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Florida panther kitten struck and killed by vehicle, officials say

It’s the 16th death attributed to fatal collisions this year for the endangered species, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.
 
An endangered 4-month-old Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle. [FILE PHOTO]
An endangered 4-month-old Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle. [FILE PHOTO]
Published Sept. 29, 2021

BIG CYPRESS — An endangered Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle.

It’s the 16th panther death attributed to fatal collisions, out of 22 total deaths this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The remains of the 4-month-old male panther were found Tuesday within Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County, wildlife officials said.

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.