Cat Tale: The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther

Asking how Florida panthers “manage to persist when the other big cats” of North America have seen their numbers sharply decline, journalist Pittman (Oh, Florida!) examines in his insightful volume how this population initially declined, and then came back. Having written about Florida panthers for the Tampa Bay Times for more than two decades, Pittman introduces some of the figures pivotal to saving them. These include West Texas native Roy McBride, an expert wildlife tracker once employed by ranchers to hunt large predators, who shifted focus mid-career to become a conservation advocate instead. Pittman skillfully captures small details suggesting character, such as how McBride’s “battered white Stetson” complements his “strong Western twang.” While celebrating conservation advocates, Pittman criticizes how real-estate developers eliminated acres of Florida wilderness, sometime without trying to “get permits before they started... because the fines they incurred cost them less than delaying,” destroying habitats where panthers used to roam freely. With clarity, insight, and heartfelt concern, Pittman effectively sheds light on conservation efforts in Florida for its official state animal. Agent: Andrew Stuart, Stuart Agency. (Jan.)