Silver Springs

Silver Springs Florida in 1886
 
This is the story of a magical place in Florida that has lost its way.

Once upon a time long, long ago, there was a destination here so revered, you were often, scarcely able to get in.

Tourists loved it, movie makers loved it, the whole world wanted to come see it.

Just hearing its name, Silver Springs, brought a smile to many people’s faces.

In fact, when I was in high school, I met a young man one summer at a local lake in northern Indiana, who also happened to be there on vacation.

It turned out that he was one of their very talented skiing performers, and that summer, he taught me to water ski.

But, that was so long ago.

Today, Silver Springs is badly run down and nearly unrecognizable, by those whose memories burn bright of more exciting times and the never to be forgotten glass bottom boat rides.

For years now the springs has been run and managed? by a California company, guess they didn’t think we could do it right?

But soon that will change and the state of Florida will take over the job, hopefully this will help.

Recently a Canadian Billionaire cattle rancher has shown great interest in setting up shop

just a few miles away and the negative impact from this would be two fold, tremendous water loss and harmful pollutants being introduced into the springs.

Neither would be good.

Water is a very precious commodity in Florida, because the whole state is a giant aquifer or sponge, everything that happens up above, travels down and affects the aquifer and all the living things here.

The many years of water abuse, in combination with this years severe drought, have resulted in an increase in the dreaded and dangerous sink holes which recently sadly, took a life.

We already have way too many places draining our aquifer dry, like the bottling companies, golf courses and huge farming industries, so this massive cattle ranch would be the final nail in the coffin for the springs.

Previous politicians have tried to protect the springs, and it helped somewhat, but current Governor Scott, has cut all of its lifelines, so it will now be up to the state to do the right thing, for one of Florida oldest and most treasured pieces of history.

Harriet

Harriet, our Gopher Tortoise

Yesterday afternoon, just as I was turning off my computer, our wayward wanderer finally graced us with her presence, after many months of complete absence.
Harriet is our resident Gopher Tortoise and she has become a sweet part of our family here in the Ocala Forest in Florida.
It seems that she comes out, just as the “snow birds” are all leaving and yesterday also happened to be our warmest day of the year so far, at just over 90 degrees.
We have learned so much about her particular species in the years we have spent with her.
She has had some very close calls and we have had to fight hard just to save her from a tragic ending on these occasions.
The world around her is not nearly as concerned for her safety as we are and we feel quite obligated to protect her from it.
Gopher Tortoises are an Endangered Species in Florida and it is against the law to harm them in any way, even picking them up and moving them is against the law.
But all of this is forgotten, when each spring, she pops back up out of her tunnel, ready to eat and greet us and the warm season ahead.
We have made sure that she has only what is good for her here, with everything left pretty much “natural” and no pesticides, no toxins or chemicals used in the front part of our property where her main tunnel is.

I say main, because she has a second one in the back where she goes occasionally, for reasons we have not yet determined.

Now we look forward to watching her the rest of the year, coming out to eat every day, moving slowly and carefully around, picking out just the special “weeds” that are her favorites.

Our entire property is fenced in, but the front part is just for her and our Airedale Breanna
and we are careful for both of their sakes, that it is safe from anything that could harm either of them.
We consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to share our lives with them.

Nuisance People

Our Florida Alligator

For those of you kind enough to come here, I thank you with all my heart.

Today is my “one month” anniversary on WordPress and your support has overwhelmed me. If you are curious, and why wouldn’t you be, about where the title of this Blog came from, it is this.

Many years ago on our first trip to Florida, we went to the Everglades.

My parents were living in Miami Beach at the time and we thought it would be a fun day trip.

It was the middle of August and in South Florida, August is not when you want to be in the Everglades.

The mosquitoes are like a black blanket that covers everything there.

For two people from Los Angeles, where there are few and I do mean few bugs, it was pretty terrifying.

We spent an entire day there and what we saw, was never to be forgotten and started my love affair with this breathtaking place called Florida.

Now for how this Blog got its name.

On that day, just as we were driving in and being very stupid tourists, we pulled over at the sight of our first Alligator resting peacefully on the side of the road.

Now being the idiot that I was, I got out of the car and walked toward this creature I knew nothing about, both hands stretched out like I was going to pet it.

I have a picture of the moment, which has lost itself somewhere in this house, one day to be found again, I hope.

The Alligator was not full-grown, maybe only four feet long, but it could have done some damage, if it has chosen to.
Instead it simply laid there, I am sure thinking, ” this has got to be a joke, stupid tourist. “

Because it did nothing, I turned and walked back to the car and we drove on.

Only after moving down here nearly ten tears ago, did I realize how very lucky I had been that day.

So, when we became permanent Florida residents, I started a web site and called it “Walking with the Alligators” out of my gratitude for what might have been that day and deep respect for what I consider one of this state’s greatest treasures, the Alligator.

So, as you can imagine, when they announced on the News here last night that they were looking for Alligator Trappers in Lake County, to “Dispose of Nuisance Alligators,” I was pretty steamed.

People come here, to this last Garden of Eden in the United States, with its splendiferous array of wildlife and then when our animals do what they normally do in the wild, these idiots go nuts, calling Fish and Wildlife whining, ” Come get these things out of my yard. “

“ Well, duh, you are in their yard, you morons, so why don’t you get out. “

I have zero patience for city people who want to come here, to my newly adopted home and change it, or kill all that makes it the National Treasure that it is.

Florida is truly a spectacular collection of wild life and wild places and it deserves to be respected for just that.

And if this is a problem for you, please go back where you came from.

The Visitors

A Beautiful Florida Black Bear
Photo credit: Dr. William Weber
 

For many years people have asked me about my complete dedication and passion for animals.

An answer: just now Breanna did her " OMG bark. " This is the one reserved for very special occasions.

I went to her window to look for the cause, but saw nothing at first,  then as I turned back around to look in the other direction, there they were.

The momma and her two babies running at a full gallop in the open field across from our house.

This sight, this experience, is something that should never be taken for granted.

These beautiful black bears and all of the other wildlife living in this Forest, are why this place is everything to us.

We share our lives with creatures that give us so much more, than we could ever give them in return.

For this we are grateful.

Who Let The Dogs Out

Wildlife Inspector Amir Lawal of the Service’s
Miami Law Enforcement Office and Viper
Picture Credit:  Tom MacKenzie / USFWS

Many thanks to Russell McLendon of Mother Nature Network for sharing this great story and vital information.

Many thanks also to Tom MacKenzie of the USFWS, for granting permission to use this picture, his hard work on this awesome project and all of his super pictures for it.

Poaching may not be a big problem in a lot of places, but Florida is not one of those places.

It seems like too many of our wild animals, as well as some highly prized orchids in this state, like the Ghost Orchid, have at one time or another, fallen victim to these fiends,   

who believe it is their right to steal things and then sell them to the highest bidder.
Recently many of our beloved wild turtles have been stolen by the hundreds of thousands, and sold to Asian countries where they are used for food, medicine and other.   
It would seem that these countries have long ago eradicated their turtle populations.   
Trappers or poachers, come to Florida and go into our swamps and marshes or where ever they can find them and just load up and ship out our wild turtles in such numbers, that many of them may soon be put on Endangered lists, when they never were in the past.
Enter my personal heroes, the Sniffer Dogs!

Now, these are not just any dogs, they are very well-trained, professional sniffers and they are doing what few humans can, tracking down or sniffing out, stolen wildlife.

These awesome dogs and their handlers, USFW agents, will soon be stationed at ports around the country and hopefully will help stop the tidal wave of thefts of our beloved Florida wild things to these scum bag poachers.   

The Press Release: Detector Dogs Sniff Out Smuggled Wildlife

U.S. Trains Dogs To Sniff Out Wildlife

A Picture Page About The Dogs

No Place to Call Home

 The beautiful Florida Panther

It was fun to watch a young exciting team from south Florida reach the heights that they did this week, as they became the darlings of the press and were written about and talked about all over the country, but there is one thing you may never hear about this school and that is the land where it was built.

You see, the land under this fairly new school, was supposed to be a Panther Refuge.

Land set aside for the Panther, has been a political Florida football for years, with few agreeing on just how much land or Habitat, they need to survive, but one thing is obvious, at the rate they are losing their places to just exist, the Panther will not survive.

Historically, few politicians and even fewer lobbyists here have considered saving wildlife an important enough reason to reject development, or construction, when there are such big donations attached to them for those who make it happen.

In this case, as in many others, money won and a critically Endangered animal lost.

The Florida Panther is undoubtedly, the most Endangered animal in the entire US, with fewer than 100 of them remaining and it is simply tragic that this school and its supporters could not find anywhere else to build it.

Panthers can neither vote, nor write checks, in fact they really hold little value at all, except to the wildlife watchers and protectors who as usual, have little control over the ugly things that are done to those
” with no voice. “

Connie Mack may have had his Karma served up by the voters in the last election, but the Panther is the biggest loser in this never-ending game of Florida Monopoly.

The ongoing sad saga for the most beleaguered mammal in America is here:

Dunk City’s Dark Side

When Will We Find Courage?

The River of Grass, the Florida Everglades
        Photo credit: USGS/SOFIA

The EPA has recently declared that over half of the Rivers in this country are not fit for living things.

Does this really come as a surprise to anyone?

If you have spent anytime near a river, you could have watched the slow degradation in person.

No degree in science is necessary, to understand the impact that chemicals, namely fertilizers and pesticides, have had on everything that they touch.

The worst offenders are phosphorus and nitrogen, with of course some mercury and bacteria thrown in to complete the tainted brew.  

Remember Erin Brockovich?

It’s all about the water.

Most living things are completely interdependent on their environment, beginning with the water.

When we choose to look the other way, or do not stop those who poison and pollute our water, because we don’t want to get involved, we are telling them, either we don’t care, or we have no courage.

Either way, the polluters will continue unabated and the waters will eventually become an engorged toxic soup that can no longer sustain life.

EPA Declares Over  Half Of US Rivers Unfit

Can You Hear them Now?

 

A Right Whale Mother and Calf in the Atlantic

As a matter of fact, yes, Mammals in all of the Earth’s bodies of water can hear us now and what they are hearing from military sonar testing and oil seismic testing, is affecting them all nearly the same way that loud concerts do our children.

It is giving them all permanent hearing loss.

These endless loud noises interfere with their food searches, as well as with their mating, birthing and just plain living activities.

Sea animals react to these noises in different ways, some try to get away from it by beaching themselves, others become disoriented and end up in wrong places, alone.

Regardless of their reactions, these Ocean  noises  are doing irreparable harm to all of our sea mammals and it must end where they live, most especially in their travel pathways as they migrate.

Ocean Noise

It's Turtle Time In Florida

 
                          A Loggerhead Hatchling
                                            Photo credit: NPS

Florida is home to many species of Wildlife, some are plentiful, some are Endangered.

Of the species that are Endangered, there are several varieties of Sea Turtles on the list.

Our resident Sea Turtles include the Green, Leatherback and Loggerheads and for those of us who love them, this is a time to revel in, from now until October 31, it is all about turtles in Florida.

This is the beginning of the ”lights out” time, for those lucky souls who live on the beaches of Florida Turtle nesting areas.

These observances are absolutely mandatory for the protection of the “little joys” to come.

Last year was a record-setting nesting season for the Loggerheads and we are hoping for a repeat this year.

Lights Out: Sea Turtle Nesting Begins

Sea Turtle Nesting Season begins in Florida

Today Is World Water Day

 
              Alexander Springs

After the air that we breathe, the next most vital component to all life on Earth, is water.
And today is World Water Day.
There is much to know, here are just two of the many places where you can learn more about water:

World Water Day: 10 Facts You Probably Don’t Know About Water

Its World Water Day

It's About Changing The Way We Live

A Florida Manatee
Photo credit: USGS

Last week, we heard the news about how Red Tide is killing our Manatees, the story about this was posted earlier and now last night on our local news, we were sickened to hear of even more mass deaths on Florida's Atlantic Coast in the Indian River Lagoon.

It seems that the high numbers of deaths here, are being blamed on what farm fertilizer run off  is doing to the feeding areas of our beloved mammal.

This is not the first time that this subject has been made public, for years Alligators in Lake Apopka have been dealing the with the same situation which resulted in sexual "anomalies."

The farm culprit in South Florida is US Sugar and for the exact same reason, fertilizer run off.

The only problem is that in Southern Florida, when the Everglades and Lake Okeechobee are poisoned by fertilizers, it is more than just animals that are sickened, it is also millions of people.

Lake Okeechobee is one of their main water sources and they don't have an alternative water supply to choose from.

So, you ask what is the solution?

It is really very, very simple.

First, please understand that Florida's aquifer system is like a giant sieve, everything on the top seeps through to our underground water supplies, the good, the bad and the ugly, all of it.

So, we must all, yes all, stop buying and using products for our homes, public places and farming that have toxic chemicals like phosphorus in them.

There are alternative products that do not, and if we don't switch now to these safer products, Florida will not be the only place where you can't drink the water.

This is happening all over the Country, even the world, our water is being poisoned by chemicals, pollutants and toxins by those who refuse to change because they don't have to, people have been quite well paid off to allow them to continue this practice and they have already put the money in the bank.

In the end, however we will all run out of pure clean water to drink because you can't drink money.

Now Manatees Are Dying Off Both Florida Coasts

Earth Hour Saturday March 23, 2013 at 8:30 PM, your time~

 

In just a few days, a special way to give back to the planet that has supported all life for over four Billion years, will take place hopefully, everywhere.

Earth Hour was first observed 7 years ago and was created by a dedicated group

who are very concerned with the health of our planet and believe that if we all share a common goal, a common hope, that we really can change the way things are being done.

The overconsumption of energy on the planet has caused damage to every aspect of our environment.

Earth Hour is intended to make us realize our errant ways and try to do better.

So, if you aren’t doing anything special this Saturday night, perhaps in Honor of our Mother Earth, you will choose to turn off your lights for just one, wee little hour and pause to think

about what you are doing, or could do, to reduce your “footprint” here.

You won’t believe how good it will make you feel, because when you care for things other than yourself, it gives you such a sense of peace~

Earth Hour

Wildlife and Wildplaces Have New Champions

 

A new program at the World Wildlife Organization is bringing together Spiritual Leaders from all over the world who are in agreement about the need to protect our wildplaces and wildlife.

This unexpected partnership could have a tremendous impact for one very good reason, who would be dumb enough to go against their spiritual leaders to poach animals or trample sacred places?

Sacred Earth: Faiths for Conservation

The group has already had a positive impact in Thailand, where Elephants being slaughtered for their ivory was rampant.

Recent activity on this issue in the Social Media has produced over 1.5 million opposing voices from countries all over the world who helped sway the opinions of the Leaders in Thailand.

Facebook, Online petitions, Twitter and the like, are working wonders putting the messages

out to a Global Audience who have overwhelmingly responded.

Please, don't ever believe that your voice, your actions, don't matter, it has just been proven, that they most certainly do, and we all need to keep doing it.

Red Tide Is Not A New Laundry Detergent

Photo credit: USGS

Red Tide or Algae Bloom is now out of control on Florida's Gulf Coast in the Tampa Bay area.

This may, according to Florida Wildlife officials, be the worst year ever for Manatees.

Previously the highest number of deaths was at 151 in 1996 and

the experts are projecting that it will be even worse this year.

We are at 149 right now.

It seems that Manatees just can't get a break, either they are hit and maimed

or killed outright by boats, or they die from extremely cold winters.

Now the threat for Red Tide threatens to be the worst enemy, other than Humans,

that the Manatee have ever encountered.

Red Tide Killing Manatees In Record Numbers

Red Tide Bloom Taking Record Toll

Record Number Of Manatee Deaths

The Ghost Net And Other Assorted Trash

  

Marine Debris

Photo credit:  NOAA CCFHR

A thousand pound fishing net has recently been found on one of our Florida reefs

and it is killing our sea life and wreaking havoc on the reefs.

The Ghost Net

Is this the first time that this has happened, of course not, nor will it be the last,

the point is how do we stop this.

Unattended, lost or discarded fishing nets, crab traps and assorted other gear,

including lines, have caused the deaths of many sea creatures over the years and

now in addition to these, we are finding that the same things are happening to sea life

with a myriad of plastics that have been thrown into the oceans all over the world.

Their tragic story is here:   Victims Of Pacific Trash

What bothers me the most, is the callous disregard for animals lives that some humans display.

Walk across the parking lot of your local Wal Mart, you'll get the picture.

Take a stroll along the shore of any beach, it's the same.

Local parks, school yards, more of the same, litter, trash, garbage, it's everywhere.

The thing is this, we have become a race of careless, thoughtless dumpers.

Whenever we are through with something, we just toss it, wherever.

And its not just our trash, but also pets that people have tired of caring for and just thrown away.
The entire state of Florida is now reeling from the soaring numbers of these discarded pets.

It is alarming for those who care for both our wildlife and the environment and are sickened by the garbage found all around us on a daily basis.

This trash and garbage that so many toss so casually, is costing all of us, including our wildlife and we all need to start thinking before tossing.

What is that saying, " If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. "

Let's All Go Native~

 

The Everglades, an exquisite Florida Natural Area

The 19th Annual Public Interest Environmental Conference is this weekend at the University of Florida and their guest speaker is suggesting that there are things we can all do right now, to help protect the Endangered Wildlife and the fragile Ecosystems of Florida from rising sea levels and erosion.

Whitney Gray is from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and what she wants us all to do, is really a total recall of the 70's movement of going Native.

Gray wants us all to reuse and recycle till it hurts and she also want us to let nature take it's course in our yards, or just go native!

All of the great ideas that Ms. Gray is offering this weekend in Gainesville, are things that we have already been doing forever, except for the yard part, which we began doing when we moved to Florida years ago, for the benefit of Harriet, our resident Gopher Tortoise.

Harriet, who is quite picky about her diet, scours all over our property, hunting carefully for her favorite "wild things" to eat.

So, what she finds to eat here, is not only what she likes, it is exactly what she needs.

We use no poisons on our property because of her and our Airedale Breanna.

Wish I had read this story sooner, would have loved to have heard her in person.

How Endangered Species Adapt

This Invasion is Not Coming From Outer Space

When the rest of the country thinks of an Invasive Species in Florida, they are

probably only familiar with the now infamous Burmese Pythons in the Everglades.

But in fact, there are many threats to our fragile wildlife and ecosystems here.

Right now, other than the very scary, to me, snakes, which are here by the thousands,

there are a number of other creatures wreaking havoc on, not only our wildlife,

but on our all ready maxed out to the limit economy, as well.

You see trying to keep up with these non stop invaders, is a $130 Billion, that is billion with a B, effort in this state.

The last time that we went down to the Keys, we were sitting in a gas station in Miami when a very large creature appeared right in front of our car, it was an exotic alright, it was a huge, wild, green iguana.

It would not be the only one we saw on our way back to the Freeway.

No, they are not native here and much of Miami now looks like a zoo because of the out of control numbers of them running the streets, more than likely the result of countless owners who tired of feeding them and just threw them out for the community to deal with.

As a matter of fact, this is exactly how most of these invaders became the huge problem in Florida that they are now.

Selfish, bored, stupid owners who just threw them away.

The exotic species now running amuck in South Florida include: wild Toads, no not the Disney ride, wild rats, wild birds, wild fish, wild or feral pigs, multiple kinds of lizards and a scary species of Crocodile, called the Nile Croc, which in its Native Africa, is a man-eater.

And none of this even begins to cover all of the invasive plants that are now here, doing exactly the same kind of lethal damage to their Native counterparts as well.

It is all simply mind boggling.

And we Floridians have to pay for and deal with all of this because no one has the guts to stop the sale of these exotics once and for all in Florida and indeed the whole Country.

The root for the gluttony of invasive animals, is of course, money.

There is very big money to be made in the business of catching, stealing and selling multiple species of exotics here.

But, the worse part of all of this is, that they are not just a financial problem, they are devouring and driving off or displacing our beautiful Native Florida wildlife, in sickening record numbers in the entire state.

An excellent story with all of the gory details about the exotics invasion of Florida:

Invasive Species Threatening Florida

Is America Still The Land Of The Free?

 

Well finally, someone in this state woke up and said, whoa we have to stop this, now.

Some believe that Scott has run Florida like a Gestapo state, since taking over in 2010.

His attitude in most everything to date, has pretty much been, I am the Governor of this state and I will do exactly as I please, period.

He did after all, spend $70 million of his own money to become the Governor of Florida and believes, I am sure, that this bought him the right to run this state however he sees fit.

Scott's intentions in this matter are "Crystal" clear, those growers who have in the past flooded with no fear of any reprisals, unlimited amounts of toxins into the Everglades and will be allowed, if he gets his way, to renew 30 year no-bid leases, without the public even having a say in it.

Is America still a Democracy?

What these farmers, these powerful growers of sugar and vegetables, do to the land with their poisons, their chemicals, is lethal to both the Everglades and all of the living things that call it home.

Below are two versions of the same story, please read one or both of them and if you care about the Everglades, or if you live near them, your drinking water, please get on your computer, or your phone and tell this man that you will not stand for this kind of dictatorship Government in Florida.

We demand to have a voice in what is being done to our Environment, our wildlife and our wild places here.

The last time I checked, Florida was still part of a Democracy, we have not become a Communist Country yet, have we?

Wildlife Federation Sues Rick Scott

Wildlife Group Challenges No-Bid Leases

Meet Nancy And Rick

 

Rewards do indeed come for those who are patient.

Yesterday, there was nothing of any critical nature to post,

so I relaxed and enjoyed the Super Bowl.

But overnight, something did come to me that must be shared.

There are two people in Mississippi, who are doing what we all should be doing,

seeing trash and garbage in Nature and choosing not to ignore it.

For the past six months or so, this couple has been picking up the garbage left behind in their beloved Bayous, by ignorant, thoughtless jerks who care for nothing, but themselves.

The story about their awesome deeds made the local area news and as they have

recently become my friends on Facebook, I would like to introduce them to you.

So, here is the inspiring story of these two selfless people who think more of

Wild Places and Wildlife, than themselves, what a unique concept~

Couple Cleaning Out The Bayous

Are There No Pressing Issues On This Day?

 

Have not received anything recently, so happily will claim on this most rare of days,

that things are possibly not so bad for our Florida Endangered Wildlife.

Will post if anything does come up in the next few days.

Until then, enjoy the Super Bowl~