The Path of the Panther photography project is a long-term conservation storytelling effort led by wildlife photographer Carlton Ward Jr. to document the life, movement, and survival of the endangered Florida panther—and to use those images to help protect the remaining wild lands it depends on.

The project began around 2016 with a simple but ambitious goal: photograph a Florida panther in the wild. But, how? The answer was camera traps. Wildpath built a network of advanced camera trap systems using professional cameras, lighting, and infrared trip wires that allowed animals to trigger the camera themselves. These remote “forest studios” captured intimate, never-before-seen moments without human presence, revealing how panthers move through the landscape and the habitats they depend on.