Saturday, January 09, 2010
Florida Panther with Cub
Today, there are only 100 panthers left alive in the state of Florida. The precariously low total makes the death of any of the native cats a cause for concern, which is why one conservation group is especially alarmed about the number of panthers killed each year on state roadways.
In 2009, 16 panthers were killed by collisions with automobiles, a state record. Ten of the cats were run over in 2008, and 15 in 2007.
The installation of wildlife crossings around Florida has helped the predator climb in numbers, from a low of 20 or 30 two decades ago. The crossings consist of special passageways and directional fencing that help keep the panthers off busy roads and highways.
But with large numbers of panthers still dying on roads, the organization Defenders of Wildlife has called for more preventive steps by the state to preserve the native species. These include increased wildlife crossings and the creation of a regional transportation plan that protects panthers, other wildlife and motorists in southwest Florida counties.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Record Number of Endangered Florida Panthers Killed by Vehicles in 2009 (Defenders of Wildlife)
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