Two endangered predators found dead a day apart in Florida. Here’s what happened

Two elusive Florida panthers were found dead within a day of each other from apparent collisions with vehicles, according to wildlife officials.

The first one, a 1-year-old male, was found dead May 1 in Collier County, McClatchy News previously reported.

The second, another male estimated to be 4-5 years old, was discovered dead May 2 near the Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest in Hendry County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The back-to-back deaths illustrate the toll vehicle strikes have taken on Florida’s endangered state animal, with roughly 60% of documented deaths coming from vehicle strikes, experts say.

Vehicle fatalities have been on the rise in the last two decades, according to the FWC. And young males make up the majority of those deaths.

“Males have larger home ranges than females, and their ranges often include roads,” according to the FWC. “Young male panthers searching for their own ranges often end up crossing roads more frequently than adult panthers.”

Earlier this year, biologists estimated there were only about 200 Florida panthers left in the wild, while other estimates put the figure at 120-230 adult panthers.

Researchers said the “most effective but also the most expensive measure” to prevent panthers from dying while crossing roads is to build in wildlife crossings.

“Early measures to reduce panther deaths from vehicle collisions included lowering the speed limit at night in critical stretches of highways, widening road shoulders to increase visibility, experimenting with special reflectors intended to make animals wary as headlight beams were reflected in their direction, public information campaigns and rumble strips,” officials said.

To report an injured or dead panther, you can call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922.

The Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest is about a 50-mile drive east from Fort Myers.

This story was originally published May 5, 2025 at 6:03 PM with the headline "Two endangered predators found dead a day apart in Florida. Here’s what happened."