How many Florida Panthers exist in the wild? 
The panther population is estimated to be between 80 - 100 cats within the state. Big Cypress National Preserve is home to approximately 30 - 35 of those cats. Discover more about panthers by clicking here.

What is the difference between an American alligator and an American crocodile?
Both are large reptilians that can be found in South Florida, the only place in the world where the animals coexist. Primarily alligators are found in freshwater habitats and crocodiles in coastal estuaries (they are better at expelling salt from the water).

Other differences include their coloration, alligators are black while crocodiles tend to be an olive green. Finally, the main way to tell the difference is by the shapes of their snouts. Alligators have a bunt "U" shaped nose while crocodiles have a more pointed "A" shaped nose.

Alligators can be found in several areas of the Preserve, while there has been only one recorded sighting of a crocodile. Primarily crocodiles are found near Key Largo and in Florida Bay. The crocodile is an endangered species with an estimated population of about 1500 animals, all of which are in Florida within the United States.