The numbers and types of wildlife found in Big Cypress National Preserve reflect the diverse array of habitat types. With the mix of upland, wetland, and estuarine habitats, visitors are suprised to find black bears and manatees in the same vicinity. Numbers of individual animals remain unknown in many case as little information has been gathered and many species are difficult to count. Two of the more famous residents are the the Florida panther and the American alligator. The Florida Panther continues to hold its own due in some small part to the introduction of eight female Texas cougars. Road kill continues to be a factor. The American Alligator has come back from the endangered species list so effectively that it poses a hazard to visitors and others uninformed enough to feed them. Fed alligators tend to lose their natural fear of humans while associating them with food. Nuisance alligators must be dispatched since they will return if merely moved to another location.
