Fifth endangered predator killed by vehicle in Florida in a month, the 30th this year

The death toll for Florida’s iconic state animal has now hit 30 after a male panther was found dead from a recent suspected vehicle strike.

The latest death marks the fifth panther killed by a vehicle in the last month in the deadliest year for the endangered species since 2018, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The 3½-year-old male was discovered near Naples on State Road 29 in rural Collier County on Nov. 22, the FWC’s Panther Pulse database shows.

Vehicle strikes are the number one cause of death for Florida panthers, with most deaths occurring in southwest Florida. More than half of the panthers killed this year were found dead in Collier County, McClatchy News reported.

“As our state has grown, our human footprint has as well, and many of our roads run through the panthers’ large habitat range in south and central Florida,” according to the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “Drivers are recommended to exercise caution in all areas where wildlife may be present and should be extra vigilant in areas with wildlife crossing signs.”

Only about 120-230 adult Florida panthers remain in the wild, the FWC estimates. The species is known for its elusive and solitary nature, and the animals rarely make appearances to humans, according to the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida.

The Florida panther, a subspecies of puma, has faced dire straits in the past and recovered. In the 1980s and ’90s, as few as 20 estimated panthers remained in the wild as a result of population fragmentation and inbreeding, according to the FWC.

The introduction of eight female pumas from Texas helped the species rebound, although it still faces the threat of extinction today.

To report a sick or injured panther, contact the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.