About 200 Florida Panthers are alive today.
National Geographic magazine calls it "America's Most Endangered Cat." And in the magazine's April issue, the featured story is about the efforts to save the panther.
On this week’s Florida Matters, WUSF reporter Steve Newborn has a conversation with two Floridians profiled in the piece.
Carlton Ward Jr. is a conservation photographer. It took him about five years to capture the photos in the magazine and a lot of that process involved trial, error and luck.
RELATED: Story Of Florida Panther's Progress, Peril Featured In National Geographic
“Every time I walk up to that camera [trap] every two weeks over a period of time, more often than not a bear’s knocked it over, a log’s fallen on it, a rodent’s chewed through the wires,” Ward said.
Brian Kelly is a panther biologist. He works with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission tracking panther sightings via camera traps.
You can listen to Steve’s full conversation with Carlton and Brian above by clicking on the “Listen” button. Or you can listen to the WUSF app under “Programs & Podcasts.”
