Endangered Florida Panther Killed Near Lakeland

LAKELAND (CBSMiami/AP) — A two-year-old endangered Florida panther died after it was struck by a vehicle in central Florida.

The male panther’s remains were found Sunday near Lakeland.

It’s the 11th panther death attributed to fatal collisions, out of 11 total deaths this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

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.

(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)