ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Cameras captured the moment a mother Florida panther moved her kittens to a new den inside a wildlife refuge while using a wildlife crossing underneath Interstate 75.
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge says the images are not only an incredible surprise but the result of past conservation efforts. It's been more than three years since the refuge says it's documented Florida panther kittens.
Approximately 42 infrared camera traps are spread out around the refuge to monitor wildlife, the group says. All in all, three kittens moved onto the refuge.
The wildlife crossings underneath I-75 on Alligator Alley were the first of their kind in Florida, according to the refuge. The group says the original concept of wildlife crossings began with the 1972 Environmental Impact Statement after I-75 was created to connect Naples and Fort Lauderdale.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has reported six Florida panther deaths in 2021, four of which have been attributed to vehicles.
- Florida will lower COVID vaccine age requirement to 60 next Monday
- Oprah shares more from the interview with Meghan and Harry on CBS This Morning
- Sex offender on the run for 21 years lived under fake name in Pasco County, US Marshals say
- Coronavirus pill shows promising feedback in early testing
- Who gets $1,400 checks in the COVID-19 bill the Senate passed?
- What to know as Derek Chauvin becomes the first officer tried in George Floyd's death
►Breaking news and weather alerts: Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter
