Walking with the Alligators

Walking with the Alligators
A Florida Alligator

March 30, 2011

Tree Islands in the Everglades Caused by Early Humans

A recent study has shown that these Islands in the Everglades were actually a result of the accumulated trash of our ancestors and were used by many of the local residents then and now, human and animal alike.

March 27, 2011

When is a Scrub Jay like a Termite?

This unlikely comment came from Councilman Bill Deile in Cape Coral Florida, while discussing the costs that might be involved in their town's dealings with the very endangered Florida Scrub Jay.
The wide range of nonsensical, bordering on callous remarks, made about the Scrub Jay, who by the way, is our only Native Florida Bird, by those who run this town, are an affirmation that Wild Things or Endangered Birds are not terribly high on their agenda.
Another example: Thinking that a wild bird who prefers quiet, isolated scrub lands would be happy to relocate to a noisy, busy city park?
Would any of these Council Members be willing to put their bedrooms outside in this same park?
They could still carry out their mating/courting rituals there, right?
It all seems fair to me.

March 24, 2011

Do You Know What's in your Can of Tuna?

If you eat Tuna as much as I do, please read the following.
Do you know how the Tuna you eat is caught?
Do you know about Sustainable Catching?
Did you know that overfishing is eliminating many necessary large fish?
Are you wondering why on Earth this subject would be addressed on a Blog about Endangered Wildlife?
Read on, you will learn....
There are different ways to catch tuna and if it's done wrong, innocent sea creatures may die needlessly, including: Sea Turtles, Dolphins and Sharks.
AHA!
What happens in the World's Oceans affects all of us, whether we eat tuna
or not.

March 21, 2011

Is the Endangered Species Program Endangered?

With a new leader at the top, this last line of defense
for the defenseless, may itself become endangered.
Is the man at the center of all the controversy, Paul Souza,
merely a mouthpiece for the White House or a man on a mission?
His past decisions say that perhaps both may be true.

March 18, 2011

It's a big "no thank you" to Golf Courses in Panther Habitat

A bill only just introduced last week to allow 5 new golf courses be built
in State Parks and Panther Habitat are all done, almost before they began.
The Bill introduced by Florida Republicans Rooney and Thrasher would have put these golf courses in Panther Habitat and nearly certainly have finished off the already beleaguered Panther.
The idea for the new courses according to Nicklaus, who would have designed and built them, was endorsed by Governor Scott when the two met to discuss ways to increase tourism.
We only have 1,000 plus Golf Courses in Florida right now, making us number one in the country.
If only our Panther numbers were that high!
Can you hear the sighs of relief from the Panthers and Wildlife Officials?

March 15, 2011

Who will Stop the "Eco-Train Wreck" in Florida

As hoped for, a lawsuit has been initiated by multiple Environmental groups against the NPS, the DOI and the USFWS to stop the attack on the pristine Ecosystem known as the Big Cypress Preserve in Florida.
And the fox most responsible for not protecting his flock, has just been put in charge of the hen house: Florida's "Eco-Train Wreck"
This last bastion of hope for the critically Endangered Florida Panther and other species cannot be sacrificed for the selfish weekend pleasure of recreational vehicle users.

March 12, 2011

Panther Tracks Found

A sign of hope for the beleaguered Florida Panther, could it be?
In an area where it historically most probably once roamed freely,
before Humans took away it Habitats, Panther Tracks have been found.
The sighting along the St. John's River is fairly near us and as one can only imagine, the hope for more is unspoken for those who love the Panther.

March 9, 2011

What was in that Glass of Water you just drank?

If you live in rural Florida as we do, you have reason to be concerned.
In our part of Florida, there are field after field of cows and mountains of their waste.
Florida is basically a huge aquifer and our drinking water lies just below the surface, so everything on the ground eventually ends up in our water.
It rains constantly here and guess what happens to all of that cow waste when it does?
It is filtered down right through the sand and into our water tables.
We are reminded quite frequently on local news to be vigilant in our use of pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals on our lawns because it can contaminate our water.
But I have yet to hear a single story on the news here about all of the cows and the mountains of their waste that must surely be polluting our drinking water.
Every living thing in Florida depends on fresh, pure water for life,
human and wild, we all need water!
It would seem that California is already very aware of this fact and hopefully they will force this issue to front page news.
Yes, we do "Got Milk" , but what we need is clean drinking water!

March 6, 2011

This is the way it should be~

In the world of Endangered Species, the Whooping Crane is at the top of the list.
The future of this and so many Endangered Animals depends on whether or not we get it right and how soon!
So, when two countries like America and Canada come together for the benefit of a rare and beautiful creature, the result can be extraordinary.
The heroic efforts of many people from our countries just may hold the greatest hope yet for the Whooping Cranes and it would seem that this time, we may have gotten it right and it just might work.

March 3, 2011

It's Turtle Time In Central Florida

After spending the last 3 days at Flagler Beach looking in vain for Right Whales, came home to find out that the Nesting Season for our East Coast Turtles has begun.
Volusia and Brevard Counties are revving up for what could be a great season and the Lights Out Campaign is now underway: