The worst of the stench-filled sargassum invasion has not yet reached Florida beaches

Sargassum (seaweed) pollution — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Bret Reyes There aren’t many more summer weekends left, and people are hoping that the foul-smelling sargassum seaweed that covered Florida’s beaches last year won’t return. Sargassum invaded the Sunshine State in historic numbers during the spring and summer of last year, but so far in 2024, far

Florida’s ancient citrus groves may be replaced by this ancient tree as farmers look for other crops

Pongamia tree (pictured) is replacing the Florida citrus tree – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Pics Man24 In Florida, an old tree from India is growing in groves where citrus trees once thrived, and it may contribute to the country’s renewable energy supply. Two deadly diseases, citrus canker and greening, have virtually destroyed much of

An endangered Bornean orangutan birth at Florida’s Busch Gardens

Cheetah Hunt rollercoaster at Busch Gardens, FL — Courtesy: Shutterstock — VIAVAL TOURS At Florida’s Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, an endangered Bornean orangutan newborn has entered the world. The young orangutan, which weighed slightly over three pounds (1.3 kilograms), was delivered by cesarean section on Saturday, according to park officials. After her surgery, Luna, the

When will Florida see its solar eclipse in 2024?

Solar eclipse – Courtesy: Shutterstock by aeonWAVE The complete solar eclipse that will occur on Monday, April 8 is only a day away. The Great North American Eclipse’s path of totality will begin in the South Pacific Ocean between Mexico and New Zealand, cross into Oklahoma from Mexico, and then proceed northeast (diagonally) across the

Manatees in Florida have an addiction to power plants. Researchers are easing them off

Manatees — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Lukasz Machowczyk Manatees in Florida were driven from warm springs to power plants by pollution. Their new built homes are disappearing as the state moves toward renewable energy. On the Gulf Coast of the state, close to Apollo Beach, the huge, gray, barnacled Florida manatees idly float close

The invasion of the caterpillars: what are those fuzzy things doing to Florida?

White Marked Tussock Moth Fuzzy Caterpillar – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Satyashutter No, we’re not talking about lovebugs, the notorious Florida pest that arrives in droves come springtime. This is the time of year when spiky yellow and white caterpillars emerge from oak trees and cover porches and cars throughout the state. As per the Florida

500-pound python mound discovered in a Florida wetland

Python on trail – Courtesy: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 500 pounds of snakes were discovered by a team of trackers in a swamp in South Florida last month, according to the Miami Herald. A 7-foot-wide mound containing 11 pythons was found by officials on public land near Naples on February 21, according to

It might soon be against the law to let go of a balloon in Florida: Explanation of balloon release bans

Woman releasing balloons – Photo: Song_about_summer/Shutterstock.com Florida may soon impose fines for willfully launching a balloon into the sky if the state is successful in tightening its regulations around littering. It’s a component of a larger initiative that includes legislation in at least eight other states to safeguard wildlife, birds, dolphins, and turtles from ingesting

An earthquake in Florida? Questionable but science gives way

Earthquake occurred near Merritt Island, home to Kennedy Space Center (Pictured) — Courtesy: Shutterstock — NaughtyNut Understandably, Floridians were dubious when they learned that Wednesday night’s earthquake occurred off the east coast. On Florida’s Space Coast, sonic booms, tremendous rumblings that can be heard almost 40 miles away when large rockets take off, and trailing

Red tide caused Florida to lose $2.7 billion in only one year

Red Tide algae bloom in the ocean – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Alfred Rowan Due to a decline in tourism, Florida’s poisonous red tide has resulted in losses of billions of dollars in just one year. According to a recent research by the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management published in