Florida panther struck and killed by vehicle is the 11th this year, officials say
LAKELAND, Fla. - An endangered Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle.
It’s the 11th panther death attributed to fatal collisions, out of 11 total deaths this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The remains of the 2-year-old male panther were found Sunday near Lakeland in Polk 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.
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