A 4-year-old male Florida panther has died after being struck by a vehicle in Lee County, marking the latest casualty for the endangered species.
Wildlife officials collected the remains of the panther, identified by biologists as UCFP507, on July 1, 2026, along Corkscrew Road, roughly 430 yards east of Carter Road. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) updated its Panther Pulse registry following the discovery and listed the suspected cause of death as a vehicle collision.
The incident highlights a persistent threat to the state’s official animal. According to the FWC, vehicle collisions remain the primary cause of death for Florida panthers. To combat this, wildlife authorities have established designated panther speed zones across several South Florida counties where the animals are known to cross frequently…