Cat Tale

The Wild, Weird Battle to Save the Florida Panther

By: Craig Pittman

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

“Craig Pittman has a remarkable talent for telling stories set in the Sunshine State that never fail to fascinate and entertain. Sure, Cat Tale has plenty of laughs and Florida weirdness, but Pittman has written a truly inspirational story about the panther’s brush with extinction, and the human beings who were determined to save the species. You won’t be able to put Cat Tale down.”—Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning, Devil in the Grove

It wasn’t so long ago when a lot of people thought the Florida panther was extinct. They were very nearly right. That the panther still exists at all is a miracle—the result of a desperate experiment that led to the most remarkable comeback in the history of the Endangered Species Act. And no one has told the whole story—until now.

With novelistic detail and an eye for the absurd, Craig Pittman recounts the extraordinary story of the people who brought the panther back from the brink of extinction, the ones who nearly pushed the species over the edge, and the cats that were caught in the middle. This being Florida, there’s more than a little weirdness, too.

An engrossing narrative of wry humor, sharp writing and exhaustive reportage, Cat Tale shows what it takes to bring one species back and what unexpected costs such a decision brings.

Wildlife, money, politics, corruption, greed, ego and lost opportunities

Well read, well-composed tale of Florida’s saga around their state animal, it’s survival and those who worked for and against that goal. Quirky, informative and detailed, it’s not exactly a page-turner, but it kept my attention and I’m glad I listened.

Depressing

Corruption, greed, cruelty and the worst of man's bad behavior have basically destroyed the Florida Panther. The book doesn't conclude with this, but it is obvious, the Florida Panther is NOT going to recover. The overwhelming amount of development in Florida has taken an enormous toll and the damage can not be undone. It is hardly a success or a comeback for the panther when their numbers are somewhere between 120-150. The only redeeming part of the book were the women, like Melody Roelke, who despite the rampant sexism actually made some discoveries. If they were listened to, this might have saved the panthers.

Quick Read

“Cat Tale” was a very quick read. I didn’t know that I finished the book until there was no more time left. Great information on the wild panthers in Florida. I’m not usually into saving animals, but this book was informational enough to keep my interest and not knowing that I was done.

Unexpected extra good listen

Very positive regard for this book and the listening experience. Easy to work through and a complicated but positive story line with much wacky ad weird Florida tossed in to always keep it entertaining. Interesting hearing about some of Florida's political elite from a different perspective. It is a good thing so many people were willing to talk to the author. A good daily special find

worth the read

Welcome to the world of endangered species, land developers, dedicated biologists, experts fudging data to prove they are right, politicians, incompetent fish and wildlife beaurocrats, and the panther so inbred it won't survive without fresh genes from its cousin Texas cougars, and the dedicated heroes. Well told story, that doesn't loose your interest.