Death of UCFP166 - And another year begins w/bad news for the FL Panther

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. 

UCFP166, a 4-5 year old un-collared male panther, was reported dead this evening, hit by a vehicle along State Road 82 2.4 miles west of State Road 29 in Collier County.  FWC law enforcement officers collected the dead panther around 6:00 pm.  UCFP166 has been transported to FWC’s Naples Office and placed in a freezer to await transport to the FWC Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville for a necropsy.  The remains will be archived at the FL Museum of Natural History. This is the 1^st documented panther death of 2012.  In 2011 we recorded 24 panther mortalities, 9 of which were caused by collisions with vehicles.

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.

Marc Criffield

Florida Panther Research
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute