From red-shouldered hawks to six-toed cats, unique residents inhabit nearly every corner of the Florida Keys. It’s no surprise that this tropical archipelago is a favorite travel destination among animal lovers. At Cheeca, in keeping with our commitment to eco-friendly tourism, we encourage our guests to seek out humane local organizations—such as wildlife rescues and … Read more
As long as sea turtles remain on the Earth, they will always have a Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys. The Turtle Hospital’s deed is now permanently restricted to remain a place for turtle care, thanks to its creator. Turtle Hospital founder Richie Moretti wanted to make sure the facility he started outlived him. So in February, he … Read more
Is there anything more Floridian than a flamingo? They’re everywhere. Pink plastic ornaments dotting lawns. On cocktail swizzlers and motel signs. But what about real Florida Flamingos? Real, live Flamingos occasionally show up in the Everglades. A couple years ago a big flock showed up in a Palm Beach County stormwater treatment area. But the official … Read more
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites Florida residents and visitors to take an active role in conservation by reporting fish and wildlife observations with the new FWC Reporter app. From fish kills to exotic species, to trapped or injured wildlife, FWC Reporter connects citizens to FWC experts directly from their Apple or … Read more
One of two mainland men who hogtied three Key Deer and put them in the back of a car in July serving a year sentence in federal prison is due in state court next month to plead guilty to state charges. Erik Yosany Damas Acosta, 18, of Miami Gardens, and Tumani Anthony Younge, 23, of … Read more
Jackson Landers grew up in a vegetarian household. Now he hunts and butchers much of his own meat. In the past five years, he’s focused on hunting and eating invasive species. In his book, Eating Aliens: One Man’s Adventures Hunting Invasive Animal Species, the 35-year-old Landers chronicles his travels around the country as he learns to hunt, … Read more
The Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center has been approved for $67,500 in capital resources grant money from the Monroe County Tourist Development Center to improve its pelican pond. The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has OK’d the Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center request for $67,500 in capital resources grant funds to improve its pelican pond. … Read more
There are few more exciting finds while snorkeling or diving than to see the graceful swimming of the Spotted Eagle Ray. This interesting animal is found in tropical and other warm waters in coastal areas. In the Florida Keys, we see them swimming atop the coral reef or in our bays and nearshore waters. They’re … Read more
The Dry Tortugas are a small, remote cluster of islands 70 miles west of Key West. This Dry Tortugas American Crocodile hasn’t seen another member of his own species since he swam out here in 2003 — which makes it difficult not to think of him as the World’s Loneliest Crocodile. by shannon collingsworth This American … Read more
Over the last several years, some new arrivals have taken up residence at Naval Air Station Key West’s airfield on Boca Chica Key: American crocodile. “We don’t know exactly how many we have,” said Ed Barham, the environmental director for the base. “But we know we have four or five of them pretty much all … Read more
Dolphin Kids is our weeklong marine science summer camp for kids ages 6 -10, hosted at our beautiful Dolphins Plus Bayside facility. Campers learn about all sorts of subjects, from local ecosystem ecology to dolphin communication and behavior. Best of all, our dolphin camp makes learning fun through hands-on science activities, marine mammal lessons and … Read more
One animal that comes readily to mind when you think of the term “laboratory animal” is the venerable rat, a rodent that is as ubiquitous as it is reviled. Not all rats are “guinea pigs” for the lab, however. Some are highly prized for their rarity, such as Florida’s Key Largo woodrat. The Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma … Read more
Do you love to watch wildlife in your yard, especially birds and Florida Keys Butterflies? Do you often wonder if your home’s landscape attracts them? If your landscape doesn’t have a mix of native trees and shrubs, it’s likely you’re not seeing as many varieties of Florida Keys butterflies as you could be. With a … Read more
As with most crocodilians, the Florida Keys American Crocodile courtship and mating are stimulated by increasing ambient water and air temperatures. Reproductive behaviors peak when body temperatures reach levels necessary to sustain hormonal activity and gametogenesis. In South Florida, temperatures sufficient to allow initiation of American Crocodile courtship behavior are reached by late February through … Read more
March is the beginning of Florida’s sea turtle nesting season, when female sea turtles leave the ocean to dig nests and lay golf ball-size eggs in the sand. People can help sea turtles that nest on Florida’s beaches at night by leaving the beach as natural as possible. To do this, beachgoers should remove beach … Read more
The Florida Keys is an excellent place to see a wide variety of bird species. People flock to these islands from all over the world to get a glimpse at rare and unusual species that stop here during their migrations. We also have a great number of interesting birds that live here throughout the year. … Read more
Five species of endangered sea turtles are found throughout the marine waters of the Florida Keys, including the hawksbill, green turtle, Kemp’s Ridley, loggerhead, and leatherback. Loggerhead turtles are the most abundant of all the marine turtle species in U.S. waters. But persistent population declines due to pollution, shrimp trawling, and development in their … Read more
For the past several months, a Texas A&M University System institute has been actively involved in efforts to quash a screwworm outbreak in Florida that has jeopardized an already endangered species, said the director for the Institute of Renewable Natural Resources. “While there had been no screwworm outbreaks in the U.S. for the past 30 years, … Read more
Fishing is a key component of the Florida lifestyle as well as the state’s economy. But fishing line and other fishing tackle frequently enter Florida’s aquatic systems as a result of incidental snags or improper disposal. When left in the aquatic environment, fishing line and tackle create potential traps for unsuspecting wildlife that can become … Read more
This week we will dive into learning about the American White Pelican, one of two pelican species that can be found in North America. The American white pelican is one of the country’s largest birds, with a 9.5-foot wingspan, only second in size to the California condor. When standing on the ground, the white pelican … Read more