Endangered Florida panther died after being struck by a vehicle

Labelle, Florida – After being struck by a vehicle, a year-old female endangered Florida panther died.

According to wildlife officials, the panther’s remains were found Sunday along a rural road near Dinner Island Ranch Wildlife Management Area in Hendry County.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, it’s the ninth panther death attributed to fatal collisions, out of the nine total deaths this year.

Florida panthers once roamed the entire Southeast, but now their habitat mostly is confined to a small region of Florida along the Gulf of Mexico.

Up to 230 Florida panthers remain in the wild.