9th Florida Panther Death of 2013: Female Hit By Car

A Florida panther was found dead this weekend in southwest Florida, The Miami Herald reports.

The 10-year-old female endangered animal was found Sunday in Collier County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC. The agency said the panther died after being hit with a vehicle.

The panther's body will undergo a necropsy at the FWC's Wildlife Research Lab in Gainesville.

This most recent fatality marks the ninth panther death overall and the sixth death via vehicular strike.

Florida panthers are mostly found in the southern portion of the state. But the species was once found to inhabit areas across the southeastern United States. Now, experts estimate that only between 100 and 160 adult panthers are in the wild and located south of the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee.

Panthers need a large space to hunt prey, but much of their habitat has been lost due to development in the area. And more than a dozen panther deaths last year were a result of vehicle strikes.

To raise awareness about the endangered species, Governor Rick Scott declared a Florida Panther Day last month.

It appears as though conservation efforts in the state are showing signs of success. Experts say the panther population has increased over the past 20 years. But the wildlife conservation commission does ask anyone who spots a panther or its tracks to report the sighting. Experts can use this information to determine the animals' range.

Florida panther license plates are also available for sale in the state to fund research, management and protection efforts.