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Officials: Florida panther dies after fight with other cat

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)

MOORE HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — An endangered Florida panther has died following a fight with another panther. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it's the third panther death reported this year. A total of 22 Florida panther deaths were reported in 2020. Officials say an injured 2-year-old male panther was found Monday in Glades County near the Fisheating Creek Wildlife Management Area. The cat was transported to an emergency care facility but eventually succumbed to his injuries. Florida panthers once roamed the entire Southeast, 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.

Danielle Prieur covers education in Central Florida.