TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A new Florida license plate will feature a photograph of a famous female panther and her kitten.
The panther is well-known because she is the first female documented north of the Caloosahatchee River since 1973, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. She is also the first female known to have kittens north of the river in more than 40 years.
FWC said it worked with photographer Carlton Ward and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to design the new plate, which is currently undergoing final preparation.
The plate is expected to be available later this year. You can visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or your local tax collector’s office to get the new plate.
Fees from the Protect the Panther license plate go directly into the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund, FWC said.
According to FWC, Florida panthers are native to the state and most of them are found south of Lake Okeechobee. They are listed as an endangered species and it is illegal to harm or harass them in any way. There are about 120 to 230 adult panthers in the population.
