Walk Where the Panthers Roam

Preserving the majestic Florida Panthers has been front and center recently. The April issue of National Geographic has an article called “The History of the Florida Panther, a Symbol of Reverence and Revulsion.” Coastal Breeze News published “Endangered Florida Panthers in Peril” on February 16th. And the documentary movie “Path of the Panther” by Carlton Ward Jr. was released and will soon be on Disney+. 

Just a short distance from Marco Island and Naples in nearby Immokalee, the public can visit the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), which is operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Geographic article has a trail camera image of a panther jumping over a log, taken in the Refuge, where you are more likely to see panther tracks than a stealthy panther. 

The Refuge was established in 1989 and protects the main habitat for the endangered Florida panther in addition to native wildlife that travels within the panther’s habitat. The Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge is located within the heart of the Big Cypress Basin. It encompasses the northern reach of the Fakahatchee Strand, which is the largest cypress strand in the Big Cypress swamp.

Panthers in Florida were almost extinct in the 1950s when an estimated fifty were left in the wild. In 1973 Florida Panthers were among the first to be added to the United States Endangered Species list. Now there are less than two hundred panthers left, and threats from encroaching housing developments and road traffic continue. The entire southeastern United States used to be a habitat for panthers. They are only found in five percent of their historic range in Southwest Florida, per the Friends of the Panther Refuge.

Like the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park, the area was logged for cypress trees. New cypress trees have grown where former 130 feet tall giants fell. Old railroad beds are used to this day by staff for travel. Before becoming a refuge, the Collier family used it for cattle grazing and private hunting leases. Onsite there were some hunting camps and homesteads. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service paid over ten million dollars to buy about 24,000 acres for the Refuge to protect panthers and their habitats. It also served as an important wildlife corridor to connect adjacent private and public lands. In 1996 another 2,400 acres were purchased from the Collier Family.

According to the Florida Panther National Wildlife website, some of their refuge-specific goals include providing optimum habitat for the panthers and restoring and conserving the natural diversity, abundance, and ecological function of flora and fauna on the refuge and within the South Florida ecosystem.

If you are interested in helping protect panthers, you can support the new Southwest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Area being proposed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. According to the USFWS website, besides panthers, it will preserve fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats “for the continuing benefit of American people,” per the USFWS website. The first step is the planning process which includes soliciting public input. A draft land protection plan and associated compliance document will be developed and provided for more public input. This is a long-term effort that might take decades based on the willingness of landowners and funding. For more information, please visit the fws.gov website.

Tom Trotta, past President of the Friends of the Panther NWR said, “We have improved the odds that Florida panthers will survive over the last 30-plus years. First and most important was listing the Florida panther as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. A few years later, the establishment of the Florida Panther NWR and protection of other land in panther habitat. Now there is another proposal, the establishment of the Southwest Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Area. This is a great opportunity not just for panthers but for humans and all that makes Florida such an amazing place. Make your voice heard!”

While most of the Refuge is closed to public access, there are ways to enjoy it. Hiking trails are free and open seven days a week during the daylight hours of sunrise to sunset. There is lots of wildlife that can be found in the Panther Wildlife Refuge, including wild turkeys, bobcats, and raccoons. Plant lovers will enjoy the beautiful walks around the refuge. When I recently visited, I was impressed with the many spectacular wildflowers. Stunning red Coral Bean flowers had a multitude of beautiful butterflies atop them. Some neat epiphytic Tillandsia Bromeliads dotted the trees. Brilliant Orchid bees, with their shiny iridescent green bodies, visited vibrant purple thistle flowers. Lots of photographic opportunities exist with all this beauty around you. Just remember that when visiting, all plants and animals are protected. Pets, off-road vehicles and bicycles are not permitted on trails. For more information on how to access the hiking trails and to learn more about the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, visit www.fws.gov/refuge/florida-panther. For current trail conditions, call the Refuge’s main office at 239-657-8001.