It's been a horrible couple of months for the Florida panther in Southwest Florida.
On Wednesday, the remains of a 4-year-old male were collected on Corkscrew Road in Lee County, 430 yards east of Carter Road. The suspected cause of death is vehicle collision.
Since May 1, that's six of the endangered species killed and 11 this year. All are suspected of being hit by a vehicle.
The site of the most recent death is just east of Verdana Village along Corkscrew Road — a relatively new development that will have a total of 2,400 homes at build-out — and west of the under-construction Kingston development, which will have thousands of homes when done.
Environmentalists, who are livid Kingston was approved, said that means the rest of the land will be covered by homes, businesse, and roads, causing environmental problems. Panther habitat will disappear, and more cars on more roads means more panthers will be hit and killed, they say.
Parts of Kingston are within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, a woodsy patchwork of state parks, wildlife refuges and working ranches from the Panhandle to the Everglades.
ALSO READ: Lawsuit seeks to protect endangered Florida panthers from large Collier County development
Local conservationists and federal agencies agree new homes will fragment panther habitat and sever important wildlife travel routes, which are a key reason for the corridor.
The latest panther death comes on the heels of multiple panther mortalities. At the end of June there were two Florida panthers killed within a one-week period.
The FWC confirmed last week that a second panther death in Collier County was reported within a week. That second death was the 10th panther to be killed in the state this year. The remains of that 2-year-old female were collected June 26.
As with the panther found dead on June 19, the suspected cause of death is vehicle collision. The death happened on SR29, 0.9 mi south of Oil Well Park Road.
The remains of a 3-year-old female were collected June 19, on County Road 846 in Collier County, east of Immokalee.
Six of the 11 dead panthers have been females.
The newest death is the first one in Lee County, this year. The majority of the deaths, six, have been in Collier County, with two in Hendry County and one each in Polk and Glades counties.
ALSO READ: Photographer snaps endangered panther in Collier's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
There were 18 panther deaths in 2025, all but one by vehicle strikes, 36 in 2024 (29 by vehicles), 13 in 2023 (all by vehicle), and 27 in 2022 (25 by vehicles).
If you have spotted an injured, sick or dead panther, report it as soon as possible to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). Prompt reporting of injured or sick panthers and/or vehicle collisions with panthers will allow biologists to respond in a timely manner. Biologists also gain valuable information by examining remains.
Vehicle collisions are the primary cause of death for Florida panthers. The FWC encourages motorists to slow down and observe all posted speed limits, especially in panther zones, which are in place in several counties in areas where panthers are known to cross.
Florida residents can support panther conservation efforts by purchasing a "Protect the Panther" license plate. Fees from license plate sales are the primary funding source for the FWC's research and management of Florida panthers.
Copyright 2026 WGCU
