Eric Tillman
FWC seeks sightings of rare rainbow snakes

The FWC asks you to report sightings of the rare Rainbow Snake https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/3ee59e7

Click this story to read more.

FWC seeks sightings of rare rainbow snakes
Eric Tillman
The Rural and Family Lands Protection Program - ...

402 properties are currently being reviewed and ranked in the 2025 Project Cycle of the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. Click here to learn more.

Eric Tillman
FDOT releases interactive Statewide Wildlife ...
Eric Tillman
For translocated Florida tortoises, survival is ...

The Wildlife Society’s Joshua Rapp reports on a recently published study where researchers “tracked the survival rates of gopher tortoises translocated to Nokuse, a 55,000-acre property on the Florida Panhandle near Panama City that hosts reintroduced gopher tortoises moved as mitigation measures and conducts longleaf pine restoration and other conservation work”. Click HERE to read the story.

Eric Tillman
FWC's summer wild turkey survey is underway - ...

Help biologists learn more about Florida’s wild turkey populations by reporting all wild turkeys you see during your normal daily activities from June 1 to Aug. 31.

We’re interested in sightings of hens with and without poults (young wild turkeys), and male birds (jakes and gobblers) from all regions of the state, including rural and developed areas. When reporting numbers of poults, be sure to look carefully because young birds may be difficult to see in tall grass or brush.

The Sunshine State is home to healthy wild turkey populations. They occur throughout Florida and prefer open forests and forest edges and openings. Our biologists conduct this survey each year to learn more about annual nesting success, brood survival, and distribution and abundance of wild turkeys.

Learn more about the FWC’s summer wild turkey survey.

Report your wild turkey sightings online: bit.ly/3qtVbVF OR by using the Survey123ArcGIS app: bit.ly/3OVVP8n

State of the Everglades Report Now Available

 

Audubon continues to define Everglades success as bringing back the birds and wildlife that were so naturally abundant in the River of Grass. These species serve as an indicator for all of the other benefits to the natural environment, aquifer recharge, and economic prosperity that restoration can also produce.

The recent operationalizing of the Tamiami Trail bridge and the C-111 Spreader Canal project bring us closer to mimicking the natural water flow patterns that have been altered by human infrastructure.

Exotic Pet Amnesty Day at UF - April 16th!

The University of Florida's Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, in collaboration with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will be hosting its first ever "Pet Amnesty Day" (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/amnesty-day-events/ )on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Unwanted exotic pets (e.g., snakes, turtles, birds, fish, mammals, etc.-no dogs or cats) may be surrendered with no questions asked. Surrendered pets will be placed in adoptive homes with individuals approved by the FWC. "Pet Amnesty Days" were created by FWC in an attempt to "minimize the effects exotics have on Florida's native fish, wildlife and marine species." Non-native species can have negative impacts on native species, and can cause economic damage and threaten human health.  Surrender exotic pets at the Straughn Center (2142 Shealy Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611; across the street from the UF Vet School Small Animal Hospital). There are no penalties for surrendering unlicensed or illegal exotic pets. This event is free and open to the public-parking restrictions at the Straughn Center (http://straughn.ifas.ufl.edu/contact.shtml#getting ) will be lifted for the day.  Please join us in our efforts in stopping the release of non-native pets!

We need more people to apply to adopt the animals turned in during the event! If you are interested in being a certified adopter please go to this FWC website (http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/nonnatives/nonnative-pet-adopter/ ) and complete the online form.

In conjunction with the surrender and adoption of animals at UF's Straughn Center, we are also conducting an education and outreach event at the Reitz Union the same day. See live exotic animals up close at the Reitz Union colonnade, and talk to experts about being a responsible pet owner.

Take the world-renowned UF/IFAS REDDy Live training

 

One showing only for the Florida TWS Spring Conference, Thursday, April 11, 2013 from 5:15-5:45

Presented by Cheryl Millett, The Nature Conservancy

Quick, you’re out in the field and you see a snake or a lizard that you KNOW is not quite right and someone with you turns to you and says, “WHAT was THAT??!!” You’re a wildlife biologist, so you should know, right? But you don’t… well, we can help.

Or someone calls you up and says, “There’s a 4-foot long lizard outside my door- what do I do?” You’re a wildlife biologist, so you should know, right? But you don’t… well, we can help.

Take the world-renowned UF/IFAS REDDy Live training and learn how to identify and respond to exotic reptiles.. and we’ll throw in a couple of non-reptiles for free. Try it. It’s free, will sharpen your skills, and if you pass the final quiz, you’ll earn a certificate testifying you did. And when that critter that doesn’t belong shows up, you’ll know what to do. You’ll be part of the Early Detection Rapid Response that keeps them from establishing and becoming listed as a cause for the decline of the next imperiled species.