April: 2024’s deadliest month for Florida panthers with 5 roadkill victims

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Florida panthers
(FILE PHOTO) Florida panther

A little past halfway into April and five endangered Florida panthers have died from vehicle strikes, making it the deadliest month of 2024 so far.

The number of mortalities listed on Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Panther Pulse matches the gruesome number of killed felines in November of 2023. In 2023, November stood as the deadliest month for the endangered panther.

Florida Panther
Florida panther standing outside of a wildlife crossing. CREDIT: Stop Foundation, Copyrighted, All Rights Reserved – Used by Permission.

On Tuesday, wildlife officials discovered a 3-year-old male Florida panther on Camp Keais Road near Anthem Parkway in Collier County. FWC says the animal died due to a vehicle strike.

Three of the last four reported Florida panther deaths happened in Collier County.

FWC says vehicle collisions are the primary cause of death for Florida panthers. Out of the 12 reported deaths in 2024, 10 are the result of vehicles, one was due to a train strike in Glades County and another was from an unknown cause.

Since the start of 2017, this is the seventh time that five Florida panthers or more were found dead in one month.

  • April 2024 – 5
  • Nov. 2023 – 5
  • May 2022 – 6
  • Jan. 2022 – 5
  • Jan. 2020 – 6
  • Nov. 2019 – 5
  • Oct. 2018 – 5
  • Feb. 2018 – 7

In 2023, concerns began swirling about the species’ welfare, considering FWC reported only 13 deaths, all via vehicle collisions. However, less than five months into 2024, the lull in reported Florida panther deaths is apparently over.

In a swift 106 days, officials have found one fewer dead Florida panther than in all of 2023.

“Prior to the year 2000, yearly panther roadkills were four or fewer. But beginning in 2000, these numbers have ranged from six to 34 annually,” says the FWC website.

More than 92% of the last 52 Florida panthers reported dead are the result of vehicle strikes.



“FWC encourages motorists to slow down and observe all posted speed limits, especially in panther zones, which are in place in several counties across South Florida and coincide with areas where panthers are known to cross,” said FWC after announcing the latest mortality.

A streak of 26 Florida panthers dying resulting from vehicle strikes ended in February when a feline was killed by a train strike. That streak lasted over a year and six months, beginning on July 9, 2022.

Florida panther
Panthers out in wild. CREDIT: WINK News.

Wildlife crossings and panther crossing traffic signs are effective measures authorities are taking to reduce the number of Florida panthers killed on the road.

“The most effective but also the most expensive measure was adding wildlife crossings to highways,” says the FWC website.

There are multiple ways you can be involved in helping protect Florida panthers. One way is by making a donation to the Florida Panther Fund.

Click here to learn more about the fund.

Click here to learn more ways you can help protect Florida panthers.

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