Most of the fighting in the Second Seminole War took place in Central Florida, but little of that landscape remains in its natural state today. The loss of habitat from human development also means that much of the wildlife there was displaced, some even placed on the endangered species list. Today, both the Seminoles and the animals they have co-existed with for so long have found refuge in South Florida. The Seminole Tribe of Florida is located on the self-sustaining Big Cypress Reservation that borders the Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Miccosukee Tribe lives on a reservation bordering Everglades National Park.

All pictures on these pages were taken by Tom in these two vast nature preserves, and most of the species pictured would have been readily spotted in Central Florida 150 years ago. Unfortunately, even the protected Everglades are in danger today. Water is the life blood of this "River of Grass", actually considered the widest river in the world, but water is also needed by the booming human population of South Florida. To learn more, visit the Everglades National Park website.