If you think you understand wildlife, imagine trekking 7,600 miles in a panther’s footprints. John Davis did while spending 10 months hiking, biking, and paddling from the tip of Florida to Quebec, to better understand what it would take to establish an eastern wildlife corridor or “Wildway™”—a connected network of protected lands, minimal roads and development, and wildlife crossings where roads can be safely traversed by wildlife.
Throughout his journey, he imagines the fate of wildlife affected by climate change, deforestation, development, and roadways. If roads are dangerous for a human biker who understands their signs and knows their rules, how much more so for a young panther or red wolf in search of a meal or a mate? If he hadn’t happened along at just the right moment, what would have become of the snakes and turtles he helped cross the road?
Enjoy this excerpt from part one!
Island Press Field Notes administrator.