Danny Jones Podcast #350: Expert Warns – The Scary Reason Wildlife is Starting to Disappear in America

Guest: Carlton Ward (Conservation Photographer & Florida Wildlife Corridor Advocate)
Date: November 21, 2025
Host: Danny Jones | QCODE

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode dives deeply into the rapid disappearance of wildlife in America, with award-winning conservation photographer Carlton Ward. Focusing primarily on Florida, the conversation explores development pressures, the hidden ecological value of cattle ranches, the crucial role of wildlife corridors, and the tenacious efforts to preserve some of the region's (and planet’s) last wild spaces—including the enigmatic Florida panther. Along the way, Ward illuminates the balancing act of conservation, ranching, and development in one of the fastest-growing states in the country.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Population Growth and Development Pressures in Florida

• Florida has experienced a dramatic population increase:
  • "We've gone from 8 million to 24 million people in Florida since I was born in 1975. That's about a thousand people moving here a day for almost 50 years." (Carlton Ward, 01:00)
• Less than a third of the state is currently "hardened" (developed with concrete/rooftops); much is still agricultural or forested, but sprawl threatens this balance.
• Special mention of how development creates biological "islands" that threaten long-term conservation.
  • "These places like Ocala National Forest and Everglades National Park... They're becoming islands surrounded by development." (Carlton, 02:37)

2. Untold History of Florida's Cattle Ranches

• Florida's unique cattle ranching history dates back to Ponce de Leon, and it's still home to some of America's biggest cattle operations.
• Large tracts of cattle ranches serve as vital ecological green space, acting as buffer zones and habitats for native species—even supporting panther and bear populations.
• The Deseret Ranch (owned by the Mormon Church) is the most productive cow-calf operation in the US (300,000 acres).
  • "You can put more cows on an acre in Florida than in Texas because of all the rain and the lush." (Carlton, 04:04)

3. Carlton Ward’s Journey: Ranches to Africa and Back

• Growing up with one foot in the urbanized Pinellas County and another on his family's historic cattle ranch, Ward gained an early appreciation for Florida's wild spaces.
• Interest in photography sparked by adventures in Australia and matured through fieldwork in Africa (Gabon) for the Smithsonian, where he used camera traps for scientific documentation and storytelling.
• Returning to Florida, he realized the urgency for homegrown conservation efforts:
  • "I started feeling this pull towards home... not enough was being done to tell the story here." (20:26)

4. Camera Traps and the Power of Storytelling

• Camera traps allowed for unprecedented, candid views of wildlife, including elusive species like leopards, bears, and panthers.
• Notable for the unseen intimacy: "There's no human there....This is just the animal in the wild with nothing around." (Host, 18:37)
• Led to impactful conservation photography and books, and inspired Ward’s campaign for the Florida Wildlife Corridor.

5. Bears, Corridors, and the Science of Connectivity

• Discovery that black bears thrive on private ranch lands, not just public parks—surprising even to native Floridians like Ward.
• Bear GPS studies (notably bear "M34" who trekked 500 miles but was blocked by Interstate 4) proved that agricultural working lands make up an interconnected corridor for wildlife.
• "All these agricultural pieces connected together make a corridor. That became the foundation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor campaign." (Carlton, 60:52)

6. The Florida Wildlife Corridor: Mapping & Policy Wins

• Explains the concept and need: Florida’s public lands are at risk of becoming isolated islands.
• Introduces the “opportunity area”—8 million acres of unprotected, often working lands (ranches, farms, timber) that keep nature connected.
• Bipartisan, incentive-based programs (like conservation easements) are now flourishing, with over $2 billion invested since 2021, protecting 400k+ acres.
  • "People really understand the value...75% of voters voted for that water and land legacy amendment." (Carlton, 75:20)
• Not oppositional to ranchers: "Keeping it where it's attractive to everybody involved is the way that you can really make strides with this stuff." (76:14)

7. Wildlife Fragmentation: Island Biogeography & Species Loss

• Isolated "islands" of habitat reduce species diversity and threaten ecological health, especially for wide-ranging animals (panthers, bears).
• Connectivity supports healthy fire regimes, hydrology, and climate stability.

8. Florida Panther: The Struggle for Survival

• The Florida panther is the last eastern puma population and critically endangered—estimates hover around 200 adults.
• Females have only just begun to expand north of historic barriers like the Caloosahatchee River (first documented in 2016).
• Camera-trap work captured the first images of a female north of the river with kittens—crucial for species recovery.
• The panther’s story is symbolic for broader conservation, illustrating the stakes and hope for Florida’s wild future.

9. Development, Toll Roads, and Conservation Tensions

• Discussion of toll roads as catalysts for deep habitat fragmentation and sprawl; the Florida Wildlife Corridor framework now stands as a counterbalance in infrastructure planning.
  • "We need to present land conservation as infrastructure..." (Carlton, 146:14)

10. Global Context: Wildlife Corridors Everywhere

• Discusses large-scale visions like E.O. Wilson’s “Half-Earth” (setting aside 50% of land/sea).
• Presents wildlife corridors as scalable framework for balancing development and connectivity—regionally and globally (Yellowstone-to-Yukon, Jaguars in S. America, Tiger Corridors in India, Whale superhighways).

11. Oceans, Fisheries, and Conservation

• Oceans face similar fragmentation and depletion threats; marine protected areas are only a small fraction of the ocean.
• Trawling, IFQ (Individual Fishing Quota), and international factory ships discussed as examples of failed regulation, disconnecting local economies from sustainable practice.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"We've gone from 8 million to 24 million people in Florida since I was born in 1975... we've been sustaining about a thousand people a day for my entire life, which is just crazy. And you look at it that way, you know, it's not sustainable."
— Carlton Ward, 01:00

"The thing about Florida... all this is hidden in plain sight."
— Carlton Ward, 04:58

"A Florida cattle ranch can have just as much wildlife diversity as a state park or a national park."
— Carlton Ward, 45:56

"All these agricultural pieces connected together make a corridor. That became the foundation for the Florida Wildlife Corridor campaign I've spent my career advocating for."
— Carlton Ward, 60:52

"As the island of habitat gets smaller and more isolated, the number of species decrease... it affects a wide-ranging animals first. The bigger your territory, the more, the more it hurts you."
— Carlton Ward, 65:02

"The panther's story... it's going to help people understand why we need to save these big areas."
— Rancher Carrie Lightsey (as relayed by Carlton Ward), 143:07

“We need to rewild ourselves as we rewild the planet.”
— Carlton Ward, 157:59

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Florida’s Explosive Growth & Land Use – [01:00-05:20]
• Florida’s Hidden Ranching Heritage – [03:45-05:58]
• Carlton’s Conservation & Photography Journey – [06:34-15:29]
• Camera Traps & Wildlife Observation – [17:07-20:01]
• Florida Bears & the Start of the Wildlife Corridor – [56:16-61:15]
• Wildlife Corridors: Science & Policy – [61:28-77:09]
• Fragmentation & Species Islandization – [65:02-68:00]
• Florida Panther: Struggle, Research & Recovery – [94:03-137:21]
• Development, Toll Roads, & Conservation Strategies – [143:54-148:55]
• National/Global Wildlife Corridors & Half-Earth Vision – [78:26-81:38, 167:47-168:58]
• Oceans & Fisheries Management Issues – [82:01-89:13]
• Personal Safety in the Swamps & Wild Encounters – [113:20-124:41]
• Big-Picture Optimism & Global Rewilding – [157:53-166:06]
• Carlton’s Future Projects: The Gulf, Stories of Hope – [159:20-167:26]

Additional Highlights

• Florida’s ancient fossil history: Discussion of Ice Age megafauna, submerged paleocoastlines, and archaeological finds (27:39-29:42).
• Role of incentive-based conservation: Conservation easements as a win-win for ranchers, taxpayers, and wildlife (53:37-54:43).
• Innovative conservation storytelling: The power of expeditions and visual storytelling to shift public opinion, policy, and funding.
• Remarkable on-location stories: Camera trap failures (bears, weather, vandalism); Ward’s brush with a gator (117:28); panther tracking with researchers (125:16).
• Challenges and hope: The balancing act of keeping Florida wild while accommodating growth—a model with global resonance.

Concluding Thoughts

Carlton Ward presents a compelling argument that the solution to vanishing wildlife in Florida—and globally—lies in recognizing, connecting, and protecting the vital working landscapes that persist between parks and preserves. By shifting both the narrative (via awe-inspiring imagery and expeditions) and the policies (incentives, corridors, easements), it’s possible to sustain both the human and natural legacy of wild America. The panther becomes a rallying symbol—if it can reclaim its lost range, perhaps America can reclaim its place as a land of the wild and the free.

Learn More / Follow Carlton Ward:

• Conservation projects: wildpath.com
• Fine art: carltonward.com
• Instagram: @carltonward

Summary prepared for clarity, completeness, and to preserve the conversational style and impact of the episode. All advertisements and non-content segments omitted.