It’s been a rough year for Florida’s endangered panthers. As of this week, 32 panthers have been killed.
All but seven were hit by vehicles, the leading cause of panther deaths.
To try to reduce that number, the state has installed dozens of wildlife crossings along highways. But the crossings have not kept up with development expanding into panther habitat.
The most panther deaths have occurred in Collier County. The highest ever recorded by state wildlife officials was in 2016, when 42 panthers were killed.
READ MORE: Florida’s iconic Key deer face an uncertain future as seas rise
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