Path of the Panther

Drawn in by the haunting specter of the Florida panther, National Geographic Explorer and photographer Carlton Ward Jr. and a coalition of biologists, ranchers, conservationists and Indigenous peoples find themselves on the front lines of an accelerating battle between forces of renewal and destruction that have pushed the Everglades to the brink of ecological collapse. This odyssey of hope and heartbreak is the culmination of more than five years of field research, 500,000 still images, and over 800 hours of ultra-high definition camera trap footage. Against all odds, wild panthers have been stunningly captured in their native ecosystem, as they've never been filmed before. The film is the cornerstone of the "Path of the Panther" project, supported by the National Geographic Society and many other partners that inspired the passage of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Act - the first legislation of its kind and a blueprint for addressing habitat fragmentation and species extinction across the globe. The project continues to grow today, and the world stands at a crossroads with the Florida panther guiding the way.