Hippos, Wolves and Panthers —
Oh My!

Don Juan, the Florida panther, recently joined the ranks of Lu the Hippopotamus as the newest member of the state park family. See Don Juan, Lu, three red wolf cubs, West Indian manatees and a variety of other wildlife at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.

Don Juan is the first captive Florida panther to call a Florida state park home. The 11-year-old male weighs approximately 130 pounds and has fathered approximately 30 offspring in the wild at Big Cypress Swamp near Naples. Busch Gardens was home to the panther for two years prior to his arrival at the state park.

Don Juan will alternate in the habitat currently used by the park's nine year-old female Western cougar, Maygar. The habitat is a fenced-in, open area with trees and shade, large rocks and various plants for Don Juan and Maygar’s comfort. Visitors can approach the habitat from a glass viewing area.

Three red wolf pups are also new at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. The pups are part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s captive breeding program which began in 1970 when the animals became endangered. By 1980, red wolves disappeared from the wild; however, with the reintroduction program in place, there are now believed to be 100 to 130 red wolves in the wild.

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park works in partnership with agencies such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who are responsible for the protection of native wildlife. This partnership enables park staff to educate visitors about a variety of endangered species, including two whooping cranes and six West Indian manatees that reside at the park.