FAU student encounters one of the most elusive animals — the Florida panther

Florida Atlantic student Jacob Askin spent the past two years researching and attempting to see one of the state's rarest and most beautiful animals — the endangered Florida panther.

It is the only cougar population in the Eastern United States with approximately 200 living within a range that includes the Big Cypress National Preserve, Everglades National Park, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge as well as rural areas of Collier, Hendry, Lee, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

Jacob shares the details of his work and how his dramatic encounter unfolded.

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I'm a junior at Florida Atlantic University, a semi-urban campus notched within the crowds and busy roads of Boca Raton.

It's easy to get caught up in the lifestyle of the city and campus life, forgetting that a completely different world is only 30 miles west of here. The area includes endless sawgrass marshes, cypress domes that tower above and forests teeming with wildlife.

With its 1.5 million acres of natural beauty, the area has always lured me into unlocking its secrets.

Growing up in Florida, I loved the outdoors. My passion for wilderness led me to work with state parks as an AmeriCorps member, where we removed invasive plants to keep the native ones safe. I’ve traveled across the United States and Canada and have seen the beauty they both hold.

But to me, nothing is quite like the Florida wildlife.

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I’ve spent hours exploring the Everglades, seeing crocodiles, gators, bobcats and coyotes. But there was one animal that had always eluded me — the Florida panther.

Known by many, but seen by few, it's one of two feline species in Florida and the only species of big cat west of the Mississippi River. With fewer than 200 roaming the land, it's highly unlikely you’ll encounter one.

One day, sitting in my college dorm, I set a goal for myself. I would track down and see a Florida panther up close. Little did I know that this would take me on a nearly two-year-long journey.

On the trail of the elusive Florida panther: Where are the best places to find them?

The first step was to research and figure out the best places to look for them. The Florida panther’s range is limited to mostly Southwest Florida.

I began checking everything from random news articles and podcasts on panthers to Panther Pulse (a site that lists all panther causalities and depredations) to each sighting confirmed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Eventually, I narrowed it down to a few places — the Florida Panther National Refuge, Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Picayune Strand State Forest and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. But just because I knew where the panthers were didn’t mean I would see them.

I visited those remote spots when I could and saw all of Florida's wildlife, including bears and owls, but never a panther. There were days where I’d spend the entire day looking in the parks and all night slowly driving down the roads just hoping to catch a fleeting glimpse of a panther. Those days turned into months and months, then a year, but each day only reinforced my determination.

This past Sept. 3, I decided to head back to Fakahatchee Strand, near Naples, one of my favorite spots. I got up at the usual 2:30 a.m. and drove 3 ½ hours so I could get there as the sun rose.

My plan this time was to find a nice dry trail, walk down it and hope for the best. Now that the wet season was in full force and everything was flooded, I figured if I were a panther, I’d much rather stay on a nice dry trail than track through all that water.

At around 9 a.m. I set off down a trail. As the hours of the day went on, the heat increased. Even with plenty of water, I got tired very quickly. I saw plenty of deer, a couple of hawks and a bear far off in the distance. Yet, once again, still no panther. I felt that day wasn’t going to be the day.

On the trail of the elusive Florida panther: 'It was just me and that panther face to face'

I had walked 6 miles on the trail and was taking a rest when I saw this large figure appear out of the swamp. With a light brown coat and large tail, I knew instantly it was a Florida panther.

There was this powerful rush of emotions — it felt as if my whole world had stopped, and it was just me and that panther.

I wasn't afraid, but I was shaking.

It slowly walked down the trail with its head held high, looking up, seemingly unaware of my presence. Without even thinking, I had already begun recording with my camera. Mosquitos swarmed my face, but I did not care — all I could think of was this magnificent creature.

Once it got within 40 feet of me, it sensed my presence and locked its eyes with mine. There was this powerful rush of emotions. It felt as if my whole world had stopped, and it was just me and that panther.

Through its eyes, I saw the heart and soul of wild Florida. I saw its history, its beauty and its story. What seemed like an eternity lasted only a couple of seconds. Shortly after spotting me, the big cat took off, quickly disappearing into the trees.

Two years of dedication had paid off. Two years for a moment that lasted only a few minutes, but will stick with me for a lifetime.

On the trail of the elusive Florida panther: 'I sat down in disbelief of what had just happened'

Starstruck, I sat down in disbelief at what had just happened. I couldn’t stop smiling. I’ve never felt so much pure joy. To see a glimpse of a panther is rare enough, but to see one up close and capture it on camera is truly unbelievable.

After a while, I got back up, and as I turned around, I caught one last glimpse of the panther as it disappeared behind me. It was as though it was calling to me, telling me what my path in life should be.

And yet, this story isn’t about me; it's about the Florida panther.

Its mystery set me off on an incredible journey. I not only learned a lot about the panther’s behavior but also the impact it has on Florida. Shortly after sharing the news on social media, I was met with so many messages from all kinds of people.

The Florida panther has such an important role in Florida. It is the state’s animal but it also serves as a symbol for the future of Florida and continues to be protected as an endangered animal under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The panther has survived every kind of persecution, from overhunting to disease to habitat destruction.

Yet here they are, a symbol of hope, a symbol that wild Florida is still alive.

Jacob Askin is a junior at Florida Atlantic University, majoring in biology. He wants to work with wildlife conservation or the Florida state parks after he graduates.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FAU student's two-year quest for Florida panther ends in rare sighting