Try Your Luck Spotting Florida’s Most Elusive Feline On a Swampy Adventure

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons

Florida is home to all kinds of amazing wildlife, from the American alligator to the West Indian manatee to five different species of sea turtles. There are even wild monkeys roaming one of the state’s parks.

And while many of these animals face threats to their survival, none are more at risk than the Florida panther, one of the most critically endangered mammals in the world.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says there are currently less than 230 Florida panthers left in the wild, and they’re found exclusively in the dense, swampy wetlands of southern Florida.

Big Cypress National Preserve, a 1,200 square-mile area in Florida's southwest, is one of the best places to spot them in the wild—but you probably shouldn’t get your hopes up. It’s extremely rare to come across one, so if by chance you do happen to catch a glimpse, consider yourself very fortunate!

They are solitary creatures that sleep as much as 18 hours a day and may only hunt once a week, usually around dawn or dusk. Add to that their secretive and stealthy nature, and it’s no surprise that seeing them isn’t easy. Even park rangers who've spent decades working in and around this wilderness area say they can count their own experiences of sightings on one hand.

However, just because the odds are very slim that you’ll spot this elusive cat doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying.

You can take a tram ride down Janes Scenic Drive in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park or join a swamp walk led by a naturalist or biologist to learn more about the park’s natural history. These tours can be booked through Friends of Fakahatchee, a not-for-profit group with a mission to “preserve the unique ecology and cultural heritage of Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park and educate the public about its importance.” These tours offer a variety of ways to explore Florida’s largest state park.

But if that’s not exciting enough for you, you can climb aboard a monster truck-style vehicle and head out for an off-roading adventure with Captain Steve Markley of Captain Steve’s Swamp Buggy Adventures. A sixth-generation “Gladesman” and an ex-park ranger with the National Park Service, Capt. Steve has extensive knowledge of the area and the wildlife found within it.

While you’re certainly not guaranteed to see the real thing, you might see proof that the Florida panther’s been nearby recently: tracks in the mud. And even if you don’t see a panther, you’re likely to see other wildlife and get a thrill traipsing through the bush and its rugged, muddy, and wet terrain onboard your “swamp buggy.”

This is how you experience the real backcountry of the Florida Everglades—and if you’re lucky, its coolest and largest cat.

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