One of Florida’s endangered panthers was discovered dead on Feb. 1 after a freight train ran it over in a highly unusual incident, state wildlife officials say.
The 2.5-year-old male panther was walking a railroad trestle over Fisheating Creek in Glades County when it was apparently caught off guard, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reports.
A witness on the train saw the panther take off running and the train attempted to slow down, but it was too late, according the FWC Division of Habitat and Species Conservation.
The panther could have jumped into the creek below, but chose not to for some reason, officials said.
It’s only the second time a train has been documented as the cause of death for a Florida panther, which can run up to 35 mph.
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