Panther Crossing, a group dedicated to preventing animal deaths caused by cars, reports that at least 239 Florida panthers have perished in vehicular crashes over the last decade. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has previously issued statements warning motorists to slow down in regions of numerous South Florida counties where panthers are known to roam.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection estimates that there are only 120 to 230 Florida panthers in the wild. Three baby cubs were seen in the Sunshine State earlier this year. According to CBS News, the animals were once prevalent in the Southeast but now inhabit primarily along Florida’s Gulf Coast.
According to the National Wildlife Federation, hunting destroyed the panther population, which remains vulnerable to limited genetic diversity, illnesses, and habitat loss. It is “so critically endangered that it is vulnerable to just about every major threat,” according to the NWF.
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