Wildlife officials confirmed the death of the 16th Florida panther killed this year on a Florida roadway, eclipsing last year’s number of 10 panthers killed by vehicles and representing a new record high for the imperiled native cat.
The latest panther to be killed was a four-year-old female discovered on State Road 29 in Collier County – on a stretch of the road without protective fencing in known panther habitat. The 2009 tally of panthers killed by vehicle strikes surpasses the record set in 2007 of 15 dead panthers. This year’s death-rate may be even higher, as a 17th panther found dead in October is also suspected of being killed by a “vehicular collision,” according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
“Unless we take actions to avoid such tragic losses to Florida’s native wildlife, records such as these will continue to be reached each year as more and more roads and developments are built,” said Laurie Macdonald, Florida director for Defenders of Wildlife. “The toll that vehicle collisions are taking on the panther’s population is a serious obstacle to their recovery, and the roads and vehicles themselves are inhibiting the panther’s efforts to expand its range.”
There are approximately 100 panthers in Florida today, up from a low of 20 to 30 individuals 22 years ago. This number is still dangerously low and vehicle strikes are a major cause of death for the panther.
