Wildlife officials found two female Florida panther kittens dead near a highway in Collier County, Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s data suggests the kittens were siblings, since they were both 3.5 months old. Vehicles struck both animals while they were crossing Davis Boulevard, and they died from their injuries before officials arrived on scene.
Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi) are an endangered subspecies of mountain lion that lives only in the eastern United States. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) says the Florida panther was one of the first species added to the U.S. endangered species list in 1973.
[RELATED: Wild Florida Panther Gives Birth to Three Kittens After Losing Three]
Of the 12 Florida panthers known to have died so far in 2025, all but one of them died from vehicle strikes. This trend isn’t new. In the past five years, the conservation commission’s data shows that vehicle strikes are by far the most common cause of death for these important Florida predators. Other causes of death include inter-species aggression, starvation, and train collisions.
When driving in places where wild animals live, please remember to slow down, watch carefully, and heed road signs.
Learn more about the Florida panther kittens found dead on Sunday here.
Header stock image of Florida panther adult and kitten by Martin Harvey/Getty Images