During all the time I was camping in the Everglades I kept my eyes peeled for a glimpse of a Florida Panther. The Florida Panther is a large cat that lives only in the vicinity of the Everglades. It is an endangered species with only about 100 left in existence. With that few in existence there was a slim chance of spotting one in such a vast space. Luckily there is a wonderful animal rescue center just outside the Everglades Park that cares for injured and otherwise troubled wildlife. It is not a zoo. It is a rescue and release facility run by a man named Bob. If an animal cannot be released after being cared for it is kept as a representative of it's species for educational purposes, The public is only allowed in on certain days. During one of my last days before leaving the Everglades I stopped in and was amazed to see a cage marked "Florida Panther". Bob, himself came over and started talking to me. I asked if there was really a Florida Panther in there, as I couldn't see anything. Bob called out, "Willow, Willow!" and sure enough a large cat came out of a large igloo like structure. My heart leapt. Bob explained that Willow's mother was confiscated during a drug raid and the stress caused her to stop making milk for her two cubs. Bob took them in and cared for them. The brother died since then, and Willow herself is getting up in years, but even now you can see the beauty and the dignity of this large cat. Bob said that Willow is actually quite tame, and that sometimes in the evenings he brings her into the house and they watch television together. OK. Here are the pictures that I was able to take. You'll have to excuse the blur, as it's hard to focus when chain link comes between you and your subject.
|
CategoriesHello
|