Exceptional Adventures in Paradise
Each year, I wonder whether it’s worth going back to Orange City to visit the Lights at Night festival at Blue Spring State Park. We make the trip every year, and then I wonder why I ever questioned the value of the short trip to West Volusia County.
Continue reading “Night Time is the Right Time for Brilliant Fireflies”
Check your home — bat maternity season starts in April
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds people to check homes and other buildings for roosting bats before maternity season starts. While Florida’s 13 native bat species are generally beneficial and typically roost in trees, caves or other natural spaces, sometimes they are attracted to human-made structures.
Continue reading “Bat Maternity Season is Nearly Here!”
Steve and I recently drove on Jane’s Scenic Drive and we were . . . well, I guess conflicted is the right word. Jane’s Scenic Drive is in the Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. The Fakahatchee is home to so many plants and animals found only in the continental US that I’m not even going to attempt to list them. The Ghost Orchid is probably only behind the Florida Panther as the best-known Strand resident.
Continue reading “Jane’s Scenic Drive: Now With Fewer Potholes”
November is Manatee Awareness Month and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding people on the water to slow down and look out for migrating manatees this time of year. As water temperatures cool this season, manatees are naturally migrating to warmer waters around the state. Go slow and look out below to allow them to swim safely.
While manatees are large, they can be difficult to see in the water. That is why it is important to: follow guidelines and follow all manatee protection zones; look out while boating; wear polarized glasses and always give them space. Manatee protection zones are marked by waterway signs and maps of manatee protection zones are available online at MyFWC.com/Manatee by clicking on “Data and Maps.”
Manatees depend on water generally warmer than 68 degrees Fahrenheit to survive the winter, so in the fall they travel to Florida springs, power plant discharges and other warm-water sites. Remember: Disturbing manatees at warm-water sites can cause them to swim out of those protected areas and into potentially life-threatening cold water.
During the colder months, seasonal manatee zones require boaters to slow down in certain areas to prevent manatees from being injured or killed by motorboats or personal watercrafts. Boat strikes continue to be a major threat to Florida manatees. FWC law enforcement officers are on patrol in state waters to inform boaters of the seasonal manatee speed zones and take appropriate enforcement actions. Boaters are reminded to abide by the regulatory signs they see on the water.
Physically handling a distressed or stranded manatee might cause more harm. Instead, report injured, distressed, sick or dead manatees to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or dialing #FWC or *FWC on a cellphone so trained responders can assist. The FWC continues to investigate a high level of manatee mortalities and respond to manatee rescues along the Atlantic coast of Florida. The FWC takes manatee conservation seriously by actively implementing science-based conservation measures that are making a difference for manatees and habitat. Learn more about how officials are responding to this event by visiting MyFWC.com/Manatee and clicking on “Learn More”.
“It remains critically important people be aware of manatees while on the water as we continue to work with partners to monitor and respond to the ongoing mortality event along Florida’s east coast,” said Ron Mezich, Imperiled Species Management Section Leader. ““We are continuing to explore a variety of options to assist manatees and the goal for the FWC and our partners continues to be restoring the Indian River Lagoon to a healthy state. In the end, that is the solution that will benefit manatees and other wildlife.”
Resources for boaters, educators and other interested members of the public are available at MyFWC.com/Manatee. What should you do if you see a manatee? The Viewing Guidelines page provides helpful tips on respectfully viewing manatees, additional guidelines for boat and personal watercraft operators, and information on what you can do to help these amazing aquatic mammals.
Are you interested in supporting the FWC’s manatee research, rescue and management efforts? You can purchase a Florida manatee license plate, or donate $5 to receive a collectable FWC manatee decal. Both are available from your local Tax Collector’s office.
Hermit crabs! Crucifix shell! Horseshoe crab shells! Though it be small, Mashes Sands Beach is a spot that should not be missed. This sugar sand beach offers a small parking lot and such a nice portable toilet setup that I would put it in my house. A picturesque salt marsh, which was emptying into the Gulf through a small inlet in the western edge of the beach on my first visit, lines each side of the road to this beach.
Continue reading “Mashes Sands, Panacea”
Life in Florida brings one adventure after another, and sometimes we don’t even need to leave the comfort of our own home to experience encounters with wildlife that is more expected in a river or lake.
This beautiful young alligator paid us a visit. It was very small, certainly less than 4 feet long, and still had the stripey baby gator tail that I love so much. It arrived late one afternoon and was gone by the next evening. It allowed us to get within about 10 feet, but would then slip into the depths of our pool to avoid us.
In the days following this encounter, an alligator attacked a small dog and was pulled away by the dog’s owner (you can see it here). Lola, as we named “our” gator, was a bit smaller than the one pictured in the video, but we have a dog much smaller than the dog in the video. So, as much as we loved sharing the pool deck with an alligator, we’re glad Lola found a better home. We were considering catching her in a box and taking her to Lake Eustis, where we’ve seen other small gators, but all in all I’m glad we did not have to do that, especially after watching what a fierce fight the gator in the video put up!
Apalachicola is many things: a great little town, a magnificent estuary, and a treasure trove of small adventures. If you visit, make time to hike the small boardwalk nature trail across from the Extension Center offices.
This trail is short, I’d guess about half a mile one way, but has something for everyone. The beginning section is an oystershell trail, but the major portion is a beautiful boardwalk. Those who walk through the swamp on this boardwalk are rewarded with a scenic overlook where a bench beckons you to relax and enjoy the view and birdsong.
Your senses will be delighted by this trail. My favorite memory will be the discovery of this gorgeous northern rough greensnake — you can hear how excited we were, and I’m sure it was just as memorable an experience for the snake. While our excitement is understandable, we should have not touched the snake. It’s just irresponsible behavior, especially for naturalists, and we have both agreed to not repeat the experience. We are quite sure the snake agrees!
In the fall, Florida black bears begin preparing for the winter by consuming extra calories to pack on fat. During this time bears require around 20,000 calories a day and will eat anything that’s convenient. Often food from a garbage can provides bears with more calories in a shorter amount of time than foraging in the woods. You can reduce conflicts with these animals by securing your trash and other food attractants, such as birdfeeders and pet food.
To keep bears wild and away from your home, follow these simple tips:
See “how-to” videos and information on securing attractants in the “Brochures and Videos” section at MyFWC.com/Bear.
It is illegal in Florida to intentionally feed bears or leave out food or garbage that will attract bears and cause human-bear conflicts. If you see or suspect that someone is feeding or attracting bears, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
You can also help people and bears stay safe by remembering to watch for bears while driving. This time of year, bears are traveling across more roads in search of food, which results in more vehicle-bear collisions. The FWC advises drivers to be aware of their surroundings as they drive in bear country, especially around dusk and dawn, and when there is forest on both sides of the road. If you see a bear crossing sign, pay particular attention as this area has had frequent vehicle-bear collisions. To learn more about how to keep people and bears safe on Florida roadways, see the “Vehicle Collisions with Bears” video at the “Brochures and Videos” section of MyFWC.com/Bear.
To learn more about living in bear country Go to MyFWC.com/Bear. Check out our Facebook page at Facebook.com/MyFWC for more upcoming information on bear activity.
If you read this post, you know that Steve and I, led with confidence by our friend Dee Bradshaw, rescued a Great Horned Owl (now named Kevin) on a recent hike in the Tiger Bay State Forest.
Continue reading “Great Horned Owl Rescue”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is launching a new interactive web application designed to provide biologists with thorough and reliable data, and promote science-based gopher tortoise conservation efforts. The new system will replace the Florida Gopher Tortoise smartphone app, which will be decommissioned Sept. 8.
The new web application is user-friendly and is designed to function on any device. To report a tortoise sighting or notify the FWC of a sick, injured or dead tortoise, simply visit MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise and click on the button that reads “Report Gopher Tortoise Sightings.” There, you can also view an interactive map, which features user-submitted photos and locations of tortoise sightings throughout the state.
“We appreciate the thousands of citizen scientists who have reported gopher tortoise sightings using our original Florida Gopher Tortoise app over the years,” said Michelina Dziadzio, monitoring coordinator for the Wildlife Diversity Conservation Section of the FWC. “These citizen scientists have helped the FWC enhance gopher tortoise conservation and we’re excited for their continued participation using the new web app.”
The gopher tortoise is a protected species that occurs in all 67 Florida counties. The tortoise is known as a keystone species, and its burrows serve as important refuges for 350 native species including threatened species such as the Eastern indigo snake, the burrowing owl and the gopher frog.
For more information about gopher tortoises, visit MyFWC.com/GopherTortoise.