It's the Right Time for Whale Watching

Once again, we will be heading back to the Beach to hopefully, finally, get our first glimpse of the most highly Endangered Whale on this Planet, the North Atlantic Right Whale.

This week, they are heading south for the winter to our area for their annual birthing process.

Earlier this year we made three trips to the Atlantic Coast, hoping to be able to see one as they headed North for the summer, but we came up empty each time.

Maybe this time, we will get lucky.

If you also wish to see this remarkable mammal, whose numbers constantly remain between 350-400, you had better head for the South East Coast of Florida, soon.

Right Whale Soon to Make Annual Migration

There Are Two sides to the Python Dilemma in Florida

Our Senator Bill Nelson has just sent a letter to President Obama asking him to speed up the process for including the Burmese and other Pythons on the FWS's injurious species list.

Now, this may seem like a positive step in the direction of eliminating a species which has become the single most destructive force in the Everglades or other sensitive Ecosystems in Florida, but wait ........

The FWS is more than just a little apprehensive about this idea, saying that this may cause even more of them to be dumped into our wild places, mostly our lakes, swamps and rivers.

If this regulation is implemented, dealers would not be able to turn the snakes over to FWS, as they have no plans for accepting them.

You can guess what the fate of the snakes will be then.

FWS says they will only have an occasional, non native species turn in, or no questions asked, "amnesty days" throughout Florida.

Most Floridians have become aware of the history of these dangerous snakes and people are abandoning them as fast as they can, wherever.

These snakes are now being dumped all over our state, killed by dealers, collectors and owners who have either become afraid of them or simply don't want to feed them anymore.

Because of all of the negative news surrounding them, Pythons are no longer the fast money makers that they used to be.

These snakes, through no fault of their own, have become an enemy to be eradicated.

Trust me, I do not care for these types of snakes, but this all seems so sick and just mean.

What we need are rules/laws in place that will stop the sale or possession of these invasive Pythons anywhere in Florida, period.

Once that is done, these money grubbers will have to look elsewhere to make a quick buck and no more snakes will be murdered or worse, dumped into the Florida Everglades or our other Ecosystems, which are right now overrun with them.

It is one giant mess.

Bill Nelson's Python Plan

Does This Seem A Silly or Selfish Question?

I know that this may seem selfish or silly, but could someone please explain why we in Lake County or any county in Florida for that matter, must adhere to a very strict watering code, while we are giving away our very precious water to out of state companies who take millions of gallons out of the ground here daily for free?

I read in our paper a few days ago, that we must all go back to one day a week watering from now until Spring, when our "wet season" returns.

These water companies who came here, brought in most of their own employees to work, so therefore did not help with the Florida jobless problem, then they take our water and bottle it to sell to the world and pay Florida nothing for this?

This all makes those of us who live here, pay taxes and conserve water, feel pretty angry and yet no one running this state seems to mind, why is that?

Today is a Threefer!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has recently released three new management/regulation plans to be reviewed, considered and commented on by the public.

I hope that you will take action on one or all of these, as there are implications of potential negative impact on each individual animal, if the public says or does nothing.

Please remember that they have no voice, except for yours.

The FWC links follow for each individual issue and animal involved in it:

Proposed New Flagler County Manatee Zone Rulings

Submit Your Thoughts on New Gopher Management Here

New Black Bear Management Plan

Endangered Species News Bulletin

If like me, you are very concerned with the way that our wild things and wild places are being treated, this bi-monthly newsletter may be of interest to you.

The first link is for the bulletin and the second is for the sign up page:

The USFWS Endangered Species Bulletin

The Bulletin Sign Up Page

Great Story For Those of Us Who Love Birds

This has been a good week for really well written stories about Endangered Florida species.

Today's is about the elusive Red Cockaded Woodpecker, which at one point was nearly wiped off the face of the Earth, but now is making a brave return due to the vigilance of the USFWS and some really dedicated human friends.

Luckily for us, the most important requirement for this bird are the old longleaf pines, which thankfully can still be found here in the Ocala National Forest.

These magnificent trees once made up most of the U.S. Southeastern woodlands, but were, like the birds who love them, nearly decimated by human greed.

Thank you to Bryan Stevens, for one of the best articles written in a long time about an Endangered bird, who is now on a mission to make it!

BTW Bryan, I share your feelings about the Ivory Billed.

The Red Cockaded Woodpecker

The Florida Scrub Jay

This excellent work by Tom Palmer of the Lakeland Ledger, is one of the best articles to come out in a long time about the only indigenous bird of Florida, the Scrub Jay.

These birds, as have many other species in the state, have been chased from place to place, all over the state, as the builders, contractors and strip malls have moved in and pushed them out.

Too many of Florida's Ecosystems have become concrete playgrounds for the wealthy visitors who come, enjoy and go home without a thought to what their pleasures have cost our wildlife.

As Palmer so correctly points out, the Scrub Jay is a barometer on the health of Florida's fragile scrub lands, much of which are contained within the Lake Wales Ridge, which is also home to many other endangered species, including the sand skink, the gopher tortoise and the scrub morning glory.

So, if the Scrub Jay and the scrub lands are in serious jeopardy, what does that mean for the rest of Florida?

It means that it's time for all of us who live here year round to get off of our behinds and start writing, calling and bringing the kind of noise now on Wall Street to the white sandy beaches of Florida, only this time it's about saving the wild places and wild things, who cannot camp out on the sidewalks of New York or D.C.

Indigenous Bird Is Declining at Dangerous Rate

The Whooping Cranes Have Left Wisconsin and Are Heading South

We in Central Florida have a very personal history with this magnificent bird and none of us will ever forget the violent night of storms and deadly tornados that killed 17 of them and 20 humans on Feb. 2, 2007.

What we here in the Ocala Forest area did not know was, the same tornado that passed over our house that night, taking human lives and leaving massive destruction behind, had already hit the West Coast Wildlife Refuge where the Endangered Cranes lived and had taken a tragic toll there first.

But today is all about hope and eager anticipation, as the Whooping Cranes are once again making their way south and their progress is being followed by several groups.

These three web sites have very detailed descriptions of the Whooping Crane, as well as great resources for learning more about them:

Operation Migration In the Field

Operation Wildlife Migration Cam

Journey North's Whooping Crane Fall Migration Tracking Project

A Favorite New Blog Alert!!

Ok, I have just found a very cool Blog that should satisfy even the most die hard prehistoric science junkies.

You know, the ones who drool over Terra Nova, Avatar, Jurassic Park and the like, yes, myself included.

This unique Blog, comes to you from the great minds at Scientific American, which was a personal favorite reading all through college.

Today's posting is dedicated to the ancient ones of this Earth and reading it made me want to head north to Gainesville to the Natural History Museum at the University of Florida.

If you haven't yet been to the Gator Woman Fossil page, please try to take a look at it and then enjoy all of this tasty fossil matter~

Scientific American Blog: Tetrapod Zoology

Do You Know Bill Maxwell? If You Don't, You Should!

We are very fortunate that our local paper,  The Daily Commercial, runs his column.

Bill is a Native Floridian, a passionate man and most of the time, dead on in his editorials.

But this week, he has made comments that were a little unexpected.

He wrote about the beautiful wild places and wild creatures of our state and surprise, he loves them enough to lay it all out there in his column.

Maxwell writes for the St. Pete Times and running this story in a state, where hunters rule and their lobbyists take no prisoners, took no small amount of courage.

Bill's story is sure to invoke severe criticism from those who fiercely defend their right to "kill at will" and blast any who dare to stand against them.

Bless you Bill, you are one of the few writers here who is willing to take a stand for protecting those who have no voice:

our wild things, our wild places, our Wild Florida.

And, for those who don't like it, they can, well you know.......

Maxwell: Protect Florida's Wild Places From Off Road Vehicles

Something to Think About

Found two thought provoking web sites this morning for your consideration and while both make critical observations on the condition of our planet,

neither offers opinions intended for the faint of heart or mind.

The first is from the Center for Biological Diversity who wonders out loud, as have others forever, just how many more people this already over burdened planet can support:

7 Billion and Counting

The second is from NPR and asks you to consider the pros and cons of the Paleo-Diet, an uprising or movement of sorts, that has found some strong support for its so-called prehistoric or primal lifestyle agenda:

The Paleo-Diet: Not the Way to a Healthy Future

And, what does all of this have to do with Endangered Wildlife Species you might ask?

They both bring into focus the fact that human overpopulation and wide spread animal consumption, are absolutely affecting the wildlife on this Planet and not in a good way.

Get 'em!

See a crime in the wild, there are now multiple ways for concerned

Florida citizens to report violators: call it, email it, online it, or text it!

FWC has become techno savvy with new ideas to keep Florida wildlife safe

and making it easier to get those who harm our wildlife and/or environment.

Now we can all work together to keep Florida wild and free~

To Report a crime in the wild:

To Call:  888-404-3922 or *FWC/#FWC

To Email: fwcnews@myfwc.com

To Text:  Tip@MyFWC.com

Go Online : Wildlife Alert Program

It Is Finally October

The weather is the reason for the season now in Florida.

It is crisp and cool and the air is clean and pure.

Being able to throw open the windows every morning now is a joy.

No air conditioning, just fresh air.

Wait, I can actually hear the Sand Hill Cranes just above the roof.

Fall in Florida has finally arrived.

Time to get out and see what makes this state so beautiful.

From the East Atlantic Coast beaches and lighthouses,

to the West Coast and the snow white sandy Gulf Shores,

all along the panhandle, south to magical Miami
or way down to the Keys,

it is all there and beckoning you to come.

The weather is perfect right now for a drive to anywhere.

Ahhh Florida.........

The Horror of Selfish Humans

For those of you who do not live in Florida, the story in Ohio this week may not have been quite as painful for you, as it was for those here who have had to deal with the out of control, turned loose wherever, wild exotics found all around us.

For some reason, only the idiots who buy/acquire these wild animals can explain, these people try to bring them into an average neighborhood without a thought to the consequences.

And as was the case in Ohio, when these selfish owners can no longer care for them, they just turn them loose, wherever it suits them.

It is hard to understand, harder still to accept.

What happened in Ohio this week is clearly an example of why exotic animals need to be forbidden from being sold or owned, anywhere, ever.

I feel the saddest for little children who had to witness the horror of the ongoing coverage of this story and do not know how each parent managed to explain to their child how or why this all happened.

The whole point is this, exotic animals are not pets, they are wild animals and can never be anyone's pet.

They are wild and should remain so, forever.

Please let us not forget the images we all witnessed this week, for the sake of all those who died, please never forget.

But, we can help change this.

Help to pass the legislation where you live, to outlaw the ownership and sale of exotic animals, like we in Florida are trying so desperately to do.

The forces on the other side are well funded, so it is an uphill battle, at least here in Florida.

No links are given for this story because not one could be found without any pictures.

God Bless them and may they all now rest in peace.

Will the Everglades Ever Be Cleaned Up?

If you read any of the stories below, you may begin to understand why so many years after they were first ordered to do so, the state of Florida has still not done what it has been given $100 million to do, get the toxins out of the Everglades.

Everyone involved has their own excuse, or agenda, but the bottom line is this, no one wants to spend big money on the Everglades.
Cleaning up the Everglades, will find no supporters among the Sugar companies, even though the phosphorus that is its main pollutant, comes from them, nor our own elected officials like Rooney and Mica, who together have helped to set clean water in this state back 40 years.

Checks have been written, delivered and accepted for the single purpose of getting the job done, but someone in Tallahassee will have to commit to it and so far, no one is willing.

And, if you think our new Governor will finally be the one, think again.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas is watching with a heavy heart and wondering who will do the right thing for her beloved Everglades.

Scott's Everglades Plan

Clean Water for Florida, Nutrient Pollution Standards
Dirty Money for Dirty Water

A Clean Win For the Everglades

Federal Judge Questions Results of Everglades Clean Up

Don't Make Us Clean Up the Everglades, But.....

Florida Asks For More Time to Clean Up Everglades

One Tiny Butterfly With One Big Problem

Most of you have probably never heard of the Miami Blue Butterfly.

It is not even as big as your thumb and survives in only one place in the world, the Florida Keys.

The factors leading to the impending demise of the Blue include the usual habitat loss by development and invasive species, but another huge contributor has been the endless chemical spraying in the area for mosquitoes, which has negatively impacted not only the Miami Blue Butterfly, but other species as well.

The biggest problem for the Blue is that to date, its predicament has received little attention, because the agencies responsible for protecting it, have dragged their feet until the last possible minute and now it could be too late.

Enter a group of students from Duke who may be the Miami's last best hope:

Clinic Students Pursue Protection for Endangered Butterfly

Two Out of Three is Good!

Nest counts for Florida Sea Turtles are up.

The Green and Leatherbacks are doing well and the third, the Loggerhead, is at about the same place that it was a year ago, which is still better than the recent past.

But any good news for Sea Turtles, makes those who have been worried for years about their future, breathe just a little better.

All of the hard work done by just regular people and Florida Wildlife Agencies is beginning to pay off and makes the extra efforts worthwhile.

Besides, most coastal dwellers have adjusted to turning their lights off early at night during nesting season to help out~

Storm Brings End to Sea Turtle Season

Greens, Leatherbacks Show High Nest Counts

Sea Turtles Multiply

Do You Know If the Food That You Just Ate Was Real or Memorex?

Do you want Human Growth Hormones (HGH) in your milk?

Do you want to eat fish that has been created, (GMO) or is as the

press and food safety groups like to call it, Frankenfish?

Do you know how much Mercury you eat?

Please take a look at the stories below and ask yourself this question:

Should the former lawyer for Monsanto, Michael Taylor, be in charge of the regulations for food product safety at the FDA?

How stupid do they think the American public is and how long do they think that they can get away with this?

Want an answer, take a look at Wall Street today.

It's time for all of us to ask questions and demand answers.

Americans must demand that our food be safe, free of toxins and chemicals and not genetically modified, (GMO).

Neither we, nor our children, nor our pets, should be eating these potentially dangerous foods.

The American Public is not a Lab experiment for big Corporations, the FDA and/or any Government Agency.

We all have the right to know what we are eating.

This group has a petition that you may wish to read and/or sign:

Just Label It

Please, educate yourself and learn more about real food safety:

Unsafe by Definition: Frankenfish

Frankenfish

"Natural" Food Products with Toxic Chemicals

This Much Mercury

Thanks to the FDA, You Really Have No Idea What's in Your Food

USDA Gives Taxpayer Money to Fund Company's Efforts to Genetically Engineer Salmon

Why is the Government Funneling Money to a Company Trying to Feed Us Frankenfish?

Today is a Terrific Twofer!

Two stories on our local news this morning gave cause for celebration.

The City of Ocala says that they have found a way to "rid " themselves of their duck "problem" without killing the ducks.

They will be sending the ducks to a place where they cannot escape they say and that they will not be killed.

And the second joyous story, the Airboat business so determined to set up shop on Lake Toho, has decided to go elsewhere to run his 20 tourist trips a day.

He gave no reason for his decision, but with all of the negative press and sizable numbers of those against him at each of the previous meetings, I think he got the message.

So, two small victories for Florida Wildlife today.

Yes, we can and do make a difference when we get involved and stand up for what is right for Wildlife.

Ocala's New Plan for Ducks

Calling All Parrot Heads

Last week we took a long drive to Indiana for a family reunion.

It had been nearly 12 years since my last one and it was fun being there, but when we got home it was still hot and muggy here, leaving us missing the nice cool weather of the Midwest.

But yesterday, we finally got the break from the 90's Floridians wait seven long months for, our sort of Fall, southern style!

With the morning temperatures yesterday and today in the low 50's, many Floridians are now yearning for the one place where we can really get away from it all, the Keys.

If you have never been down to the Keys, what on earth are you waiting for?

The seemingly endless road work appears to be finished and it's all just waiting there, to take you away.

I can hear Jimmy Buffet calling my name......

Stretch Project Finally Finished