Florida Panther - South Florida is an ecosystem of land, water, plant and animal life that has been evolving for millions of years. Humans have emerged as a major influence on the Floridian ecosystem. The Florida panther was an important predator in the Florida ecosystem before large numbers of Europeans settled there. Panthers ate mostly deer over vast areas but hunting of panthers in the 18th and 19th centuries reduced their numbers and restricted their range. Human settlement also shrank the range of deer, the mainstay of the panther's diet, and hunters competed with panthers for deer. Only 30 to 50 adults remain, many of which are old, genetically impaired, or weakened by disease and poor diet.

Giant Kangaroo Rat - The giant kangaroo rat is found only in the San Joaquin Valley, California. It is endangered because most of its habitat has been destroyed. The kangaroo rat prefers a mix of arid or semi-arid habitats with patches of short grass and bare ground.  They are mostly nocturnal, emerging at night to eat seeds, vegetation and insects. They rarely drink water and get moisture from the plants they eat. Over 95% of its former range has been lost and much of what remains is of marginal quality. The future is not bright. The remaining habitat is under threat from human
activities in the area. The kangaroo rat was listed as an Endangered species by the California Fish and Game Commission in 1980 and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987.

Critically Endangered Marine Mammals

Critically Endangered Birds