372.672  Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund.--

(1)  There is established within the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund to be used exclusively for the purposes of this section.

(2)  Money from the fund shall be spent only for the following purposes:

(a)  To manage and protect existing Florida panther populations by increasing panther food sources where food is a limiting factor, determining conflicts between public use and panther survival, maintaining sufficient genetic variability in existing populations, and undertaking management and enforcement activities that protect panther habitat.

(b)  To educate the public concerning the value of the panther and the necessity for panther management.

(c)  To reestablish Florida panthers into areas of suitable habitat, where feasible, by assessing the necessity of a captive breeding program for purposes of reintroduction of the panthers into the suitable habitat; selecting potential sites for reintroduction and investigating associated human sociological aspects; and assessing the potential for panther habitat acquisition.

(d)  To fund and administer education programs authorized in s. 372.674.

(3)  The Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission is authorized to receive donations for deposit into the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund.

(4)  Notwithstanding subsection (2), for the 1997-1998 fiscal year only, up to $50,000 may be appropriated from the fund to reimburse expenses incurred in recovering, housing, and maintaining Texas cougars originally purchased as part of the Florida panther research and management program. This subsection is repealed on July 1, 1998.