Florida Reports Rise in Panther Deaths in 2024
Posted 2024-12-18 by
The FWC says 30 of the wild cats have been killed this year, mostly by vehicles
Thirty endangered Florida panthers have been killed this year, doubling last year’s mortality rate.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), it’s the highest death toll for the wild cat since 2018.
CBS News reports that most of the endangered panthers perished after being struck by vehicles. One was killed when it was hit by a train earlier this year. Five dead panthers were discovered in November alone.
According to Panther Crossing, an organization dedicated to reducing deaths of the animals due to vehicles, at least 239 of the large cats have died in vehicular collisions in the past 10 years,
The FFWCC has previously issued statements encouraging motorists to slow down in South Florida counties where panthers are known to be active.
Only between 120 and 230 Florida panthers live in the wild, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Three newborn cubs were spotted earlier this year. The animals, which once thrived throughout the Southeast, now mostly live along the Gulf Coast of Florida.
The panther population remains susceptible due to low genetic diversity, illnesses, and habitat loss.
