NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - Florida set a new record for documented panther deaths after a 1-year-old female panther was hit by a car.
Wildlife officials say 37 big cat deaths have been recorded this year, with 26 of those being road kills, which breaks another state record.
The Florida panther is one of the most endangered species on the planet, with FWC biologists estimating there are 100 to 180 in the wild.
There are certainly more cats in Florida now than there have been in decades, and biologists say the higher number of overall deaths and road kills is partially due to the growing population.
The panther's remains were found Tuesday in Hendry County.
