Florida Panther
Vehicle collisions are a major cause of death for the panther; an indirect
effect of the loss of habitat. Between 1978 and 1994, 20 panther
deaths
(12 males and 8 females) and six injuries were documented from
collisions with
cars and trucks.
The most critical threat to the Florida panther is the devastating loss of
habitat. Pushed out by urban, agricultural and industrial development, they
remain only in isolated pockets of degraded habitat, fragmented by roads and
highways that pose an additional threat to the wide-ranging panther.
To alleviate the problem, underpasses were constructed when Alligator Alley was converted to I-75 in 1993, to aid the crossing of panthers and other wildlife. A smaller design more suited for two-lane highways, was developed and installed on State Road 29 north of I-75. Crossings have reduced the number of accidents, but have not completely restored habitat continuity, as female panthers are reluctant to cross major roads or use the underpasses.
Wildlife crossings can be extremely beneficial towards increasing permeability and expanding habitat, and they have aided the efforts to save the Florida panther. However, this situation makes the case that crossings are not a panacea. Even with crossings, continued development and degradation of the panther’s habitat will certainly drive the species to extinction.
