Dr. Patricia Cramer of Utah State University(a friend of this blog) who concentrates on the death tolls that our roads and highways have on wildlife providing some more information on cougar deaths from vehicle collisions in Florida

From: Meril, Rick
To: 'patricia.cramer
Sent: Mon Dec 13 09:08:39 2010
Subject: Re: Deaths of UCFP148 and UCFP149

Roads are the number 1 killer of bears cougars, coyotes, wolves and scores of other creatures.I am with u solidly on this Patty.

 From: Patricia Cramer 
To: Meril, Rick
Sent: Mon Dec 13 08:36:29 2010
Subject: FW: Deaths of UCFP148 and UCFP149

If you take a look down at the end of the email, you can see how the 20 panthers we know to have died this year have been killed. 15 out o 20 hit by cars.
PC

Patricia Cramer, PhD
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Wildland Resources
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-5290www.wildlifeandroads.org
 

From: Elizabeth Fleming [Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 8:53 AM
Subject: FW: Deaths of UCFP148 and UCFP149

Panther Advocates,

Sad news. Two panthers have been killed by vehicles in the last two days.

Elizabeth

From: Land, Darrell [mailto:Darrell.Land@MyFWC.com]
Sent: Monday, December 13, 2010 10:33 AM
Subject: Deaths of UCFP148 and UCFP149

Folks,

Yesterday, FWC Dispatch received a call at 1330 hours reporting a possible dead panther on US 27 south of Moore Haven.  FWC Law Enforcement confirmed that a 2-3 year old male panther had been struck and killed by a vehicle on US 27 about a half mile east of SR 80 in Hendry County.  This panther weighed 114 lbs, was uncollared and had not been previously marked with a transponder chip.
This morning at 0730, FWC received a call from Collier Sheriff's Department regarding a panther one of their deputies observed getting struck and killed by a vehicle on Golden Gate Blvd. between 5th and 7th Streets NW.  We recovered the carcass of a young male panther, UCFP 149, who was approximately 1.5 years of age.  This panther weighed 90 lbs, had both testicles, had a slight kink in his tail and had not been previously marked with a transponder chip.  This location is the same place where an 8 month old female kitten (UCFP142) was killed back in May.  It is possible that UCFP149 and UCFP142 were siblings and belonged to the family group that frequented this part of the Estates and were known to prey upon goats and other domestic animals.  Future genetic testing should confirm whether or not these panther were related.
These carcasses are being transported to our Gainesville Research Laboratory for necropsy.  The remains will be deposited with the FL Museum of Natural History.  These are the 14th  and 15th  road kills for 2010.

This information is being provided as required by Section 2(d) of the Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement between the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  It is not intended as a News Release.  All information should be considered "pending" until all necropsy results and tests are finalized.
 

Darrell LandImperiled Species Management - Panther Team LeaderFL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission298 Sabal Palm RoadNaples, FL 34114239.417.6352www.myfwc.com

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