Another Florida panther was killed by a car last week

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a 1-year-old female cat was found last Tuesday in Hendry County, Florida, on a rural road.

This is tenth panther killed this year. Seven of the deaths were vehicle-related.

The panther’s remains are being transported to a facility in Gainesville where an autopsy will be performed.

A recent report from the FWC cited an increase in the species’ numbers earlier this year when it was estimated that there were 120-230 Florida panthers in the wild.

Panther kittens do not constitute any portion of that estimated tally. Two of these kittens were spotted north of the Caloosahatchee River, so despite recent body counts, it seems that the species is beginning to raise its numbers.

This article appears in Apr 5-11, 2017.