VERO BEACH -- The endangered Florida panther's habitat in southwest Florida received additional protection with the federal approval of the 4,000-acre Panther Passage Conservation Bank in rural Hendry County, west of Lake Okeechobee and south of the Caloosahatchee River.

Habitat loss, one of the greatest threats to panther survival, has restricted South Florida's breeding population -- estimated to be about 100 -- to less than 5 percent of its historic range, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The 4,000 acres, said FWS' George Dennis, are located in the "Panther Dispersal Zone," a corridor that could provide passage for South Florida panther populations to eventually move north of the Caloosahatchee River.

"Securing these vital lands is a major part of our efforts to recover the endangered Florida panther. This important partnership helps us address one of the goals in our Florida Panther Recovery Plan: To set aside large areas of land in locations where there are high-quality habitats and prey availability," said Paul Souza, field supervisor of the FWS' South Florida Ecological Services Office.

The 4,000 acres includes property in Lake Wales and LaBelle. ¬