Conservation groups launch lawsuit to protect Florida Panther habitat from 10,000-acre development

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. - The Florida panther is treading water in the state as its numbers decline, and only about 230 adult panthers run wild, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission (FWC).  

What we know:

The iconic and endangered native cat, the Florida panther, is the focus of conservation efforts by state agencies and local non-profits. So, when a massive residential and commercial project called Rural Lands West was authorized in Collier County, it caught the eye of conservation groups like the Center for Biological Diversity. 

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"The project site is over 10,000 acres. And with that, obviously comes more cars on the roads, more infrastructure," said Jason Totoiu, a senior attorney and the Florida director of policy for the Center for Biological Diversity. "This species is suffering what is often called the death by a thousand cuts phenomenon."

Totoiu said the project threatens the main breeding habitat for Florida Panthers. The Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and the South Florida Wildlands Association launched a lawsuit on Tuesday against federal agencies and the developer, Tarpon Blue Silver King I or Collier Enterprises. 

The legal document stated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not consider how allowing a permit for the project would affect the panther's survival and recovery.  

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"We're depending right now on these panthers somehow finding a way north. But continued development in their area is going to make it more and more difficult for that to occur naturally," said Totoiu.

Dig deeper:

According to FWC, a few panthers have been spotted as far north as Hillsborough and Polk counties. Conservationists said allowing the project violates the Endangered Species Act.

"It's intended to provide them with the tools and the regulatory protections and the funding necessary to build these populations and get them off the list, and so that they can thrive forever," said Totoiu.

The other side:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told FOX 13 they do not comment on active or pending litigation, and the developer did not respond in time for this broadcast.

Totoiu said the agencies have 60 days to respond to the intent to sue before it's formally filed.