• The Florida panther's watchful gaze- Courtesy- Ralph Arwood

    Big Cypress

    National Preserve Florida

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Fire Activity

    Currently there is fire activity within the Preserve. More »

  • 2013 Zone 4 Closure

    Beginning at 12:01 am Monday, April 8, 2013, the Zone 4 airboat access within Big Cypress National Preserve will be closed due to low water conditions. More »

  • Interstate 75 Mile Marker 63 Closure

    Beginning summer of 2013 the rest area and backcountry access at mile marker 63 will be closed due to construction. More »

  • Campground Closures

    Beginning Monday, May 13 through Friday, August 16 camping will be available at the Midway Campground and the “loop” in the Bear Island Campground within Big Cypress National Preserve. All other established campgrounds will be closed. More »

Florida Panther

Florida panther, NPS Photo
Florida panther relaxing
 

Living in or visiting the urban fringe or remote areas of South Florida means that you are in Florida panther habitat. Though there has never been a documented attack against humans by a panther, people should still take precautions. These are large predators that deserve respect.

There are steps that people can take to insure their safety, and that of their personal property from any type of wildlife - panthers, bear, alligators, and even raccoons, opossum and squirrels can all do some damage.

Click on the links below to learn about safely living in and visiting wild areas.
Florida Panthers - What You Need to Know
Protecting Your Property From Wildlife Damage
A Guide to Living With Florida Panthers

The National Park Service partners with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor panthers within the area, track their whereabouts and monitor the health of individual cats and the population as a whole.

Learn more about the monitoring program, and other aspects of the panther partnership in the documents below.

The 2007 Interagency Florida Panther Response Team Report

 
 

THE PANTHER UPDATE
Would you like to learn more about the status of the Florida panther?

Please use the following link to get the latest, as well as back issues of "Panther Update." The update is a publication made possible through the efforts of Big Cypress National Preserve, Panther National Wildlife Refuge and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 
Florida Panther_FINAL_HIRES-1
Click here for a downloadable brochure about Florida panthers.

Did You Know?

Hunters entering the Preserve on a swamp buggy. Photo courtesy of Jack Moller.

Big Cypress National Preserve was one of the first national preserves within the National Park System. As a preserve, Big Cypress manages for a broader range of recreational activities, including hunting and off-road vehicle access.