Ok, so Jaguars were very present in Flordia until humans wiped them out. Not only are they a natural creature that could hunt invasive species such as Boas and Boars, but they would also fill an important role as a natural apex predator on land.

  • FoxyFerengi@startrek.website
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    5 hours ago

    But the elderly people already lose so many toy dogs to alligators, how can they be expected to deal with big cats?? /j

    We still had Florida panthers when I was a kid, but there were a lot of people killing them for trophies. Damn, wiki says there’s only ~200 left :(

    • OttoVonNoob@lemmy.caOP
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      5 hours ago

      The video I referenced said there were only 20-30 left in the 70s, and with heavy support, they are up to 200.

      • FoxyFerengi@startrek.website
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        5 hours ago

        Oh. I forgot how confusing the name is lol. When I read jaguar I think “spotted cat”, Florida panthers are Puma not Panthera.

        For what it’s worth, I have seen a melanistic jaguar in Florida at a wildlife refuge

        • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          3 hours ago

          Apparently the North American Jaguar went extinct like 7000 years ago. So now it’s just Florida Panthers (puma as you said) and bobcats, which I think might be lynx related? Not sure. I know I used to see those down in wekiwa near the springs/hiking trails.

          • FoxyFerengi@startrek.website
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            3 hours ago

            They are a lynx species but they don’t have the stereotypical long tufts on their ears like most people think of. They are relatively common to see even in suburban areas in Fl

            • LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              3 hours ago

              Yeah I grew up in Central Florida years ago, but didn’t know much of what a lynx looked like so I just assumed similar to a bobcat, haha. There used to be a camping spot called camp cozy 2 or 3 miles down the trail that was a half mile from any other campsite. Would go out there whenever I could get a work group together, but seeing wildlife was common. You’d get black bears standing on their hind legs hiding behind trees to peak at your campsite and figure out what’s going on. Also when it’s hot and muggy, the springs feel cold as all hell so it’s a great relief.

          • OttoVonNoob@lemmy.caOP
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            3 hours ago

            Yes, the video that inspired the meme states Red Wolves and reintroducing Panthers would be the safest way. But im taking the extreme third option xD. Also, I believe Bobcats are the northern sub species of Lynx or vice versa.

  • Tanis Nikana@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    It’s interesting that you spelled “Florida” the wrong way in both the image and the caption text. Do you think that’s just how it’s spelled?

    • OttoVonNoob@lemmy.caOP
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      5 hours ago

      More of i fell down a rabbit hole, but this is the videos I referenced. I fell in a hole subscribed to 10 new channels xD. I got a dm so I’ll just put a few of my favorites here.

      The videos that inspired the meme, this guy talks about re-wilding the world. https://youtu.be/tNT8b-UkdZ4

      Gator Jake does crocodile and alligator stuff https://youtu.be/viC48Kuu1wQ

      This fellow does interesting videos and even used AI once, then deleted the video and re did it without AI to be more ethical. https://youtu.be/azy4mbht2P8

    • theneverfox@pawb.social
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      3 hours ago

      Have you seen the latest jaguars? They’re ugly as hell, maybe if we dump them in a swamp we’ll have some kind of cosmic balance come back

  • shalafi@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    We have mountain lions, even in NW Florida. I’ve seen a hulking male plenty close enough. Problem is people shoot them as a threat to their pets and livestock.

  • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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    5 hours ago

    Do you have a kickstarter?

    (e: Oh, wait, I was thinking of the political ecology, not making ecology political. I still agree with you, though. Perhaps slightly less enthusiastically.)