13th dead Florida panther of 2024 found Saturday; deaths now match 2023’s annual total

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panther
Florida panther. CREDIT: NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

Wildlife officials have discovered the 13th dead endangered Florida panther of the year, matching 2023’s total reported mortalities less than halfway into the year.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the dead male Florida panther was found after a car stuck him on Immokalee Road near Wilson Boulevard in Collier County on Saturday.

The 1-year-old panther was the third in a row found in Collier County and the seventh overall in 2024.

FWC’s Panther Pulse reported only 13 dead panthers found in 2023, about half the number in a normal year.

Florida panther
CREDIT: NAPLES ZOO


Eleven of the 13 reported deaths, including Saturday’s, were the result of vehicle strikes.

Saturday’s dead panther matched the youngest discovered of 2024.

Click here to learn how you can help protect the endangered Florida panther.

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