Death of K284

Jan. 10

Panther Advocates,

A male panther kitten was killed by a vehicle on SR 29 in Hendry County.

From: Onorato, Dave [mailto:Dave.Onorato@MyFWC.com]
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2011 2:04 PM
Subject: Death of K284

All:

This report, required by Section 2(d) of the Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), is to provide you details regarding the death and handling of a Florida panther. 

The remains of a 1.5-year-old uncollared male panther, K284, were collected on 7 January 2011 on SR29 in Hendry County, approximately 0.4 miles south of the intersection with Sears Road. The cause of death was trauma associated with a vehicle collision. The carcass is being held at the Naples field office until it can be transported to the FWC Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville.  The remains will be archived at the FL Museum of Natural History. This is the 2^nd panther mortality and first road mortality for 2011.

K284 was handled by the FWC panther team at the den on 21 July 2009 and marked with a subdermal transponder that allowed us to identify him with a transponder reader when we recovered the carcass.  He was one of the two male kittens from the den of FP168 (FP168 was killed via intraspecific aggression on 15 October 2010) that were characterized by whitish fur when handled (see attached photo).  As you can see, his fur had become the typical tawny color of a panther at the time of his death (see attached photo).  The location where the carcass of K284 was recovered was 25 miles NE of his natal den site.

This information is being provided as required by Section 2(d) of the Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  It is not intended as a News Release.  All information should be considered “pending” until all necropsy results and tests are finalized.