This content is Subscriber-Exclusive
You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article.
How America’s most endangered cat could help save Florida
Once nearly extinct, the Florida panther is expanding its range. Protecting wildlife corridors could save the cat—and humans—from sprawl.
A female panther and three kittens explore Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, a reserve of old-growth cypress forest surrounded by encroaching suburbs on three sides. Many of these camera trap images took years to capture because of the cats’ rarity, their unpredictable movements, and the difficulty involved in getting the right lighting. Florida’s weather can be a challenge too: One camera was lost during a hurricane but was later recovered.
