Panther killed in southwest Florida

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) – Officials say a Florida panther was found dead near a southwest Florida road.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports that the 4-year-old male was found Wednesday after being hit by a vehicle on State Route 82 in Collier County. The remains will be taken to a Gainesville facility for a necropsy.

A total of eight Florida panthers have been found dead in 2016, with seven road fatalities.

Florida panthers once roamed the entire southeastern U.S., but only around 180 remain in the wild.