04/15/2026
🌴 🐆 💫 🌴
Happy International Dark Skies Week! 🌌
Here at the refuge, we get some astounding views of the Milky Way, and sometimes, a Florida panther will make an appearance.
While Florida panthers are most active at dusk and dawn, they are incredibly effective nocturnal hunters. Their impressive night vision can be credited to their tapetum lucidum, a reflective layer of tissue behind the retina that acts like a mirror, bouncing light back through the eye to enhance what little light is available. Ever noticed your cat or dog’s eyes shining in the dark? Florida panther eyes have that same glow.
For drivers, though, that brief shine may be the only warning a Florida panther is nearby. That split-second reflection on the roadside can be easy to miss, especially at night when our own vision is more limited.
That’s why reduced nighttime speed zones are placed along roads where panthers are more likely to cross. Posted 45 mph limits give drivers more time to react and avoid a collision. During International Dark Skies Week, we are reminded of the value of natural darkness for wildlife, as well as the importance of slowing down after dark when animals may be crossing roads to reach their next destination.
For more information on Florida panther crossings, visit https://www.panthercrossing.org.
Photo by FStop Foundation
