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Tag: Florida animals

Florida Fauna & Flora – The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

 

Are you looking for an outdoor adventure? Take a hike on The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail to observe native Florida animals, birds, butterflies and trees. There are 510 designated sites in the panhandle, east, west and south Florida.

 

In our local area, you’ll find sites in both the east and west. In Citrus County make a visit to the Crystal River Preserve State Park, Flying Eagle Preserve and Withlacoochee State Forest. In Lake County, look for the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area, Lake Louisa State Park and the Seminole State Forest. In Marion County enjoy the Ocala National Forest Salt Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park and World-Famous Silver Springs State Park. In Sumter County you’ll find the Lake Panasoffkee Wildlife Management Area and the Marsh Bend “Outlet” Park.

 

The Florida Department of Transportation and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida support the Trail. The program is overseen by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Millions visit The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail every year. Its economic impact is over $1 billion for the state, but the Trail’s goal is to encourage conservation of our native habitats and species.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

 

Read the full January 2022 SECO News online.

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Sailfish

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Sailfish

 

One of the most popular game fish in Florida is the sailfish – which is also the official state saltwater fish. Sailfish are known for the large, blue first dorsal fin that looks similar to a sail. It has a long, thin spear-like upper jaw. The upper part of the fish is blue-black with brownish sides and a white or silver underbelly.

 

Sailfish grow up to 11 feet and can weigh as much as 220 pounds. They grow quickly and feed voraciously on squid and smaller fish. In the summer, sailfish move closer to the southeastern Florida shores to spawn in shallow waters. Sailfish may swim alone or in small groups.

 

If you hook a sailfish, be ready for an acrobatic fight while it tries to escape. These fish are powerful, and they will jump and shake their heads to remove a hook. Look for schools of squid, mullet, pinfish, blue runners and scad that attract sailfish. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recommends reviving and releasing sailfish.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: In one year, a sailfish will grow to 4 – 5 feet. The state record sailfish weighed in at 126 pounds.

 

Source: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

 

Read the full June 2021 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Florida Manatee

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Florida Manatee

 

One animal that is uniquely Floridian is the manatee. Florida manatees are native to Florida and are a sub-species of the West Indian manatee. These gentle giants grow to 9 – 10 feet long and weigh in at about 1,000 pounds. This gray aquatic mammal has two fore-limb flippers and a paddle-shaped tail that help it steer and propel through the water. Manatees can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes. When active, they rise up to breathe every 3 to 5 minutes.

 

Manatees are herbivores who spend up to 8 hours a day grazing on aquatic plants and seagrass, and eating about 10% of their body weight daily. They have no front teeth – only molars in the back of their mouth that are replaced when a tooth is lost.

 

Scientists are concerned about the number of observed manatee deaths this year. In 2021, there are 539 recorded deaths from January 1 through March 19, compared to 637 total deaths for 2020. This is an alarming trend that is on the rise. Manatee deaths can be attributed to a decline in seagrass and added pollution.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Manatees have been a protected species in Florida since 1893. They feed and rest in shallow waters which makes them an easy target for boats.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

 

Read the full May SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Alligator Snapping Turtle

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Alligator Snapping Turtle

 

Alligator snapping turtles look like a holdover from prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed the earth. You can find this unique reptile throughout the southeastern United States and as far north as Iowa. It is the largest species of fresh-water turtle.

 

Alligator snapping turtles rarely venture onto land. Females lay eggs on the ground then quickly return underwater. This carnivore has a tongue with a bright-red piece of flesh that resembles a worm. The species lays on the bottom of a riverbed or lake with its mouth open to lure fish directly into its mouth. This turtle can hold its breath underwater for 40 to 50 minutes.

 

These turtles are giant – males may weigh up to 200 pounds. Alligator snapping turtles have no predators in the wild. They are not on the endangered species list, but their numbers are dwindling because humans like to trap them for their distinctive shells and meat. Many states have bans on killing these turtles.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Prey has a hard time hiding from alligator snapping turtles. They can taste substances secreted by prey in the water that alerts them when a tasty meal is hiding nearby.

 

Source: The National Wildlife Federation

 

Read the full February 2021 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Northern Bobwhite Quail

Northern bobwhite quails are medium-sized birds with round bodies, short tails and short necks. Their plumage is reddish-brown with white and gray streaks. Bobwhites are named for their distinctive “bob-white” call.

 

Bobwhite quails feed and roost in coveys of 8 to 25 birds. They forage on the ground for seeds, insects, fruits and plants. Females lay 12 to 16 eggs in a shallow nest built on the ground hidden beneath vegetation. Adults measure about 10 inches from the tip of beak to tail.

 

This quail is found throughout most of Florida except the southern tip. Muted plumage makes them hard to spot in their preferred habit of grassy fields and pine woods. Pesticide use and loss of habitats are contributing factors to the decline in northern bobwhite quail numbers. Its conservation status is “near threatened.”

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Northern bobwhite quails are the only galliform (an order of ground-feeding birds that includes turkey, pheasant, chickens, peafowl and more) native to eastern North America.

 

Read the full November 2020 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Ruby-throated Hummingbird

 

The most common hummingbird found in Florida is the ruby-throated hummingbird. You may also see black-chinned and rufous hummingbirds according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension. The ruby-throated hummingbird is also eastern North America’s only breeding hummingbird.

 

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are tiny. They measure only three inches long and weigh less than a penny. Males have the signature ruby-red feathers on their throats. Their back feathers are green, and they have two sets of green and black tail feathers. As is the case with many birds, females are less colorful; their feathers are green, white and black.

 

Hummingbirds do not hum. The noise is the rapid flapping of their wings. Ruby-throated hummingbirds beat their wings about 53 times per second. Hummingbirds can hover in the air, move forward and backward, down and upside down. Hummingbirds cannot soar, and their very short legs prevent them from walking or hopping.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Hummingbirds have excellent color vision. Like many birds, they can see into the ultraviolet spectrum which humans can’t see.

 

Read the full August 2020 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Eastern Spotted & Striped Skunks

Eastern spotted skunks and striped skunks are found in all areas of Florida except for the Keys. These common Florida skunks are the size of a housecat. They have black and white fur, small heads, short legs, bushy tails and most notably an ability to spray an oily, unpleasant-smelling musk (up to 15 feet) that is hard to ignore.

 

Female skunks give birth in the spring to a litter of four to seven kits. Around six weeks old, the kits learn to forage for food with their mother and remain with her for several months. They learn defensive strategies, the most effective being the aforementioned oily, musky spray that deters predators.

 

The skunk’s chief predator is the great horned owl although loss of habitat has drastically reduced the skunk population in recent years. Skunks are omnivores – their diet includes both animals and plants. They are usually active at night and are known to knock over trash cans and forage for food scraps.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Like Pepé Le Pew there’s a lot to love about skunks (except the smell). The striped skunks’ diet is heavy on insects – about 70% – great for pest control.

 

Read the full May 2020 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Whitetail Deer

Whitetail deer are the smallest members of the North American deer family. This deer is found throughout Florida from the Panhandle to The Keys. Whitetail deer are so named for its ability to raise its tail like a white flag to warn other deer of danger nearby.

 

This deer has sharp hearing, a keen sense of smell, an athletic body and an apprehensive personality. In summer, whitetail deer are a brownish-red, but in winter their coat changes to a grayish-brown color. This color change happens quickly in just a few weeks.

 

A whitetail deer’s size varies depending on its habitat. Florida’s adult male whitetail deer are much smaller than the reindeer that pull Santa’s sleigh. Its average weight is 115 pounds, but deer found in North Florida can reach upwards of 190 pounds. Females are generally smaller than males and average 90 to 120 pounds.

 

Males or “bucks” grow antlers each spring which are often used in fights to establish dominance and compete for females during breeding season. Females or “does” give birth to one to three fawns in late spring to early summer. In the wild, a whitetail deer will typically live about 5 years, but some have been found to be as old as 11 years.

 

Read the full December 2019 SECO News online.

Florida Fauna & Flora – Thoroughbred Horse

Thoroughbred horses are synonymous with Ocala/Marion County area, as it is coined the “Horse Capital of the World™.” These hot-blooded, highly intelligent horses are known for their agility and lightning-fast runs – reaching speeds up to 40 mph. Thoroughbreds are large, muscular, powerful horses that are innately elegant and graceful.

 

Horses are measured in “hands.” A hand is equal to four inches. A horse’s height is determined from the ground up to the tallest point on its body called the withers – the ridge between the animal’s shoulder blades. An average-sized thoroughbred horse is 16 hands or 64 inches. Average weight is 1,100 pounds.

 

Male thoroughbreds are stallions and females are mares. Foals (not ponies) are born after a gestation period of about 11 months.

 

Ocala/Marion County is the proud home of two Triple Crown winning horses – Affirmed in 1978 and American Pharoah in 2015.

 

Read the full May 2019 SECO News online.