What Eats Panthers?
The only natural predator capable of eating a panther is a large, adult male alligator. While humans are also considered a natural predator of the panther, people don’t eat them. For the most part, panthers are safe from being eaten.
American panthers living in the southern part of Florida share marshy territory with alligators, which is why these two dominant predators occasionally encounter each other in the wild.
Like other big cats, panthers are carnivores that hunt prey in a stealthy manner. These cats are capable of sneaking up on prey like deer, rabbits and birds and killing with their sharp claws before the prey can escape. Panthers are opportunistic predators whether they live in forests or prairies, and adapt their diet to their environment.
These big cats are known in other parts of the country as mountain lions. Panthers and mountain lions are scientifically known as Puma concolor, or pumas. Another common name for this species is cougar. Their habitat once extended across all of North and South America, and people living in different areas developed different names for these lions. As a result, these cats are listed in dictionaries under more names than any other animal in the world.
