How climate change threatens plant and animal species | Climate Watch: Protecting the Planet

Summary

In this episode of Climate Watch, Ben Tracy explores the severe impacts of climate change, which has led to a 2°F increase in global temperatures since pre-industrial times. The documentary highlights the dangers faced by endangered species, such as the red wolf, honeybees, Florida Panthers, and reef sharks. Experts discuss potential solutions and conservation efforts, from preserving crucial habitats like the Caribbean forest and El Yunque National Forest to marine protected areas in the Bahamas. The episode underscores the urgency of addressing climate change to protect biodiversity and sustain human health.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Earth has warmed by 2°F since pre-industrial times, leading to more severe weather and endangering plant and animal species.
• 🦏 In 2023 alone, 21 species went extinct, highlighting the urgency of addressing climate change and its impact on biodiversity.
• 🐝 Honeybees are vital for pollination, but habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change continue to threaten insect populations, including dung beetles.
• 🪲 Dung beetles are struggling to adapt to rising temperatures, which impacts their ability to dispose of waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• 🌳 The medicinally valuable Tabonuco tree in Puerto Rico, threatened by climate change, has potential for treating cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases.
• 🦈 Reef sharks, critical to maintaining coral reef ecosystems, have declined by 63% due to overfishing but are recovering in marine protected areas (MPAs).
• 🦎 The Yaro spiny lizard in Arizona is nearing extinction due to rising temperatures, which are reducing its habitable range.
• 🐆 The Florida panther population has rebounded from near extinction, thanks to conservation efforts and the creation of the Florida Wildlife Corridor.
• 🚤 Enforcement of marine protected areas is essential for protecting endangered species like reef sharks from illegal fishing activities.
• 🌿 Conserving wild places is crucial not only for biodiversity but also for future medical discoveries, as seen with the Tabonuco tree and other species.

Q & A

What is the current global temperature increase compared to pre-industrial times?

As of the end of 2023, the Earth has warmed by 2 degrees Fahrenheit compared to pre-industrial times.

What are the consequences of a hotter planet mentioned in the script?

A hotter planet leads to more severe weather, deadly heat waves, and warmer oceans, which are endangering plants, animals, and insects at an alarming rate.

How many endangered plant and animal species are there in the United States?

There are more than 1,300 endangered plant and animal species in the United States.

What role do insects play in the global ecosystem according to the script?

Insects make up two-thirds of the world’s 1.5 million animal species and provide essential services like pollination, nutrient recycling, and waste decomposition, which are crucial for agriculture and the environment.

Why are honeybees and dung beetles in decline, according to the experts interviewed?

Honeybees have experienced mass colony collapse due to pesticides and climate change, while dung beetles are struggling with extreme heat, which affects their ability to bury their offspring and decompose waste.

What medicinal plant in Puerto Rico is under threat, and why is it significant?

The Tabonuco tree in Puerto Rico is under threat, and it has potential medicinal properties that could treat cancers, cardiovascular issues, and neurological diseases, making its conservation important for future medical research.

What is the role of marine protected areas (MPAs) in protecting marine life?

Marine protected areas (MPAs) provide complete protection from fishing and other human activities, allowing species like reef sharks to recover and thrive, helping maintain the balance of coral reef ecosystems.

Why is the Yarrow spiny lizard in danger of extinction, according to the research mentioned?

The Yarrow spiny lizard, which has lived in Arizona for 3 million years, is at risk of extinction due to rising temperatures, which are pushing it to higher elevations where cooler habitats are becoming scarce.

What has helped the population of Florida Panthers recover, and what challenges remain?

Bipartisan conservation efforts like the Florida Wildlife Corridor have helped the Florida Panther population grow from 20-30 in the 1970s to about 200 today, but challenges like habitat loss and vehicle collisions still threaten their survival.

What role do cattle ranchers play in the conservation of Florida Panthers?

Cattle ranchers, like Elton Langford, play a vital role in conservation by maintaining undeveloped lands that are part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, providing essential habitat for Florida Panthers and other wildlife.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Earth's Warming and the Consequences of Climate Change

As of 2023, the Earth has warmed by 2°F since pre-industrial times, leading to severe weather events, deadly heat waves, and warmer oceans. This environmental shift is threatening over 1,300 endangered species in the U.S., including the red wolf and the Arizona Hedgehog Cactus. In 2023 alone, 21 species went extinct. The video explores these climate impacts on plants, animals, and insects, starting with the crucial role insects play in ecosystems. Specifically, it highlights how the decline of insects like honeybees and dung beetles is a critical sign of broader environmental damage.

05:00

🐝 The Decline of Honeybees and Dung Beetles

Insects, which constitute two-thirds of Earth's species, are facing significant decline, with 40% of species, including honeybees and dung beetles, at risk. Honeybees experienced mass colony collapse 15 years ago, and dung beetles are now struggling due to rising temperatures. The segment introduces scientists like Kimberly Sheldon, who are studying how climate change affects insects and their critical roles in ecosystems, such as nutrient recycling. This section underscores the importance of insects in waste disposal and climate regulation, with a special focus on the fascinating and often overlooked dung beetle.

10:03

🌿 The Medicinal Value of the Tabanouco Tree and Other Endangered Plants

The El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico is home to the endangered Tabanouco tree, which holds medicinal properties that may help treat cancers and neurological diseases. Ranger Victor Quas and researcher Michelle Lopez Lorenzo emphasize the importance of preserving wild places like El Yunque to protect endangered species. This segment highlights the medicinal potential of the tree, which can only be studied further if its population remains healthy and abundant. It also draws attention to other endangered plants like the Yellow Hibiscus in Hawaii and the Nichols Turks Head Cactus in Arizona.

15:04

🦈 Reef Sharks and the Impact of Marine Protected Areas

Reef sharks have seen a population decline of 63% due to overfishing, with 20% of reefs now lacking these top predators. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), like those in the Bahamas, are crucial for protecting reef sharks and ensuring the survival of coral reef ecosystems. Scientists like Candice Fields are using technology to track shark populations and study the effects of MPAs on marine life recovery. The segment explores the role of MPAs in global ocean conservation efforts and the enforcement of fishing restrictions, demonstrating their success in maintaining biodiversity.

🦎 The Yarrow Spiny Lizard Faces Extinction

The Yarrow Spiny Lizard, which has thrived in the Mule Mountains of Arizona for 3 million years, is now facing imminent extinction due to rising temperatures. Dr. John Wans from the University of Arizona explains how lizard populations are being pushed higher up the mountains as the desert floor becomes too hot. With limited space remaining, some populations may go extinct by 2025. This segment illustrates how climate change is accelerating the extinction of species and warns that such local extinctions are becoming more common.

🐾 The Florida Panther: From the Brink of Extinction

The Florida Panther population, once as low as 20 or 30 individuals, has grown to around 200, thanks to conservation efforts like the Florida Wildlife Corridor. However, threats from urban sprawl, vehicle collisions, and habitat loss persist. Photographer Carlton Ward has spent years documenting these elusive 'ghost cats,' while biologists continue to monitor and support the Panther population. The narrative emphasizes the importance of connecting habitats for the survival of the species and celebrates recent successes like the Panther named Babs, who crossed the Kissimmee River, expanding the Panther’s range northward.

Keywords

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. In the video, climate change is highlighted as a major cause of extreme weather, affecting both ecosystems and species, such as the honeybee and dung beetle, whose populations are declining due to rising temperatures and habitat destruction.

💡Endangered Species

Endangered species are plants or animals that are at risk of extinction due to threats like habitat loss, climate change, and overexploitation. The video mentions over 1,300 endangered species in the U.S., including the red wolf and Arizona hedgehog cactus, underscoring the urgency of conservation efforts to prevent further extinctions.

💡Insect Population Decline

Insect population decline refers to the significant reduction in insect species worldwide, with around 40% of them in decline. This phenomenon is attributed to factors like pesticide use and climate change. The video discusses the collapse of honeybee colonies and the struggles of dung beetles to survive in warming climates, which has serious implications for biodiversity and agriculture.

💡Habitat Loss

Habitat loss occurs when natural environments are destroyed or altered, often due to human activity like deforestation or urban development. This is a major theme in the video, as it threatens species like the Florida panther and the tabonuco tree, highlighting the need for land conservation to protect biodiversity.

💡Marine Protected Areas (MPA)

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are regions of the ocean where human activity, especially fishing, is restricted to protect marine ecosystems. The video showcases the role of MPAs in preserving species like the reef shark, which have suffered population declines due to overfishing but thrive in protected waters.

💡Conservation

Conservation involves efforts to protect and preserve biodiversity by safeguarding species and their habitats. The video highlights conservation initiatives such as protecting the tabonuco tree in Puerto Rico and establishing the Florida Wildlife Corridor to support the recovery of the Florida panther population.

💡Colony Collapse Disorder

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) refers to the phenomenon where honeybee colonies abruptly disappear, a crisis that began around 15 years ago. The video mentions how beekeepers have worked to recover bee populations, yet bees still face ongoing threats from pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, encompassing different species, ecosystems, and genetic variations. The video emphasizes the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem stability and human survival, illustrating how species extinction and insect population declines threaten the planet's ecological balance.

💡Reef Sharks

Reef sharks are apex predators in coral reef ecosystems, crucial for maintaining the balance of fish populations. The video discusses how reef sharks have declined by 63% globally due to overfishing but are thriving in the Bahamas' Marine Protected Areas, showcasing the effectiveness of such conservation efforts.

💡Wildlife Corridors

Wildlife corridors are protected areas that connect fragmented habitats, allowing animals to move and thrive in larger ecosystems. The Florida Wildlife Corridor mentioned in the video helps protect the endangered Florida panther by providing them with expansive, connected habitats necessary for their survival and growth.

Highlights

The Earth has warmed by 2 degrees Fahrenheit since pre-industrial times, resulting in more severe weather and increased threats to plants, animals, and insects.

In 2023 alone, 21 species went extinct in the U.S., adding to the more than 1,300 endangered species, including the red wolf and Arizona Hedgehog Cactus.

40% of insect species are in decline, including the honeybee and the dung beetle, which are crucial for pollination and decomposition.

Honeybee populations have somewhat recovered from a mass colony collapse 15 years ago, thanks to beekeepers like Alicia Bixler, but they remain under threat from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.

Dung beetles are struggling to bury their offspring deep enough to protect them from the warming climate, potentially leading to a decrease in essential ecosystem services.

The massive decline in insect populations is as critical to life on Earth as climate change, with potential long-term consequences for agriculture and biodiversity.

The dung beetle, responsible for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by managing waste, faces challenges in surviving and performing its vital ecological functions.

Puerto Rico's El Yunque National Forest is home to the endangered Tabanuko tree, which has potential medicinal properties for treating cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are critical for reef sharks, whose populations have declined by 63% globally. These areas offer protection from overfishing and allow marine ecosystems to recover.

The Yarow Spiny Lizard, a species that has lived for 3 million years in Arizona, is now facing extinction due to rising temperatures that are forcing them higher up mountains with limited space.

Conservation efforts like the Florida Wildlife Corridor have helped increase the population of Florida Panthers from 20-30 in the 1970s to roughly 200 today, but they remain under threat.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) around the world are part of a UN goal to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030, crucial for conserving endangered marine species like reef sharks.

The endangered Florida Panther has expanded its range beyond the Everglades thanks to successful conservation efforts, including a key female Panther named Babs who crossed the previously impassable Kusahahatchee River.

Cattle ranchers have emerged as unlikely allies in Florida panther conservation, as protecting their habitat also ensures the survival of their ranching operations.

Panther conservation efforts have received bipartisan support, helping prevent urban development that would threaten their habitat, such as a proposed toll road through their territory.

Transcripts

[Music]

welcome to climate watch I'm Ben Tracy

as of the end of 2023 the Earth has

warmed by 2 Dees Fahrenheit from

pre-industrial times that's when Global

temperature recordkeeping began a hotter

Planet means more severe weather deadly

heat waves and warmer oceans all of

which are endangering plants animals and

in sex at an alarming rate there are

more than 1,300 endangered plant and

animal species in the United States

alone including the red wolf native to

the southeast and the Arizona Hedgehog

Cactus 21 species went extinct in 2023

alone so we're going to hear from

experts about what this means for us

humans and some potential solutions to

this crisis we'll travel to a Caribbean

Forest where a tree with medicinal

properties is under threat and can only

be studied and used in modern medicine

if there is a healthy abundant

population and we meet a wildlife

photographer trying to raise awareness

about the critically low population of

Florida Panthers but first what bugs can

tell us about the state of our planet

insects make up 2third of the world's

1.5 million animal species but 40% of

insect species are in Decline including

the honeybee and the dung beetle

honeybees experience Mass colony

collapse 15 years ago doing part to

pesticides and climate change and dung

beetles are having trouble digging deep

enough into the ground to Shield their

offspring from extreme heat Adam

Yamaguchi met scientists determined to

save these

creatures we run our honeybee business

out of our home Florida beekeeper Alicia

Bixler has made it her life's calling to

protect honeybees we rely on them for so

much pollination apples almonds

blueberries pumpkin

avocados macadamia nuts wow Bixler is

one of over 100,000 beekeepers in

America today who are in part

responsible for bringing back the number

of honeybees from Mass colony collapse

over 15 years ago but habitat loss the

use of pesticides and climate change are

threatening other insects of all shapes

and

sizes so this is the female including

The Not So Glamorous dung beetle this is

called the rainbow SC and and you can

see that they do look like a puppy dog

with their little antenna out oh my God

and it just pooped on yeah it did means

it likes

you entomologist Kimberly Sheldon and

her team from the University of

Tennessee are studying what happens to

dung beetles in a warming climate are

you concerned about beatles and and what

the future holds I am concerned about

beatles Sheldon collects dung beetles

into a greenhouse to better understand

how they might fare in the future in the

greenhouse the soil temperatures in that

bucket are warmer and more variable so

it's actually realistically simulating

what's happening with climate change but

now Sheldon says smaller dung beetles

are having trouble digging deep enough

to protect their offspring from the

warming climate and extreme temperature

swings a troubling sign for the insects

that aate and provide nutrients and soil

a critical service for agriculture and

vegetation getting rid of feces getting

rid of dead bodies getting rid of all

the kind of horrible decomposing work is

done on this kind of grand scale we

don't really think about it we don't

like to think about it writer Oliver

milman author of the book insect crisis

says the massive die off of insects is

as consequential to life on Earth as

climate change the dung be really

important disposing waste that would

otherwise carry all kinds of diseases

pathogens that would be passed between

animals and humans and while climate

change is contributing to insect

population declines the loss of dung Vos

May in turn exacerbate extreme swings in

temperature creating something of a

climate Doom Loop do dung beetles serve

a function in let say climate regulation

dung beetles reduce greenhouse gas

emissions from things like cow pies this

is endlessly fascinating I I had no idea

that the dung beetle was this important

I mean arguably has the worst job in the

world well I think the dung beatles

don't think it's a bad

job there's a thing for everybody in

this world and if that's your you know

though we often look to animals like the

polar bear as the poster child of the

climate crisis according to milman

insects are just as deserving of our

attention insects around the world

they're the pilots of the plane we're at

the back where the passenger drinking a

martini so they're piloting the plane

we're out back having a drink but we do

have a a significant impact yeah yeah

we're kind of like kicking down the door

of the cockpit and messing around with

the pilot we're doing terrible things to

their environment habitat dest C but

this is really dry dung back in

Tennessee Sheldon says the lowely dung

beetle just might be the unsung hero

doing its critical duties for the planet

sounds almost foundational for life on

Earth yeah that's why people have

describe insects as the little things

that run the world because they're

really that

[Music]

important we head now to elun National

Forest in Puerto Rico it's home to many

endangered plants including the yellow

habiscus and the Nickels Turks head

Cactus but one plant the tabonuco tree

has the potential to treat some cancers

cardiovascular issues and neurological

diseases David sheer has

more there are 154 forests in the

National Forest system none with a

larger Bounty of plants animals and

habitats than eljun National Forest in

Puerto Rico places like this

are

medicinal to the soul to the heart I'm

headed into the forest with park ranger

Victor quas and volunteer Michelle Lopez

Lorenzo they're telling me at a time

when 1 million species on the planet are

threatened with Extinction that

protecting wild places is one of our

best defenses to save our Living

Treasures like the tabonuco tree Victor

says the sap of the tree has medicinal

qualities f a beach

this is this is newer sap huh that's

enough

righty my whole mouth is now getting

numb that's that's what it is if you

have a cavity if you have a tooth aach

this um was and is one of the many

traditional ways to remedy that it also

tastes wonderful the tabano has long

been used in traditional folk medicine

but new research suggests its value as a

pharmaceutical is largely untapped and

that the class of trees it belongs to

has potential to treat diverse cancers

cardiovascular and neurological diseases

the tabano still exists today because

eljun was protected against logging in

development and land conservation is

helping to protect many other species

across the country like the endangered

Yellow Hibiscus the state flower of

Hawaii and the Nickels Turks head cactus

in Arizona the only way that the people

who are experts in this are going to be

able to study these trees is if there's

is a healthy abundant population today

conserving wild places like aljun

sustains a huge variety of plants and

animals that live here tomorrow it might

help sustain us with remedies we don't

yet know

[Music]

about from land to the ocean reef sharks

have declined in population by 63%

according to a five your study and over

fishing has driven them to near

Extinction on 20% of reefs Marin

protected areas or mpas around the world

protect animals like the reef shark from

human activity so the rest of the

underwater ecosystem can Thrive I

visited the Bahamas to see how they're

protecting these Kings of the coral

reef here in the Bahamas reef sharks are

one of the most common sharks that we

see Candice Fields took us to Danger

Reef in the Bahamas to see this Waters

teeming with reef sharks as top

predators they're critical to keeping

the balance of fish populations in check

so coral reef ecosystems can Thrive

they're kind of the kings of the coral

reef right they're keeping the reef in a

in nice harmonious balance Fields is

part of a global shark census called fin

print in 2018 it found the five main

species of reef sharks had declined

63% and were functionally extinct on 20%

of the reefs largely due to over

fishing but they're thriving here inside

what is called a marine protected area

or MPA you can't come in here and fish

for anything you can't take a thing

absolutely it's complete protection all

right let's check the camera we watched

as Fields deployed an underwater camera

to help count the Sharks her data is

part of a new study to see if MPA help

threaten marine life

recover there are more than 18,000 mpas

covering about 8% of the world's oceans

part of the United Nations effort to

protect 30% of the oceans by

2030 so we're on our way to look for

people fishing yes sir but enforcement

is key we rode along with the Royal

Bahamas Defense Force on patrol stop the

Mel it has seized dozens of votes they

have 46 persons on board Bing and

jailing fishermen and confiscating their

often massive illegal catch either we

chase them away or we catch them and

we've been having um huge success doing

this so when it comes to enforcement you

guys are the muscle yes these vessels

have entered into the Bahamian Waters

part of the brains of the operation is

Skylight A system that helps track the

bad guys using a mix of AI and satellite

vessel tracking data so we're using this

technology to help Focus those Patrol

efforts it's something that I think will

have a big impact on shark conservation

um in the future hopefully helping the

kings of the reef

[Music]

rebound up next a lizard that has

survived for millions of years is losing

its habitat as temperatures

rise the Yaro spiny lizard has been

living in and around the mule mountains

of Arizona for 3 million years but now

scientists fear they could be extinct as

early as next year as temperatures

continue to soar to new record highs

here again is David sheer who went in

search of this struggling

species this guy they're actually I love

them at just a few inches long they look

like they're smiling all the time is

called a Yaro spiny lizard despite his

tiny size he has a huge story to tell

about climate change and the Very future

of our planet everyone's got water is it

bad that I'm already out of breath we'll

take it easy I'm tagging along on a

2-hour hike with Dr John wans from the

University of Arizona to count lizards

and document how hotter temperatures are

stressing them out this is some serious

stuff look it's about to flatten out he

says it's about to flatten out but he's

been saying that for an hour yar's

lizards love the cooler Mountain

habitats across Southern Arizona that

are well above the hot desert floor

because they can't take the heat down

there individual populations have been

isolated from each other for millions of

years in different mountain

ranges just outside the town of Bisby a

subpopulation of lizards has lived in

the mule Mountains for 3 million years

the one here around Bisby is older than

human beings we anticipate that they're

um going to be entirely extinct here in

the mules by uh next year by 2025 they

may be extinct already why does he think

so well in 2014 wans and his colleagues

could only find lizards in the mule

mountains above 5700 ft of elevation 8

years later he went back and the only

lizards that hadn't died out were now

above 7,100 ft that left only a few

hundred fet of Mountaintop cool enough

for them to survive so they're almost

out of room a landmark report from the

United Nations determined that 1 million

species are threatened with Extinction

based on Dr W's research he believes

that number is actually far higher

driven by the heat trapping gases that

come from our cars our factories and our

power plants it's

catastrophic um as human beings of in

the developed world we all sort of have

some responsibility for this what do you

do to look we're going to look on uh top

of rocks here um a little sun is really

helpful

but so they they'll be out basking

they're very easy to find when they're

when it's a sunny day does not seem to

be anyone here we need to confirm you

come back here at least a couple more

times but it seems like this this

distinct lineage that's been separated

for about 3 million years is looks like

it's gone now it's gone yeah is that is

that disappointing to you well yeah of

course it's ultimately what's the story

this is what the future's going to look

like this is this is climate related

Extinction yarao spiny lizard

populations survive in other parts of

Arizona though many are struggling too

we says the death of this local

population around Bisby shows us how

climate change is quickening the pace of

Extinction it's not only happening over

centuries or decades it's happening now

the population of Florida Panthers has

risen from only 20 or 30 total in the

1970s to roughly 200 today bipartisan

conservation efforts like the Florida

Wildlife Corridor connecting their

native habitats have helped their

numbers grow but there's still much more

to be done Manuel borz followed along

with a wildlife photographer raising

awareness of the so-called ghost

cat a panther just walked out reclusive

and elusive the Florida panther is often

called the ghost

cat to see one it's either a zoo or the

rare and accidental encounter oh my God

oh my God holy sh I've only ever seen

two Florida Panthers in the wild with my

own eyes they're that elusive they're

completely elusive there could be one

looking at us somewhere in these cypress

trees right now but we'll never see it

this project has been the hardest thing

I've ever attempted wildlife

photographer Carlton ward has been

hunting Panthers digitally for 20 years

with elaborate camera traps in the

swampy Wilds ward has captured Panther

images as never before the new naio film

intimately showcases the struggle for

survival Panthers need a lot of land a

single male Panther needs a home range

of up to 200 square miles that's four

times the size of Miami for a single

Panther we met Ward at the edge of

What's called the Florida Wildlife

Corridor a project he founded it's a

mosaic of still wild and undeveloped

land stitched together and occasionally

assisted with infrastructure he says

it's the vital Link in the Panthers

Survival Story it takes all the adjacent

properties working together as a

connected hole because it takes the

Nature Preserve and the cattle ranch and

the Citrus Grove and the timber farm and

the state forest all together as this

connected Grand space that Panthers call

home human conflict drove Panthers to

the brink first livestock ranchers

removed big cats by any means necessary

east of the Mississippi Panthers were

eventually driven into a tiny swampy

corner of Florida next came rampant

urban sprawl and the often fatal

encounters that came with it vehicle

collision is number one but in the last

two weeks we have three the ghost cat

almost vanished entirely in the early '

80s in 1990s there are probably only

about 20 to 30 Florida Panthers left in

the wild I mean that's pretty close to

too extinct yeah it's about as close as

you can get Dave onor is a panther

biologist with Florida Fish and Wildlife

he's among the conservationists that

help bring them back from the brink it

looks like Wilderness but we're not very

far from I75 no Pumas and Panthers are

amazingly adaptable and so they will

come up to what we call the urban

Wildlife interface but to survive the

cats may need to go further for decades

the imposing kusah hatchee River

prevented Panthers from moving north of

the Everglade

and that had been the dividing line for

five decades where no female Panthers

had been seen north of that River since

1973 so we've had nothing nothing break

the beam since last Friday but then a

small miracle somehow a female Panther

north of the river nicknamed Babs she's

amazing she's a Pioneer she swam the

river for Ward Babs became an obsession

why is it so important for you to

capture a crystal clear beautiful image

people connect with beauty people

connect with their hearts and to see the

eyes of these Panthers and to see the

beauty of the habitat and the place

where they live now with their numbers

creeping above 200 Florida Panthers have

a new and unlikely

Ally come here yes cattle ranchers at

least some ranchers like Elton Langford

protecting the Panther also protects

your way of life yes sir it does he says

the same development that threatens

Panthers might make ranchers and

endangered species if you loseing

habitat you losing everything you know

if you think about it we need to do our

part as good stewards of the land Ward

hopes the tide May finally be turning it

is not California it is not Texas it is

Florida public opposition helped defeat

a toll road once proposed right through

Panther territory and there has been

bipartisan government support and

funding for the corridor and Babs well

here she is with one of her many Cubs

it's believed she's already delivered

multiple litters north of that River I

want people to know that this Florida

still exist that we have Wilderness and

wild places that are as beautiful and

inspiring as any place in the world and

then we have animals like the Florida

panther that are still out there and

need us for their

[Music]

survival for more stories like these in

live coverage of breaking news stream us

right here on CBS News 247 available

across all platforms thanks for watching

climate watch I'm Ben Tracy

[Music]

a