flowering plants.

Native milkweed for caterpillars, abundant nectar flowers, low pesticide exposure and suitable migratory and overwintering habitat.

Habitat loss, loss of milkweed, pesticide exposure, climate change and degradation of migratory and overwintering sites.

Monarchs are important pollinators and a flagship species for conserving native flowering-plant habitat used by many insects.

Coastal tropical hardwood hammock edges, beachside scrub and related habitat in the Florida Keys.

Caterpillars feed on selected host plants such as gray nickerbean; adults drink nectar from flowers.

Healthy host-plant patches, nectar sources, connected coastal habitat and protection from pesticides and invasive species.

Habitat loss, hurricanes, pesticide exposure, invasive species, illegal collecting and extremely small populations.

The Miami blue contributes to pollination and represents the extraordinary biological diversity of Florida's tropical coastal habitats.

Tropical hardwood hammocks, coastal habitats, limestone and coral-rock areas, leaf litter and debris in extreme South Florida and the Keys.

Tiny insects, spiders and other very small invertebrates.

Moist shaded microhabitats, intact leaf litter, refuges beneath bark and rocks and healthy tropical coastal habitat.

Habitat loss and degradation, flooding and overwash from storms, sea-level rise, nonnative species and reptile diseases.

This tiny native predator is part of the complex invertebrate food web of Florida's tropical coastal habitats.