(News Press) -- Twenty Florida panthers have now been documented as road kills, which breaks the record for vehicle deaths for the Sunshine State's official state animal.
The remains of a 6-month-old uncollared male were recovered Thursday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission along Golden Gate Boulevard in Collier County. More than half the vehicle deaths have occurred in Collier, which has thousands of acres of panther habitat.
The previous mark for panther road kills in a year was 19, set in 2012, according to FWC records.
Biologists say the increase in road kills is somewhat expected because more people are living and driving in an area that has a growing panther population. Biologists estimated there could be as many as 180 Florida panthers living in Florida.
Road kills also have been documented this year in Lee, Hendry, Broward, Highland and Indian River counties.
