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Florida's natural wildlife is on display in a mural by Samara Ash, now in progress at the RP Funding Center. It's another piece in the Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency's Art Infusion Grant Program, which has brought walls across the city to life.

Gone is the whitewashed facade facing the SpringHill Suites — it's being replaced with a larger-than-life Florida panther, alligator, otter, and more native flora + fauna.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation sponsored the mural to highlight the state's biodiversity and conservation efforts. It chose Lakeland for the project due to its key location in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, plus its reputation as a cultural hub for Polk County.

See the new mural when it's unveiled on Friday, April 18. Ash will present the finished piece at 3 p.m., then guests can head inside the RP Funding Center to meet the artist and see a screening of the short film "The Wild Divide."

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