Panther habitat zones were developed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service's panther subteam of Multi-Species/Ecosystem Recovery Implementation Team (MERIT). Members of the MERIT panther recovery subteam identified lands essential to the long-term survival of the Florida panther. The MERIT subteam defined the Primary Zone as "all lands essential for the survival of the Florida panther in the wild." A Secondary Zone includes "lands contiguous with the Primary Zone, and areas which panthers may currently use, and where expansion of the Florida panther population is most likely to occur". Lastly, a Dispersal Zone was identified as an area needed for panthers to disperse north of the Caloosahatchee River.

This layer identified the area where consultation on potential impacts to the Florida Panther should be made, if suitable habitat is present, in the South Florida Ecological Services Office Service Area.