Another Endangered Florida Panther Struck, Killed By Vehicle

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LABELLE (CBSMiami/AP) -- For the 14th time this year, an endangered Florida panther was killed after being struck by a vehicle.

However, there have been 16 total deaths this year, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The remains of the 3-year-old female panther were found Wednesday in Hendry County on a rural road near the Okaloacoochee Slough Wildlife Management Area, wildlife officials said.

Florida panthers once roamed the entire Southeast, but now their habitat mostly is confined to a small region of Florida in Big Cypress National Preserve, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, and other public and private lands in southwest Florida.

Up to 230 Florida panthers remain in the wild. The only known breeding population of panthers is in South Florida.