Research overview: genetic rescue of the Florida panther

The Florida panther, a population of puma isolated in the southeastern United States, became a landmark case of inbreeding and genetic rescue. This overview synthesizes how the small, isolated population suffered inbreeding depression marked by kinked tails, heart defects, and reproductive problems, and how the introduction of pumas from Texas in the 1990s restored genetic diversity, improved health, and helped the population grow. It reviews the ecology of panthers in Florida's swamps and forests, the threats from habitat loss and roads, and the lessons for managing small carnivore populations. The synthesis frames the Florida panther as a defining example of genetic rescue in conservation. For enthusiasts it explains how an isolated puma population nearly collapsed from inbreeding, how bringing in new animals reversed the decline, and why connectivity and genetic diversity are vital for small big-cat populations.