Path of the Panther

The panther is the state animal of Florida, the last big cat surviving east of the Mississippi River, and an icon of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. A subspecies of the puma, the panther was driven to extinction throughout its range in the eastern United States, except for a small remnant population that persisted in Florida’s Everglades. Panther numbers had dwindled to fewer than 20 individuals by the 1980s, but conservation efforts have helped the population rebound to nearly 200 today. The biggest obstacle to the panther’s continued recovery is access to enough of its historic territory throughout Florida and adjoining states.

Rising north out of the Everglades, the tale of the Florida panther has grown from the unlikely survival of a rare cat to a story of hope for all wild Florida. The panther has become a symbol of a call to action to conserve the Florida Wildlife Corridor—a network of public and private land that connects the panther’s current range in South Florida to suitable habitat throughout the state and beyond.

National Geographic Explorer and photographer Carlton Ward Jr. has spent almost two decades advocating for the Florida Wildlife Corridor. In 2015, he launched the Path of the Panther project with the National Geographic Society and moved his Airstream trailer to the Everglades. He and his team spent six years working with camera traps to capture the photographs included in this exhibition, which are also featured in the April 2021 issue of National Geographic Magazine and the new National Geographic book Path of the Panther.

Carlton Ward Jr. is a conservation photographer dedicated to showcasing and protecting Florida's natural heritage, drawing on eight generations of family roots in the state. With a Master’s in Ecology from the University of Florida, he pioneered conservation photography, authored The Edge of Africa and Florida Cowboys, and founded the Florida Wildlife Corridor campaign in 2010. A National Geographic Explorer since 2012, he has trekked 2,000 miles across Florida to advocate for preserving its wilderness. His work has been exhibited at the United Nations in New York and featured in acclaimed books, PBS films, and prominent publications.

The Frost Art Museum and its staff dedicate this exhibition to the memory of James Maxwell Couper III (1937–2023). A painter in his own right, Couper was a visionary who recognized the need for an art museum on campus, where students could engage with and learn from art. His foresight led to the founding of the Tamiami Campus Visual Arts Gallery, in Primera Casa in 1977, which would later evolve into the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum. Beyond his instrumental role in the museum's creation, Couper remained a steadfast supporter and presence at the Frost Art Museum. As an artist, he created idyllic depictions of the Everglades that reflected his deep passion for the preservation and conservation of this vital natural landscape.