WUFT News News and Public Media for North Central Florida from the University of Florida in Gainesville
A Florida panther was found dead on Interstate 75 in southwest Florida.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that the 2-year-old collared male was found after being hit by a vehicle near the Daniels Parkway exit in Lee County.
An autopsy on the panther will be performed at a Gainesville facility.
So far, five Florida panthers have been found dead in 2016, with four road fatalities.
According to the National Wildlife Federation, there are fewer than 100 Florida panthers left in the wild. The species is considered “critically endangered.”
