It seems that nature and wildlife always end up losing against the greed of mankind. As if their living spaces weren’t already limited enough, more companies continue pushing into the few habitats wildlife have left. In this most recent case, Florida has approved a large-scale development project that will bring 10,000 homes near Corkscrew Road. But it’s not just housing. Cameratta Companies also plans to build commercial spaces and a hotel in the area.
Now, building new homes isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The issue is where they plan to build them. The land they acquired sits right at the edge of protected ecosystems, a location many believe should have been off-limits. Multiple institutions, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and conservationists, have criticized this decision. They pointed out that the area is a crucial habitat for the endangered Florida panther.
Biologists have warned that if the project moves forward and the new communities are built, panther deaths could spike, potentially reaching up to 23 animals per year. And it’s not just the panthers at risk. Critics also highlighted the impact this would have on the broader Everglades ecosystem, which would no doubt suffer from increased human activity, traffic, and land alteration.
The Cameratta brothers, however, defended their project. They emphasized that they’ve received all necessary approvals to proceed and claimed that their development would actually benefit the environment rather than harm it. They expressed pride in what they were doing and highlighted their investment of $11 million toward panther mitigation. They also allocated $20 million for roads and wildlife crossings to reduce the impact on local fauna.
Still, many critics felt that it wasn’t enough. Even with these mitigation efforts, the damage would be done the moment construction begins. Once the land is transformed, there’s no real way to undo what’s been lost.
Many internet users have also expressed their dissatisfaction with the news. One Redditor commented, “This is why we can’t have nice things.” Some pointed out that the company could have chosen to redevelop land within existing cities instead of encroaching on protected areas.
Others openly mocked the Cameratta brothers’ statements, doubting how they could genuinely believe their project would have any positive impact on the panthers or the environment in Florida. One user wrote, “And when the remaining panthers are sighted in the neighborhood, the transplant residents will either shoot them or demand animal control come out and do it for them.”
