Panther Pond

The Okaloacoochee Slough, the forest's namesake, is a 32,370-acre pristine slough that is oriented north-south through the forest. The natural systems of the Fakahatchee Strand and Big Cypress Preserve are dependent on the water supplied by the Okaloacoochee Slough. The Okaloacoochee Slough is one of the few places in South Florida north of the Everglades or Big Cypress National Preserve where the pre-Columbian landscape can still be observed. This unique natural system provides a large roaming area of contiguous habitat for a variety of wildlife species. The forest is home to listed, threatened and endangered species, including the Florida panther, Florida black bear, sandhill crane, wood stork and gopher tortoise.