Florida Panther Killed in Orlando on I-4

Florida Panther Killed in Orlando on I-4

 

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said the rare Florida panther likely wandered into traffic near the Celebration exit in Osceola County, Fla., and was struck and killed by a vehicle.

The area where the panther was found was busy with cars, construction and development and was one of the last places wildlife experts said they expected to find the endangered animal.

"This is something you probably won't see again in your entire lifetime in this area," Florida Fish and Wildlife Lt. Jeff Hudson said. "It's the first one I've actually confirmed in a road kill in my 12 years."

The few Florida panthers that are seen are mostly found on undeveloped land in South Florida.

Officers said it was possible the animal wandered through the wild from South Florida before being killed on I-4.

"Large animals have a tendency to roam and require a lot of space, so a male panther or cougar has a large area they will travel through," Hudson said.

In the last three months, Fish and Wildlife officers said they have found 10 Florida panthers dead across the state -- five of them after being hit by cars, the report said.

There are fewer than 100 Florida panthers left in the world, according to the report.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.

 

http://www.local6.com/news/8700561/detail.html

 

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