Wildlife experts with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission said the 4-month-old kitten is too young to be expected to live in the wild, so she will be kept in human care for the rest of its life.
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When wildlife officers responded to the crash scene, they didn’t see any kittens. Before the mother was killed, staff at the park had photographed her with three kittens. She is at a Naples Zoo rehabilitation facility.
FWC officials said the panther kitten’s mother was fatally struck by a vehicle on USA 41 near the park.
It was almost a month later when a construction worker at Collier-Seminole State Park sent in a photo of an emaciated panther kitten and the search began. The next day, park staff discovered the remains of an approximately 4-month-old male kitten. On November 2, FWC staff captured the 4-month-old female kitten. While she is acclimating to her new surroundings, the kitten will not be on display to the public. The search resumed when a third panther kitten was spotted a few days later, but after a week of setting up traps FWC had to suspend its efforts. She’ll spend the next few weeks recovering at the Naples Zoo until it’s decided where she’ll stay permanently. Officials haven’t selected a permanent home yet.
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The agency wants to remind drivers to reduce speed in posted panther zones. Fees from license plate sales are the primary funding source for the FWC’s research and management of Florida panthers.
