Panthers are primarily from the southeastern United States, especially South Florida. The Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) is a subspecies of cougar that lives in forests, swamps, pinelands, hardwood hammocks, and mixed swamp forests in South Florida. Historically, their range included Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina, but today they occupy only about 5% of their historic range, mainly in southwest Florida. They are the only confirmed cougar population in the Eastern United States and are considered endangered, with an estimated 120-230 adults remaining in the wild primarily in southwest Florida. The Florida panther is recognized as Florida’s official state animal and plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance in its habitat.

In another context, the term "black panther" can refer to melanistic leopards in Africa and Asia or melanistic jaguars in Central and South America, but they are not a distinct species and are named for their dark coloration.