Research overview: genetic rescue and disease resilience in the Florida panther

The Florida panther’s recovery hinged on a landmark genetic restoration that introduced Texas pumas to relieve severe inbreeding, with implications for disease resilience. This overview surveys how the genetic rescue reversed inbreeding-associated defects, including signs of immune compromise, and improved overall health and population growth, against the backdrop of ongoing disease threats like feline leukemia virus. It examines the link between restored genetic diversity and the capacity to withstand pathogens, the monitoring that documented improvement, and the lessons for other small, isolated felid populations. The synthesis connects population genetics, health and disease epidemiology. It aims to help readers understand genetic rescue not only as a fix for inbreeding depression but as a strategy that may bolster a population’s defenses against the infectious diseases that threaten tiny endangered cat populations.