Fish and Wildlife Research Institute biologists captured what they believe are the first ever images of Florida panthers mating in the wild. Remote trail camera photos were taken on Babcock Ranch Preserve in Charlotte County on Aug 24, 2021. Breeding success north of the Caloosahatchee River is critical to the long-term viability of the Florida panther population; if this mating event resulted in a litter of kittens they would have been born around Nov 22. If so, they would be expected to emerge from the den in January 2022. (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute/Courtesy)