NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — An endangered Florida panther kitten has been struck and killed by a vehicle.
It's the 24th fatal collision this year, out of 29 total panther deaths. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Monday that the remains of the male, 3-month-old panther were collected Saturday near a Naples subdivision. Florida panthers once roamed the entire Southeastern United States, but now their habitat mostly is confined to a small region of Florida along the Gulf of Mexico. Up to 230 Florida panthers remain in the wild. Wildlife officials reported 42 panther deaths in 2016, including 34 fatal vehicle collisions in southwest Florida. That matched the 2015 record for panther deaths. Seven panther litters with a total of 19 kittens have been documented this year.
Endangered Florida Panther Kitten Hit, Killed By Vehicle
