‘Highly pathogenic’ bird flu has been found in Florida’s wild birds

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that a new strain of avian flu is affecting the Sunshine State’s wild bird population.  The FWC said the National Veterinary Services Laboratory found cases of “Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, H5 2.3.4.4, in lesser scaup, black vultures and other wild birds.” Wildlife experts are now investigating bird

Florida manatees are starving while wildlife organizations are scrambling to save them

Manatees — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Lukasz Machowczyk In Florida, an ecological issue has led to the deaths of over 1,000 manatees. The slow-moving marine mammals graze on seagrass in shallow coastal areas, but a massive die-off of seagrass has left them with barely any food to eat.  The lack of food is most

A summer of red tides has stacked 600 tons of dead fish and sea life on Florida beaches

Red Tide Beach Covered Dead Fish – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Mark Winfrey A red tide has made its way to the Gulf Coast of Florida, causing major problems for wildlife and its local communities. As of last week, more than 613 tons of fish and marine life in and near Tampa have been

Florida takes significant step in unanimous approval of Florida Wildlife Corridor Act

Florida Panther Walks Through High Grass – Courtesy: Shutterstock – Image by Jo Crebbin Packed between Florida’s two coasts are some of the most abundant ecosystems in the U.S., overflowing with wildlife that opts for being hidden from plain sight. The Florida Wildlife Corridor is roughly 18 million acres of natural wonder.  On Tuesday, Florida

Florida has a Coyote problem, and it’s only getting worse

Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay Florida is known for its diverse wildlife—most of which is constrained to the confines of the Everglades. But just because we can’t see what’s out there, doesn’t mean we don’t know it exists. Thanks to documentaries, wildlife photographers, and preservation teams, Florida’s wildlife is well documented and preserved enough to

Two Florida National Parks notch top spots on the list of “Quietest Parks” in the U.S.

Courtesy: ESTA-America.com According to the National Park Service, there are 62 registered and recognized national parks in the U.S. While not every state has a national park; some have multiple parks to make up for those that don’t. Fortunately, Florida is one of the few states that have more than one.  ESTA-America.com has released a

Florida invasive species battle continues as FWC bans “high-risk” reptiles from commercial breeding and pet ownership

Green Iguana – Courtesy: Image by Scottslm from Pixabay In a unanimous vote Thursday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted on a new set of rules that would ban the commercial breeding practice and ownership of 16 “high-risk” reptiles in the state. The rule would allow current high-risk reptile owners to keep the

Flying Squirrel Trafficking ring in Florida results in six arrests, one suspect at large

Courtesy: Image by sowwwww from Pixabay According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, six arrests have been made in an illegal trafficking ring that focused on trapping flying squirrels in Florida and selling them to overseas buyers in Asia.  The flying squirrel is a protected wild animal species in Florida and is sold