ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A new panther license plate design is going through the final stages of design and will be available to drivers soon, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
FWC says the Protect the Panther License Plate's newest design will feature a famous mama and her cub photograph taken by Carlton Ward in 2018.
The image of the pair has become well known because it shows the first female panther documented north of the Caloosahatchee River since 1973. FWC says she is also the first female documented to have had kittens north of the river in more than 40 years.
"For many years, the Caloosahatchee River appeared to be a major obstacle to northward movement of female panthers and the natural expansion of the population," FWC says.
The agency says the plate will be available later this year. For more information on how to your plate, click here, or visit your local tax collector's office.
Florida panthers are native to Florida and most are found south of Lake Okeechobee. Panthers are listed as an Endangered Species under the federal Endangered Species Act and it is illegal to harm or harass them in any way. There are approximately 120-230 adult panthers in the population.
Fees from the Protect the Panther license plate go directly into the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund. The trust fund is the key source of funding for the state's panther-related research, rescue and conservation activities.