Florida panther struck and killed by vehicle

ESTERO, Fla. - An endangered Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle.

It’s the 16th panther death attributed to fatal collisions, out of 19 total deaths this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The remains of the 9-month-old male panther were found Wednesday in Lee County on a rural road west of the CREW Cypress Dome Trails, wildlife officials said.

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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.