Hi - With as few as 120 Florida panthers left alive, the Florida panther is one of the most endangered animals in the United States. And the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could allow the destruction of 20,000 acres of its habitat in a move that could put the entire future of Florida panther in jeopardy. Real estate developers are eagerly awaiting a decision by the Fish and Wildlife Service on whether to approve a sprawling housing development on land that includes 20,000 acres of Florida panther habitat that supports the only breeding Florida panther population in the world. To put it another way: the land is so important that a group of scientists declared it should be preserved at all costs — or else risk the extinction of Florida's official state animal. And this destructive housing development could be approved in just weeks. Friend, we need to act immediately to have any hope of protecting the Panther. We are going to use all legal means to compel the Fish and Wildlife Service to enforce endangered species regulations, and protect the Endangered Species Act from all attacks from White House and Congress. But to do all that we need your help—and the best way for you to support us is by becoming a monthly donor today. Click here to become an emergency monthly donor and protect the Florida panther and all endangered wildlife and wild places. We'll also send you our grocery cart shopping bag — free. If approved, this plan would let real estate developers convert panther habitat in Eastern Collier County, Florida into massive housing developments. The proposed 45,000-acre mega-development plan would destroy approximately 20,000 acres of panther habitat. In addition to habitat destruction, this ill-conceived plan could bring 174,000 new residents and 180,000 more vehicles on the road—even though vehicle collisions are the number one cause of panther deaths. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service received over 30,000 comments submitted by people from across the nation demanding that the agency reject the application, during an abbreviated 45-day comment period. Public opinion is clear—the panther needs protection. Donate monthly to help protect endangered animals like the Florida panther and receive the convenient grocery cart shopping bag. Please help us protect this magnificent animal before it's gone forever.  Michael Brune
Executive Director
Sierra Club Photo: Rodney Cammauf, Everglades NPS. | 
