The endangered Florida panther/NPS
The Florida panther population continues to take a beating on the roads. In 2024, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission documented a total of 33 panther deaths, 26 of which were from vehicle collisions. This is less than 2016's high of 34 panthers killed in vehicle collisions, but is still a significant number that takes a big chunk out of the state's overall population of panthers.
Though it's not entirely clear how many panthers are even left in Florida.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service hasn't conducted a status report about the amount of the cats roaming the state since 2009, though it's estimated there are just over 200 or so of the animals. Losing 20-30 per year to vehicle collisions isn't sustainable. Especially not for a population protected under the Endangered Species Act.
"The Florida panther is a symbol of wild Florida — in our state and around the world," said Matthew Schwartz, Executive Director of the the South Florida Wildlands Association in a 2023 release. "Up till now, it’s been incredibly resilient and has survived everything we’ve thrown at it, from habitat loss and crowded roads and highways to bounty hunting when the panther was considered a ‘varmint.’ But even the panther has a limit. The FWS must conduct the most accurate assessment of the species possible so that county, state, and federal decision-makers have access to the best available science."
This week, the Defenders of Wildlife issued a statement essentially calling on wildlife managers and conservation groups to actively work to protect the population and reduce roadkill deaths.
“Roadkill is the number one cause of mortality documented for panthers, making it much more difficult for the species’ small population to expand its range northward," said Elizabeth Fleming, Senior Florida Director, Defenders of Wildlife said in a release. "Florida agencies and environmental groups must work together to focus on securing more interconnected habitat and wildlife crossings and expanding social acceptance for the world’s only breeding population of the Florida panther — the official animal of the fastest-growing state in the country. This year’s mortality numbers once again remind us that if we don’t take meaningful action while we can, there may not be any panther deaths left to count."
According to ABC News, more than 50 wildlife crossings have been built in Florida since 1972. Unfortunately, that seems insufficient as the number of panthers killed by vehicles mounts.
