“And this is an indication we have a fairly healthy panther population south of the river and they’re starting to be more mobile. When we had 30 panthers the probability of one getting hit by a car was small because there were just very few panthers. Now we have more panthers and we have particularly have more young males roaming for new territories and coming into contact with cars more often. What that means is the kind of overpass construction in roads that we have been doing along alligator alley and other places are really critical for species so that they can persist even with the kind of hazardous development we put in their way.”
Two other panthers died this week due to aggression. So far in 2012, more panthers killed each other than all of last year and more died as road-kill. This changing pattern reflects adults unable to find enough space. The total number of Florida panthers remaining in the wild is estimated to range between 100 and 120.
Wednesday, 23 May 2012 18:10
Twelfth Florida Panther Killed This Year
Written by Amy Tardif-
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A 12th Florida panther has been killed in the state this year. A 1 and a half to 2 year old uncollared male was found dead on State Road 80 about 14 miles east of Interstate 75 in Lee County today/Wednesday. It had been hit by a vehicle. It was taken to The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Naples office. It will eventually be taken to the agency’s Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville for a necropsy. The remains will be archived at the Florida Museum of Natural History. It was the fifth panther killed by a vehicle this year. Co-director of the Nature Conservancy Doria Gorden said she believes the highest rate of mortality comes from vehicle strikes.
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