Category: Wildlife

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Wild Hogs in Florida

The second in the Living With Wildlife lecture series presented by Volusia County Extension and UF IFAS was on Wild Hogs.  This series is terrific!  If you can possibly attend, you will find it a worthwhile 90 minutes of your life. Admission is $5, there are light refreshments, and the presenters are knowledgeable and entertaining.  The lectures occur on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm.  June’s presentation will be on panthers, July’s will be on bears, and August’s on turkey and deer.

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Yankeetown and Withlachoochee Gulf Preserve

Withlacoochee Gulf Preserve , 1001 Old Rock Road, Yankeetown, FL 34498

This is a great place to spend half a day or so if you’re in the area of Yankeetown and Inglis, and there’s no admission fee! This 413-acre property was purchased with a grant from the Florida Community Trust. Further grants from  Florida Recreational Development Assistance Program, Felburn Foundation, Southwest Florida Water Management District and Friends of the Withlachoochee Gulf Preserve have provided for development of the Preserve land and infrastructure. Since 2009, the Preserve has provided wonderful experiences for visitors.

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Another Firefly Event – Lake Norris

Thistle at Lake Norris in Eustis, Florida
Thistle at Lake Norris in Eustis, Florida

In the interest of seeing as much magic as possible, Steve and I went on a hike with the Highlander Chapter of Florida Trail Association on a recent Saturday night. Every year, the Highlanders assemble and hike through Lake Norris to the primitive campsite, share a splendid potluck dinner, and then hike back in the dark and enjoy a firefly display. Continue reading “Another Firefly Event – Lake Norris”

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Coyotes in Florida

PHOTO CREDIT: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission


I recently attended a presentation of the Volusia County Extension Office. Dr. Raoul Boughton, University of Florida, presented a program about coyotes and their effect on Florida ranches. University of Florida presents great programming for the public, and for a naturalist, it’s a great way to add depth to what we know.

The coyote (Canis latrans, var. Eastern) branched off from the eastern and red wolf approximately 150,000 years ago. Because they are closely related, coyotes and wolves overlap in range. Coyotes and red wolves can interbreed. Although red wolves are twice the size of coyotes, they are at risk of becoming outbred because there are so many more coyotes than red wolves.

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What’s going on with Florida freshwater turtles?

Apalone ferox, Florida softshell turtle

We find them often in the pool: flat turtles with leathery shells, long necks and odd noses. Sometimes the shells have a subtle pattern that looks like dark stains left on a dark green tablecloth. . . maybe last year’s Thanksgiving gravy that never really came out in the laundry. Sometimes they are over a foot long, but once Steve rescued what must have been a young turtle, less than 6 inches from nose to tail. We put them in a large bucket and relocate them to Lake Eustis. If I were a turtle in need of rescue, I would want Steve to find me and put me in a lake because he wonders about turtles he has saved for long after I have forgotten them.

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