Three panthers killed on US roads in as many days

Terrible weekend for panthers shouldn't reverse recent population growth

May 2010: Three panthers met untimely ends on U.S. 41 within three days of each other; the highway cuts right through the middle of panther habitat in Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) found a six to eight-month-old kitten dead by the side of the road. Officials with the FWC believed the mother of the cub could be close to the highway and stepped up law enforcement patrols in the area.

SAD SIGHT: The young cub found by the side of US41 by FWC law enforcement officers Picture: Dave Onorato

The panther population has increased five-fold since the Eighties, when the population had dwindled to 20-30. Its increase to a current estimate of 100 is a success story, but one tempered with the knowledge that an increasing population means more opportunity for vehicle collisions.

‘Losing three panthers in three days saddens all who care for these endangered animals. However, we're heartened when we have a good capture season like this past one, when we captured 11 new panthers,' said Darrell Land, the FWC's panther team leader.

12 kittens
‘Panthers breed throughout the year, and our radio-collared females have already produced 12 kittens. The increase in panther numbers also means that more panthers are roaming the roadways in the Big Cypress area, and drivers should always obey the panther speed zones and slow down from dusk to dawn no matter where they might be driving.'

Land also noted that two litters had been lost because of the death of their mothers in the past two months. Panther young cannot survive by themselves until they are about eight months old and big enough to capture prey.

The natural expansion of the panther population means that panther sightings may start to increase throughout Florida; however, the majority of the population still resides south of Lake Okeechobee.

Tough fines for violating panther speed zone limits

To help protect the large cats from increasing traffic threats, the FWC, Collier County and Lee County sheriff's deputies and the Florida Highway Patrol regularly enforce panther speed zones. Panther speed zones are well-marked, with speed limits reduced at night to 45 mph.

So far this year, 66 formal notices and nine warnings have been issued to motorists violating panther speed zones. Violators often receive fines exceeding $200 for their first offence, and anyone travelling at more than 29 mph over the posted limit has to go to court.

‘The increasing number of panther road kills mirrors the increase in panther numbers,' Land said. ‘However, this does not indicate that the increase of collisions is causing the population to decrease. The FWC continues to work closely with the Florida Department of Transportation to develop measures that will increase motorist and panther safety along Florida's roads.'