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^{[Naturalist Illustration of a Panther. Image courtesy of the Royal Archives]}

Here, we can see depicted, the once-great South Pacific Panther (Panthera lethargus) in its natural habitat. Formerly a keystone species within the ecosystem, this big cat once inhabited large swathes of the South Seas region, the extent of its range evidenced from both the fossil and archaeological records. Yet, despite the evident success of the South Pacific Panther, various factors, primarily man-made in nature, have resulted in its decline and critical endangerment. Certainly, its fall from prominence can be clearly witnessed in the drop of trophic level,¹ as well as the dwindling influence within the regional biodiversity.