COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. -- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says a female, radiocollared panther, about two and a half years old, was hit and killed at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday morning in Collier County.

FWC said the accident happened nearly a mile east of San Marco Road.  This panther death is the ninth road death of the year and the 17th panther death in 2012.

The panther that died on Saturday was originally radiocollared on January 20, 2012 in the Picayune Strand State Forest.

The carcass will be taken to the FWC Wilidlife Research Lab in Gainesville for a complete necropsy. The remains will be archived at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

(Photo courtesy Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)