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Officials: Florida panther struck and killed by vehicle brings death toll to 13 this year

Panther kittens Cypress and Pepper show no signs of the neurological condition that is causing Florida's big cats to walk funny. The cats are about 2 weeks old on left and five months old on right. (CREDIT Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and BluePearl)
Panther kittens Cypress and Pepper show no signs of the neurological condition that is causing Florida's big cats to walk funny. The cats are about 2 weeks old on left and five months old on right. (CREDIT Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and BluePearl)

IMMOKALEE, Fla. (AP) — An endangered Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it’s the eighth panther death attributed to fatal collisions, out of 13 total deaths this year.

Wildlife officials say the remains of the 1-year-old female panther were found Saturday in Collier County on a rural road to the south of Immokalee.

Florida panthers once roamed the entire Southeast. Up to 230 Florida panthers remain in the wild.

Danielle Prieur covers education in Central Florida.