SWFL has lost 30 panthers this year, including another in Collier County.
A Florida panther was struck near State Road 29 in Collier County, marking the 30th death of this endangered species this year, as reported by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
A vehicle struck a 3.5-year-old male panther about two miles south of the Deep 50 gun range, according to a recent article by Mahmoud Bennett of FOX4.
Only five days prior, another panther lost its life in a collision on I-75 in Lee County close to mile marker 119.
According to Amber Crooks, senior environmental policy adviser for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, car crashes continue to be the primary cause of panther fatalities.
“A significant portion—the majority of reported fatalities—results from vehicle strikes and collisions,” Crooks stated.
According to FWC, approximately 75% of all panther fatalities result from vehicle collisions.
The increasing death toll aligns with the growing development in eastern Collier and Lee counties, which Crooks indicates is worsening the situation.
“Increasing the number of individuals and vehicles in these already hazardous zones.” She explained that there are already roadkill hot spots present, even in some of our more rural areas.
Crooks asserts that various new developments are presenting an urgent danger to the essential panther habitat.
“Currently, the Conservancy of Southwest Florida is monitoring and opposing six significant projects in eastern Lee and eastern Collier County, all located in panther habitat and within the Florida Wildlife Corridor,” she stated. “These six projects alone would result in an extra quarter million vehicle trips on our roadways each day.”
Wildlife experts are calling on drivers to reduce their speed and adhere to speed limits, particularly during nighttime and in areas marked for panther crossings, to safeguard the species.
Florida panthers are classified as endangered, with their population estimated to be between 120 and 230 adults in the wild, as reported by FWC.
This article originally appeared on FOX4.