How the Everglades Has Changed in My Lifetime: A Gladesman’s View

By Captain Greg Mislow, owner of Airboat Adventures Everglades · Published October 8, 2026

I've been a Gladesman all my life. In that time I've watched pythons wipe out small mammals, seen the water stop moving the way it should, and noticed fewer deer. Those changes are why I opened Airboat Adventures Everglades: so people can see this place while so much of it is still here.

What being a Gladesman means

Down here, a Gladesman is someone who spends a lifetime in the Everglades. You learn the place the slow way, season by season, by being out on it. Spend long enough out there and you start to notice what's missing as much as what's there.

The small mammals that disappeared

The first change I'd point to is the pythons, and all the small mammals they've eaten. The science backs up what I've seen: in a study summarized by the U.S. Geological Survey, nighttime road surveys in Everglades National Park from 2003 to 2011 found raccoon sightings down 99.3%, opossums down 98.9% and bobcats down 87.5%. I cover what I'm seeing from pythons this year in my 2026 field notes.

Water that stopped moving the way it should

The Everglades is a river, just a wide, slow, shallow one. Over my life I've watched how the water moves change. The National Park Service explains part of the reason: the 25-mile Tamiami Trail roadbed acted like a dam, holding water back from the land to the south. That land got drier than it should be, with more wildfires and more exotic plants. Bridging sections of the road has since increased flow into the park by 80%, and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, authorized by Congress in 2000, is the largest hydrologic restoration effort ever taken on in the United States.

We run our tours along that same Tamiami Trail, so I see the results of those decisions up close. This summer's drought was a hard reminder of how much depends on water.

Fewer deer

I also see fewer deer than I used to. That's my own observation over the years, not a count. It matters beyond the deer themselves. According to the National Park Service, about 90 percent of a Florida panther's diet is feral hog, white-tailed deer, raccoon and armadillo.

What's still out there

For all the losses, the Everglades is still full of life. The park service counts more than 40 mammal species, from the endangered Florida panther and the black bear to white-tailed deer feeding in the sawgrass prairie. Add alligators, turtles, snakes, lizards, and birds moving through the marsh, the tree islands and the sky overhead. No two trips are the same, and every time we head out I'm curious what we'll find.

Panthers and bears are rare sights, and I never promise an animal. Guests often see alligators, wading birds and turtles, and the surprises are part of the fun. Our wildlife video gives you an idea, and photographers should look at our wildlife photography tours.

Why I opened Airboat Adventures Everglades

The more I watched this place change, the more I wanted to show people what's left and tell its story through my own eyes. So I opened Airboat Adventures Everglades for people who want to learn and see Florida the way it really is.

Today that's a team of local captains, all USCG-licensed and CPR and first-aid certified, and I lead it and captain alongside them. You can read about how we work in The River of Grass Raised Me, or learn more about our company.

Come see it

Our tours run outside Everglades National Park, on the Tamiami Trail side, so our captains can legally bring you closer to alligators, wading birds and other wildlife than park rules allow. Every tour is private. Book a daytime, sunrise, sunset or night tour on our booking page, or call (305) 766-1929. Kids 5 and under ride free, and you get a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before your tour.

Questions

What is a Gladesman?

In South Florida, a Gladesman is a local who spends a lifetime in and around the Everglades. Every captain at Airboat Adventures Everglades is one.

Will we see a Florida panther or a black bear on an airboat tour?

It is very unlikely. Both live in the greater Everglades, but panthers in particular are rare. Guests often see alligators, wading birds and turtles, and every trip is different, so no sighting is guaranteed.