Florida Panther Deaths Reach 14 in 2026 as Two Young Females Die on Collier and Hendry Roads

Two young female Florida panthers have died after apparent vehicle strikes in Collier and Hendry counties, raising the number of panthers reported dead in Florida this year to 14, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Every one of the 14 deaths recorded in 2026 has been attributed to a collision with a vehicle, FWC mortality records show, and all but one occurred in Southwest Florida.

The deaths are a reminder that roads remain the single biggest threat to the endangered big cat, whose breeding population is concentrated in the fast-growing counties south of Lake Okeechobee. FWC estimates there are roughly 120 to 230 adult panthers in Florida.

The two latest deaths

The first was a nine-month-old female found injured on Sept. 20 on County Line Road in Collier County, with injuries consistent with a vehicle strike, according to an FWC report cited by WGCU. She was taken in for treatment and rehabilitation, but complications from her injuries led wildlife officials to humanely euthanize her on Oct. 7.

The second was a four-month-old female whose remains were found Oct. 15 on County Road 833 in Hendry County, WGCU reported. FWC lists the suspected cause of death as a vehicle collision.

Both animals were kittens, still at an age when panthers typically travel with their mothers. Their deaths come about two weeks after FWC reported the death of a 6-year-old male whose remains were collected Sept. 29 on State Road 29 south of Immokalee, which ended a stretch of nearly three months without a reported panther fatality.

Collier County leads the toll again

Of the 14 panthers killed in 2026, eight died in Collier County, three in Hendry County and one each in Lee, Glades and Polk counties, according to FWC. Eight were female and six were male.

The losses of females are especially consequential for a small population, because each breeding female can produce litters for years. Five of the eight females killed this year were adults or near-adults, and three were kittens under a year old, FWC records show.

The full list of 2026 deaths, as recorded on FWC's panther mortality page, is below. Dates reflect when the animal was found or collected.

Several of the deaths have clustered on the same roads. Collier County's toll this year includes cats found on Collier Boulevard north of Naples Heritage Golf and Country Club, on State Road 29 near Immokalee and now on County Line Road. In Hendry County, two juveniles were killed on the same day in May in separate crashes, one on State Road 80 west of the Townsend Canal bridge and one on Fort Denaud Road, WGCU reported. The Lee County death, on July 1, was on Corkscrew Road east of Carter Road, near the Verdana Village community and the Kingston development under construction.

The January death in Polk County stood out geographically. A 3-year-old male was injured in an apparent vehicle collision on Jan. 28, and ZooTampa rescued him at FWC's direction, but his injuries were severe enough that he was euthanized the next day. Panthers have been documented across much of the peninsula and into Georgia, according to FWC, though the core population remains in South Florida.

How 2026 compares with recent years

This year's total is below the recent peak but already above 2023. WGCU tallied 133 panther deaths reported since the start of 2021 as of early October; the two latest deaths bring that count to 135, the large majority caused by vehicles. Annual totals reported by FWC and compiled by WGCU are below.

The 2024 toll of 36 was the highest since 2016, when 42 panthers were killed, according to FWC data reported at the time. With about 10 weeks left in 2026, this year has already surpassed the 13 deaths recorded in all of 2023, and the final months of the year have been deadly in the past: 10 of the 36 deaths in 2024 occurred in November and December.

Why roads matter so much to panthers

Vehicle collisions are the primary cause of death for Florida panthers, FWC says. The panther is listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, and its survival depends on young cats being able to disperse across a landscape crossed by highways and county roads.

Collier, Lee and Hendry counties sit within the panther's primary breeding range south of the Caloosahatchee River, and some of this year's deaths occurred near areas of new development, including the July death on Corkscrew Road beside the Kingston project. Panther speed zones are posted in several South Florida counties where cats are known to cross, and FWC describes them as helping ensure the species' survival while protecting motorists from injury.

What drivers and residents can do

• Slow down and obey posted speed limits, especially in marked panther zones and at night, FWC urges.
• Report an injured, sick or dead panther, or a vehicle collision with one, to the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922). Cell phone users can also dial #FWC or *FWC.
• Report panther sightings to FWC online at myfwc.com/panthersightings.
• Buy a "Protect the Panther" license plate. Plate fees are the primary funding source for FWC's panther research and management.

Prompt reports allow biologists to respond quickly to injured animals, and FWC says examining remains gives researchers useful information about the population.

What's next

FWC will continue to update its panther mortality records as new deaths are reported, and the agency's year-end total will show whether 2026 approaches the 18 deaths recorded in 2025. In 2024, November and December proved especially deadly, a pattern wildlife officials and drivers in Collier and Hendry counties will be watching as the year closes.