A critically endangered Florida panther was killed on Wednesday when a vehicle struck it on State Road 29, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report.
The 1-year-old male panther’s death was the seventeenth feline fatality reported in Florida in 2024, as reported by FWC’s Panther Pulse. Fatal car accidents will account for thirteen of the seventeen panther fatalities in Florida in 2024. According to FWC, the State Animal of Florida dies most often from being struck by a vehicle.
Near Immokalee, on State Road 29, the cat was struck little north of New Market Road.
“State Road 29 has always been an area for panther vehicle mortalities since it bisects some of the best panther habitat in South Florida,” added FWC.
Many panther fatalities have occurred on State Road 29.
One male panther can be found at the Panther National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image sourced from FWS in 2018.
Seventeen panthers have been killed along State Road 29 since 2018. Meanwhile, 144 panther fatalities have been reported by Panther Pulse throughout that time. Therefore, State Road 29 is responsible for approximately 12% of all panther fatalities.
Related: In just five months, the number of endangered Florida panther deaths has surpassed that of 2023.
Of the 144 panther fatalities recorded since 2018, 121 were attributed to car accidents. This indicates that State Road 29 is the site of more over 14% of all panther vehicle injuries.
From US41 to SR82 on SR29, thirteen panther road fatalities have been recorded since 2018. As far as the Panther Refuge is concerned, ten of the incidents have occurred on SR29, according to FWC.
Wildlife bridges, underpasses, and fences are some of the measures taken by wildlife officials to lessen the likelihood of automotive collisions with wildlife.
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Panthers can use 60 wildlife crossings or bridges that have been altered on Florida’s roadways, according to the FWC’s website.
There have been numerous panther car collisions since the installation of fencing and wildlife underpasses on SR29 within the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and south along Big Cypress National Preserve. According to FWC, there are no wildlife underpasses and the zones north of FPNWR are not yet fenced.
Protecting endangered wildlife is a top priority for Panther Crossing, a group working to make roads safer.
Around dawn and dusk, when visibility is at its lowest, panthers are most active. Panther Crossing states that there are 45 mph nighttime speed zones in areas where panthers are known to cross roads often.
Although there are many hotspots for Florida panther vehicle strikes, State Road 29 is one of them.
Since 2018, eight panther car fatalities have been recorded on SR82 at the intersection of Corkscrew Rd. It is my understanding that fences and animal underpasses are going to be put in along that stretch of road soon,” clarified FWC.
Potential dangers to the future of the endangered species include development, feline leukomyelopathy (FLM), and car accidents. There are about 120–230 adult Florida panthers roaming free.