Photo by carltonward | As part of the pathofthepanther project, I recently visited the Naples Zoo to photograph Athena, a Florida panther. She's been living at the zoo since 2017, after being left behind by her mother in Big Cypress National Preserve. Having female panthers in the wild is key to the recovery of the species. If females from the core breeding range in South Florida can expand into historic panther territory to the north, panthers could reach sustainable numbers for a genetically viable population. To learn more about how panthers can inspire the protection of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, please follow carltonward and pathofthepanther. The Path of the Panther project is supported by the National Geographic Society, working to inspire the protection of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. insideNatGeo #KeepFLWild naples_zoo