It is a good day to find an event near you and learn more
about the beautiful Wildlife
they will still be around to help celebrate this day too.
they
are today mostly considered to be extinct.
there were many Tribes of Native People all over this state.
One of those Tribes was the Timucuans and they once lived where I do now.
must have meant to them.
particular place, was the lack of humans and abundance of
wildlife here.
and probably for the very same reasons.
I wish I could have met
you, there are so many questions.
Come say hello to the newest creature to join Gator-Woman.com, the
Seahorse.
To be exact, the Dwarf Seahorse, whose page is here:
Dwarf Seahorse
At the present time, neither this Seahorse, nor as far as I
know, any other
Seahorse,
is listed as an Endangered Species, but after receiving
a press release this week
from
the Center for Biological Diversity about the situation with
the Dwarf Seahorse here in Florida, I did some checking and
decided
to make them a page
in anticipation of what sadly may become
Florida's newest member on the Endangered Species List.
I sincerely hope that as was the case with the
Miami Blue Butterfly,
those in charge do not wait until none can be found to finally
list them.
Meet the fascinating Dwarf Seahorse
May 6, 2012
Manatees Will Get New Safe Passage In
Flagler
At a recent meeting in Crystal River, the Florida Fish and Wildlife decided to give
Manatees a little more room for safe passage in the Intracoastal Waterways
of Flagler Beach; still all totalled, it is less than three miles long.
This new Manatee speed zone law does not go into effect until May of 2013,
and will only be enacted between May and September.
The fine for failure to adhere is $60.
For the moment, it would seem that wildlife advocates and area Boaters are at peace.
How long it will last depends on whether or not the Manatees continue to be safe.
Slow Speed Zones Approved For Intracoastal In Flagler
May 3, 2012
Today Is A Marine Life Threefer
First, May 1st is the beginning of
Sea Turtle Nesting Season for several
Counties on Florida's Atlantic Coast and from now until
October 31st, the lights of residents must be off at night on
the beach.
This is to help avoid confusion and/or death for the babies of
the four species of sea turtles
who will be hatching and heading out to sea for the first time
during this period.
Sea Turtle Nesting Season Starts Today In Volusia and Flagler
Second, there is now serious concern that Global Warming may
be helping to speed up the
demise of the already critically Endangered
Right Whale.
Scientists Worry That Warming Seas May be Harming The Endangered Right Whale
And third, high noise levels due to seismic testing in the
waters off of the Atlantic Coast
are drowning out the normal everyday activities of marine
life, both dolphins and whales.
There is a petition here for you to read and hopefully sign:
Don't Drown Out Dolphins' Voices
April 30, 2012
Manatees Are Managing the Best That They Can, For Now
As if they didn't already have enough challenges in their
daily lives,
now the Manatees on
Florida's Gulf Coast will have yet another human
created hazard to threaten their safety; oil drilling.
Recent approvals in Congress will give the big oil companies a green light
to drill away
in the fragile Manatee habitats of the pristine waters of the Gulf Coast of
Florida.
Sierra Club News
Congress Deserves an F
April 27, 2012
Orlando's New Turtle Trek Brings You Face to Face With Turtles
Yes, this is the land of magic and SeaWorld Orlando will be
making
a lot of it for the lucky visitors to their Park.
Their newest attraction which opens today at SeaWorld Orlando,
has everything any turtle lover could ever want,
including a 3D 360-degree dome, to experience their
video/film in a setting something like a theater in the round.
Learn more about this exciting new way to enjoy our
wildlife:
SeaWorld's Turtle Trek: Keeping It Hyper-Real
Turtle Trek Opens
Today
Turtle Trek
At SeaWorld Orlando: YouTube
April 24, 2012
Today Is Another Twofer
The Rodman Dam
First, the damn dam may finally, thankfully be coming
down.
Nearly fifty years later, the biggest mistake in the history
of Florida's
natural environment is about to become ancient history.
The Rodman Dam is facing the final hoop to be jumped through
and wiser/cooler heads in this state may indeed prevail at
last.
Can you hear the sighs of wildlife up and down the Ocklawaha
River?
After 44
Years, Dam To Be Razed
The Babies Are Headed North
After a tumultuous winter in the South, the fledgling Whooping
Cranes
have left Alabama and are headed North to Wisconsin for
the summer.
One female left early and is already up there.
Hopefully next winters trip to Florida will be unfettered by
beaurcratic red tape and human interference.
Safe journey little ones, see you this winter~
Endangered Whooping Cranes End Winter Stay In Alabama
Young Whoopers Take Flight
April 21, 2012
In Honor of Earth Day Tomorrow
Please consider these things in your reflections about what this
very important day means to you personally:
Two years after the greatest environmental disaster in this country,
Wildlife in the Gulf are still dying.
For Earth Day: 9 films that will
change the way you think about the World.
Court Rules Against Habitat for Florida's critically
Endangered Panthers.
In spite of the massive outcries from all over America,
the ugly
Keystone Pipeline is still not dead.
April 28th is the Fourth Annual Save the
Frogs Day.
And lastly, somewhere in an Ocean near you today,
a whale may
respond to some military
sonar testing
and become confused, or disoriented and beach itself causing
its death.
Please remember on this Earth Day, that we share this entire
Planet
with those who have no voice, other than ours, to speak for
them.
Please make your voice heard for them on Earth Day and every
day.
God Bless.
April 17, 2012
Is Florida HB 1117 Really Dead or Not?
If you don't read the St. Pete Times, or the Daily Commercial,
you could be missing
out on the best Environmental reporter in this or
any other state,
his name is Bill Maxwell and he always goes for the jugular.
Case in point, Bill's story today on the true status of the
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my bill,
a subject written about on this Blog on March 15, 2012. (See
Blog below)
Only a few short days ago, it looked like Governor Scott
was sending this
nasty bill to the junk pile, (See Blog below) but not so fast, Bill says.
As Mr. Maxwell so accurately points out today, nothing is ever
really over,
not when it comes to politicians.
They are always looking out for number one and that would be
themselves.
So, will this bill really stay dead?
We shall see.
Don't blink, turn your back or close your eyes.
Politicians are counting on you having a short attention span
and a bad memory.
But, please do read Bill Maxwell's great story:
Ecological
Shortsidedness Alive in Florida
April 14, 2012
Why Would You Want to Save a Tiny Lizard,
When You
Could Have Another Car Dealership?
In a world where money is king, animals have to do the best
that they can to survive.
Here in Lake County, we have a perfect arrangement for
businesses to get around those annoying
Environmental protective laws and deal with Endangered Species
interference,
they simply donate a sum of money to go towards another
area where this particular
endangered animal is found and then they are free to build and
kill at will.
Does anyone actually oversee this donating process or do we
assume it will be done as specified?
God knows that we do not have enough Car Dealerships in
Central Florida,
and we certainly should not let an animal stand in the way of
new business.
I feel so bad, but not as bad as these tiny lizards who do not
know that they are
about to be bulldozed to their deaths, so that a new Car
Dealership can be built.
Can you say Boycott?
Until
April 23rd, you can send FWS your thoughts at:
northflorida@fws.gov
SUBJECT: "Attn: permit number TE65123A-0"
New Nissan Dealership Could Harm Sand Skink
Sand Skinks Have Turned Up in Eight Lake County Projects
April 11, 2012
There Is So Much Good to Say
Today.......
First, the Governor has intelligently
rejected the Lions and Tigers and
Bears,
oh my, bill....
Next, the Miami Blue Butterfly has been
granted
Federal protection,
now that no one can seem to find one anymore!
The American Crocodile has not only
survived human interference,
but
has
actually blossomed in South Florida.
If you are concerned about the possibility of hunting in the
only Panther Habitat
in the
Big Cypress Preserve, the deadline for comment has been extended,
please
make your thoughts known to the Parks Department.
And finally,
protection for wild turtles in this country from being caught
and
sold by the millions worldwide may become a reality.
This has been a good, busy week for Endangered Wildlife.
Time to celebrate!
April 8, 2012
Mighty Marjory, the Mother of the Everglades
Marjory Stoneman Douglas with
a
Miccosukee Tribe member in 1965
Photo credit: Florida State
Archives
Yesterday was the birthday of a remarkable woman,
Marjory Stoneman Douglas.
She would have been 122 years young and we could really use
her help right now,
because the place that she loved nearly all of her adult life is
still in trouble.
Today her beloved Everglades
is still being polluted by the big Sugar companies
and robbed of its life giving water supply by the greedy in south
Florida.
This vital Ecosystem has
improved very little since she died in 1998
and it is sad
because she fought so hard, for so long to change
the selfish thinking that put this natural treasure and
those that call it home, in such serious jeopardy.
Well educated and well bred, Marjory was the daughter of a
wealthy father,
and could have had an easier life working at his
newspaper, the Miami Herald.
But instead, she chose to fight for causes that very few
others at the time embraced,
like women's rights, racism, preserving the environment,
and saving a wild wilderness called
the Everglades.
She was truly a mighty woman and we should honor her
lifetime of struggles,
by finishing what was most important to her,
by saving the Everglades.
April 5, 2012
They're Finally Back!
A few mornings ago when I took our
Airedale
out in the early
darkness,
a friend was waiting for us on the front porch,
a tiny female green treefrog.
It had been so long since we saw them last, that we were
wondering
if we had lost them all over the winter,
but there she was telling us that it was finally warm enough
for
them to come out for the summer.
Welcome back little ones and happy hunting.
April 2, 2012
Right Whales Births
One of the most Endangered mammals on Earth, the Right Whale,
has apparently recorded very low birth numbers this
year.
After two trips and six days last Spring to Flagler Beach, which
normally
has frequent sightings and seeing none, we are not
surprised.
Locals there who often see them just off shore at this time,
said that there had been few reports of any that year.
Academic thinking is a lack of food, but we have another thought.
The US Navy, who is now and has been for years very active
along the Atlantic Coast,
has just begun a new offshore training range in the pathway that
the whales use
to travel up and down the Coast to give birth here in
Florida and Georgia.
It seems like Endangered Wildlife just can't get a break.
We stopped the hunting
of these whales in the 1930's,
but now our Military has become their biggest
enemy.
Poor Calving Season for Right Whales
March 30, 2012
Restoration Money Goes To Those Who Best Understand Mother
Earth
The Miccosukee people of Florida will get
Tribal Wildlife grant money of $199,0000 to
help restore the damage done to the Everglades,
Lake Okeechobee,
the
habitat of the Endangered Snail Kite and to
deal with Mercury contamination.
Tribes
Receive $4.2 Million in Conservation Grants
Salazar Announces More Than $4.2
Million in Conservation Grants
March 27, 2012
Can
A Tiny Skink Stop A Million Dollar Project?
The only thing that is better than this story is when a
Gopher tortoise
shuts down a huge development dig!
Although we have lived here since 2004, I have only seen this
elusive creature once.
It slid across the grass one hot summer day, right up to the
front step where it
sat quietly for moment and then died right it front of me.
I had no idea what it was or even if it was safe to do so,
but I picked it up and carried it into the house.
I studied it, then Googled it and learned about it.
It was a beautiful, endangered silver
sand skink, that now has its own
page here and hopefully one day, another will bless us with
its presence.
Lizards May Be Obstacle For Proposed Sports Complex
March 24, 2012
I Have Nothing to Say Today
I need time to grieve for HER and somehow deal with her
senseless death.
She did not need to die!
March 23, 2012
She Is Dead
The mother Black Bear who bit a Condo
resident last week is dead, they killed her.
Her baby, they say, has been shipped off to a Marion County Endangered Animal Sanctuary.
This will, I repeat, will happen again and again.
Do you know why?
Because nothing, absolutely nothing, has changed in this
situation,
except that this young mother was killed.
The trash crates are all still at the doors of these Condo residents,
and likely everywhere else across Central Florida.
Condo garbage dumpsters are not secured and this will keep
happening until someone
at the top of this needless nightmare, stops it with real
legislation with some teeth in it.
A law must be passed to hold condo management and owners, as well
as home owners responsible for their garbage.
A beautiful, wild, warm blooded animal should not have to die
because
lazy, thoughtless, idiots refuse to lock up their garbage.
Remember the line in Avatar?
"This is your fault, they did not need to die?"
She did not need to die!
Longwood Sow and Cub Are Caught
March 21, 2012
What Do Ted Turner and the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Have in Common?
Well, Ted is a gazillionaire who actually uses his wealth
to care for Endangered Wildlife on
this planet and this particular woodpecker, the
Red Cockaded, is one of those fortunate
wild animals that he is helping to save from extinction.
Actually, this very rich, most private man, has done this
repeatedly throughout his life.
He simply, quietly, without a lot of back patting and press,
goes about the very
important business of trying to save Endangered wild things from dying on his
watch.
Turner is one of the good guys and even though he doesn't care
one bit for this sort of thing,
"Hey Ted, you truly are a great guy and thank you from all of those
who cannot speak,
at least not in a language we humans can understand."
Congratulations to Our 2011 Recovery Champions
March 18, 2012
Read Jarhead's story
Photo: FWC
It is Mommy and Baby Bear Season Right Now
in Central Florida
We have another, let me repeat that, another tragic
Black Bear situation here in Central Florida.
A young bear mother with a cub who may lose her life today.
Please ask why?
Because she had the audacity to eat at the Condo Bear Buffet in
Orlando.
This particular Condo Complex has countless residents and it would
appear
that every
single one of them has a crate right at their front door
filled with
garbage.
They also have on these same Buffet grounds, very large
dumpsters that do not appear
to even be closed, let alone bear proofed.
So, enter the mama bear and her baby one night this week,
doing what every hungry bear in a buffet will
always do, eating the food left out for them.
A woman came up on the snacking pair at the open dumpster with her
dog and everybody panicked.
The woman turned to run away, terrified and fell down, the
bear bit her on the back side.
No, the lady was not critically injured, just some stitches, I
believe.
But.......
Traps have now been set and FWS says that because the mamma bear,
with her cub in tow,
bit a person, it must be killed.
They say they do not know what will happen to the cub.
Okay, we went through this exact same situation, minus the
biting, very recently and
there was a tremendous uproar, everybody went nuts about the
mamma
bear and the baby.
In the end the mamma bear was killed, we were not told what became
of the baby.
Now, here we are again.
Yes, I called PETA and asked for
intervention on Saturday morning.
They said, they are aware of the situation and that it is tragic.
Translation, they don't want to go up against FWS in this
case.
There is a solution, but absolutely no one wants to do it.
Not the Condo Mangers/Owners or the residents of this and
countless
other similar
residences here in Black Bear country in Central Florida.
We must enforce the "keep trash locked up" or Black
Bear Trash rule.
If there is no "bear buffet," the bears will go away.
Every time they come into populated areas, the same thing
happens, bears get killed.
Being "bear aware" should be a law when you live where they
live.
Bears will eat what is easiest to get and when it is
constantly put right in front of them......
Condo owners and residents need to look in the mirror when
this next mother and baby
die because of their lazy, selfish refusal to do what is right
to save them.
We should also be going to schools and talking to kids and
teachers about this.
You know how this idea works:
"Mommy we shouldn't put our trash there,
the bears will come and then the mommy bear will get
killed."
Trash Education can save a life, a bears life.
March 15, 2012
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
Okay, maybe only giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos and
tapirs.
This could only happen in Florida, right?
After all, this is the land of the Magic Kingdom and the Orlando Magic.
A bill,
HB1117, surprisingly called the Jurassic Park Bill,
has just been approved in Tallahassee and only awaits the
governors' signature
to become a law that will then allow zoos to turn wild
animals loose to graze.
What ?
I saw this two days ago and had to open my big mouth, of
course, in response to a
quite thoughtfully written story by Frank Cerabino of
the Palm Beach Post.
My usual, unemotional, unbiased comments in response to his story were as
follows:
"How much
more can the beleaguered
wildlife in this state
endure?
The list of endangered
plants and animals is
now hovering at 200.
Habitats have been given
away to developers,
golfers, boaters and
let's not forget the
Cross Florida Barge
canal to nowhere.
Panthers
are hit and
killed nearly every day because
they have nowhere else
to go,
Gopher Tortoises
are
buried alive for
buildings,
Birds and
Butterflies
are driven from their
ancestral homes for
recreational facilities.
When, where does it
end?"
Wildlife Bill is Legislature Unleashed
Concerns Grow Over Florida's Jurassic Park Bill
Florida Zoos Could be Allowed to Breed on State Land
Jurassic Bill for Zoos Heads to Scott
March 13, 2012
Oh, Joyous Spring
Our Gopher Tortoise, Harriet
This morning our wayward Gopher
Tortoise, Harriet, popped up out of her hole
and sat for quite some time basking in the warm sunlight at the
edge of her burrow.
Once she was warm enough, she began cleaning and sweeping
the opening,
and as to be expected, sand went flying everywhere~
Her next move was to enjoy her favorite "weeds" that we never
remove in the yard.
Hunger taken care of, she disappeared back down into her
domain.
Today is the first time that we have seen Harriet since winter
began.
We hold our breath every time that she disappears for long
periods,
never knowing if she has left us for a better place to live,
or
been run over
while ambling down the busy road on the other side of our
fenced property.
So, seeing her this morning is cause for celebration.
She is home, she is safe and hopefully will spend the entire
summer eating
everything that she loves here, all of which have no
pesticides to harm her.
Welcome to Spring Harriet!
March 12, 2012
To Keep Hydrilla, or Not, That is the Question~
Lake Toho is engaged in a multisided battle with a plant,
some fishermen and some duck hunters.
The plant is Hydrilla and it was introduced into the lake many
years ago,
for what purpose, is not exactly clear to me.
The plant has spread and taken over every place that it touches,
like most weeds do.
Enter the Everglades Snail Kite, key word here
is Everglades
Kite.
This beleaguered bird was driven from its ancestral Everglades
home by human greed
and has just recently fairly successfully taken root in Lake
Toho.
The kite's primary food is a snail that loves the Hydrilla,
so the snail has food and the kite has food, problem solved.
But wait........
The recreational people mentioned above, who use lake Toho are
now going head to
head
and nose to nose over just how much Hydrilla should be allowed
to remain
in the Lake.
Each group has their own opinion and legal forces to speak for
them,
all that is, except for the Everglades Snail Kite,
who was just about to be come the Toho Snail Kite.
This bird has been pushed and shoved to accommodate selfish,
self centered groups who care nothing about it or its ultimate
fate.
All that each of these groups want to know is, "will I get
what I want."
Who will speak for the Kite?
This very well written story gives a clear history of all
involved.
How Much Hydrilla?The Kissimmee Chain Debate
March 9, 2012
We, the Little People, the 99%, Say NO!
If you still believe that your opinions, your phone calls,
your emails do not matter,
please see the page below.
Passionate people like you and me, can and do, change minds and
hearts.
Okay maybe not hearts.
But the point is, that the power we now have because of our
wondrous wired
world,
we are able to reach out and touch those who are controlling our lives
in Washington and globally, every day.
Thanks to facebook, twitter, texting and just plain email,
dissatisfied, issue educated,
thoughtful humans everywhere are saying, no more!
We have shown in the few past months that we will not go away
because
we the people, now have this power and will not stop until we get what we want.
Lesson learned, keep posting on facebook, twittering, texting
and sending those emails,
keep calling your
elected, well paid politicians in the Senate and the House,
clearly letting them know, that if they do not do what you/we want,
you/we will
vote them right out of office.
See how long they can live on what the lobbyists give them
then!
So, please read the Roll Call page below and pat yourself on the back for a
job done well:
Keystone Pipeline rejected, Arctic drilling rejected, Gulf Spill
Restore Act passed.
How Your Elected Officials Actually Voted On the Keystone Pipeline
March 6, 2012
My MIA Green treefrogs
It has been pretty warm here for a bit and the familiar green lizards/anoles
and southern toads have all been returning, a little more each day.
In fact today, we had our first ruby-throated hummingbird at the window since fall.
The beautiful yellow finches (snow birds) are here in the highest numbers since we
moved in and of course the visiting Robins are happy to bathe with our resident birds.
But what is very sorely missing are my little green treefrogs.
(Yes, the correct spelling is green treefrog according to UF Biologists)
They are such a treasure to us and we have sadly noticed that each year,
there are fewer of them than the year before.
Now with spring in full swing in Florida and all of the others checking in,
it is more than just a little concerning that we have not seen even one by now.
Many Florida Biologists consider them to be the bellwether of our states'
overall well being, so this cannot be good news.
March 3, 2012
The Disappearing Wood Stork
For the past five years, the
Wood Stork has had fewer
and fewer successful nesting seasons
in the place where it historically has had the highest numbers
in the country,
the Corkscrew Swamp in South Florida.
Now in the sixth year of a downhill curve, things do not look any better for this
very endangered bird.
An unforgettable memory for us of this magnificent bird, came about six
or seven years ago
in an area near Lake Okeechobee, out on a long fishing
pier.
A man standing near us was obviously engaged with a Wood
Stork in a humorous situation,
so we stayed to watch the show.
The man would wait for a bite and quickly begin to reel in his
catch, but just as soon as he did,
the bird would jump and snatch his prize
right off of the hook.
It was both funny and amazing to us, but not so much for the
frustrated fisherman.
He said, "Just as soon as I catch one, he jumps in and takes
it,
I've been here all day and it hasn't stopped."
But we could see, that he did not really seem to mind all that
much about his losses.
Thinking about the lack of food and habitat left for this
beautiful bird now,
we had actually witnessed a tragedy in the making.
When a species become so hungry that it will stand and fight
with a human
for something to eat, what should that tell us?
Couldn't we all manage with one less recreational lake area to
fish, boat, swim,
picnic, play and party in, to save a species in a desperate
state of existence?
The Wood Stork used to number in the thousands here in
Florida, but
they have been completely decimated.
They are on the brink and could use a little help from us,
before they are extinct.
Wood Stork Shuns Corkscrew Swamp
February 29, 2012
Feeding the Birds at My Window
If you feed the birds at your window, this story may send
shivers down your spine as well.
Once again toxic insecticides have intruded into our lives and this time
they have
been found in the bird seed that we lovingly put
out for our feathered friends.
The company guilty of doing this is Scott's, the ones who make
Miracle Grow,
and they will be paying some big fines and court costs for their
unthinkable actions.
So, now to avoid eating insecticides, we must not only buy organic
food
for ourselves and our
pets, but also for the beautiful winged ones
we love to watch at our windows.
I am sickened to learn that for all of these years, I have
been feeding
poisoned food to the sweet creatures that I only meant to help.
But, most of all, I am angry with the companies who feel that they
have the right to do this
and that they never would have stopped, if they had not been
caught and dragged into court.
What happened to accountability in American companies and
their leaders?
Where has the moral compass that used to guide America and
Americans gone?
Why have we as a Nation allowed greed, profit and money to
become our ruler?
I personally feel that the president of any company that
produces products with
chemicals/toxins that they know will harm people and/or animals,
should be forced
to consume that product themselves, first.
If they become ill, or worst case, don't survive,
guess their product is not safe enough for the innocents.
Seems fair, doesn't it?
Will be heading out to the store in the morning and
my first
purchase will be Organic bird seed.
Feed the Birds Organically
Avoiding
Poisonous Birdseed
February 26, 2012
The Quintessential Shot in the Dark
A special place, the
Hįlpata Tastanaki Preserve, one of the
few remaining
habitats left in the State for the Endangered
Florida Scrub Jay
is about to become a hunting ground.
Try to imagine being in your bedroom late at night snuggling
under the warm covers
and then boom.......
A shot rings out ending your peace and tranquility,
not to mention your hearing abilities.
When you look up, someone is standing over you, with a shot gun.
This is what is about to take place and the victim of this
scene,
is the very Endangered Scrub Jay, the only bird
native to our state,
who like the Florida Panther,
has only a very tiny habitat
left to call home.
If you live in Florida and have the time and the desire,
please consider attending this public hearing/meeting
of the SW Water Management District:
February 28, at 9AM
2379 Broad Street
Brooksville, Florida
Any questions?
Please call LuAnne Stout at: 352 796-7211 ext. 4605
The Florida Scrub Jay deserves to have Floridians defend its
right to a peaceful night's sleep, right?
Speak Up
For Florida's Only Native Bird, the Scrub Jay
February 23, 2012
No Damn Dam
Earthjustice has filed suit against the U.S. Forest Service in
an attempt to undo
an outrageous waste of money and complete disregard for
wildlife folly known
as the "Cross Florida Barge Canal Project, that was shut down
by Nixon in 1971.
The original project was meant to connect the Atlantic to the
Gulf of Mexico
and when it was stopped, the dam was left behind to the
absolute detriment
of local wildlife, the Ocklawaha River and the Ocala National Forest.
If you drive north on County Highway 19 in Lake County and
head towards Palatka,
you will drive right over this meaningless canal.
This project is kind of the Florida version of a "bridge to no
where."
The dam, once called the Rodman Dam, is now nothing more than
a self serving
recreational play ground for fishing and boating communities
and it needs to come down, so that the wildlife can return to
their ancestral warmer waters, which in the cold months,
are where they desperately need to be to survive.
The lives of the Endangered Manatee
and Shortnose Sturgeon,
are at stake and while they cannot vote, they do have many
concerned Florida voters watching out for them.
Conservationists File Suit to Remove Dam
Earthjustice to File Suit Against U.S. Forest Service
Florida Environmentalists Target Rodman Dam
February 20, 2012
Managing Manatee Habitats
This is one time when human interference is benefiting
Florida's Endangered Wildlife in a positive manner.
Step forward the Nature Conservancy to do some much needed
housekeeping on the Manatee's waterways.
This process will include a dredging sweep of their pathways
throughout Florida.
Once all of the cleanup is finished, the enemies will remain
as they have
always been for the Manatees, boat strikes and severely cold
weather.
A record number of over 1,500 have died in the last three
years,
it is time for the Manatee to get a break.
Florida Manatee: Opening a Door to Survival
Take a
Look at the Process in Progress
February 17, 2012
Where Have You Gone, Oh Beautiful Blue?
Only the size of a quarter, the Miami
Blue Butterfly is/was
one of the rarest, most beautiful creatures to ever inhabit
Florida and now it seems that they may have finally left us.
This is personally sad because on every trip down to the Keys
I look for it,
pretty sure now that the joy of an encounter with a Blue will
not be happening.
The perilous line that these animals walk is wrought with
danger at every turn,
the latest for the Blue being the pesticides used to
eradicate the mosquitoes and
the out of place Iguana, which eats the leaves where the
Blue used to lay its eggs.
Like nearly all of the about to depart our planet species of
this state,
the Blue simply could not compete with never ending
human interference.
If only the people did not dump their unwanted Iguanas in the
Keys and
if only the pesticides were not used all over their last tiny
habitat.......
Goodbye Blue, though I never met you, I will miss you.
Blue Vanishes From the Keys
Iguanas Hunted In Bahia Hondo
February 15, 2012
The people have spoken!
We do not want the Keystone Pipeline.
photo credit: 350.org
815,0000 signatures were delivered to Washington yesterday.
February 14, 2012
How Much Oil Can We Live With?
The two most Endangered Species in Florida, perhaps in the world,
now share one more threat to their existence.
Right now in the Florida legislation there are not one, but two,
Bills on the Docket to support drilling for oil in parks all over
the state.
Two of the Parks on the list are where the
Panther and the Ghost
Orchid
are presently hanging on by the narrowest
thread.
This latest assault on them, may be the final one and
push them to their deaths.
In a state with nearly non stop wind
and sunshine, could someone please explain
why we continue to punish this planet with our archaic
addiction to fossil fuel?
What will it take for Americans to
finally let go of this dirty, destructive source of energy?
How
many oil spills can the Earth survive before she just gives up?
What is that saying, "garbage in, garbage out?"
It is time for
us to refuse to allow Big Oil to own America any more.
Florida Bills: Drill In State Parks
Bill Would Allow Drilling in State Parks
February 11, 2012
And Now, the Newest Victim of the Tar Sands Saga
North American Grey Wolf
As if the potential destruction of the entire water source for eight
states and
their ecosystems was not enough, now the newest victim of the disastrous plan
to cram dirty
tar sands oil down the throats of America, is the Canadian wolf.
Sometimes, I wonder if humans deserve to be allowed to live on
the same
planet with animals, we just don't seem to get along or play
well with others.
Maybe we, the humans, should live on our own planet, one
without anything to interfere
with our master plan, the one where we plow over and
cement in everything living.
I am sure that the
Koch Brothers who own everything oil and
"all that that implies,"
could buy such a place, they have more money than most humans
in the world,
being worth at least $25 Billion, that's billion with a
"b", each!
Canadian Government Plans to Poison Wolves
Wolves to be Poisoned Over Tar Sands
February 8, 2012
Dirty Oil, Dirty Politics
Pipeline Spill in North Dakota
Photo:
Peter Carrels
Although the President said no and the people said no, the
politicians,
(and we the people, the 99%, all know who you are)
who are controlled by the oil and gas industries in this country,
had to do what they were financially obligated to do,
overturn Obama's rejection of the Keystone Pipeline Plan.
The implications of this dirty deal and the deleterious effect
it will have
on our environment and all who inhabit it, will endure for eons.
The next step is a vote in the Full House and then on to the
Senate and after that ......
We the people have spoken, the President has spoken,
but the only speaking that really matters in Washington
appears
to be that of the Lobbyists with the big checkbooks.
The Environment and Wildlife will lose, they cannot speak this
language.
Tar
Nation: Garth Lenz-You Tube
Visuals: Dirty
Oil Sands
Koch
Brothers Positioned to Be Big Winners
Speak Your Mind: Keystone Pipeline
House Panel Advances Keystone Pipeline Plan
Keystone Pipeline: House Energy and Commerce Committee Advances Plan
February 5, 2012
A Sad Ending For Our Whooping Cranes
Adult and Juvenile Whooping Cranes
After an FAA delay stopped the migration journey of a flock of young
Whooping Cranes,
the nine chicks will be now be trucked to an Alabama WR and remain there
for the rest of the winter.
This long delay in their trip undoubtedly confused them, as
once the all clear was finally given,
the Cranes refused to follow the plane and continue on to their intended home in Florida.
The question will always remain, if the FAA had not stepped in and stopped the migration
before it was finished, would this have happened?
Probably not.
These were very young birds and the journey was already a
perilous endeavor to begin with for them.
It is regretful that the Government could not have either made
their move before the trip began,
or after it was finished.
Stopping the migration midway proved too much for the young Cranes who may now
imprint on
this new home in Alabama and will never join the remainder of
the flock here in
Florida.
Endangered Whooping Cranes Stalled in Alabama
Crane Chicks to Finish Migration By Truck
February 2, 2012
The Everglades and Its Inhabitants Are
Losing This War
When the same email subject comes in my mail three times in a morning,
and is on every local news channel,
it must be the subject of today's blog.
This is not a new story and it is not going to end any time
soon either.
The Burmese Pythons in the Everglades
are out of control
and devouring every living creature there.
Our Everglades has become the best buffet in Florida for these
displaced reptiles.
But, the really scary thing is, that soon the victims could be
Florida's human visitors.
Don't think that would look too good on the tourist brochures.
Some one suggested that perhaps the National Guard could be
sent in to set up
a hunting expedition that will not end until they take back the
area.
So, how long might this hunting expedition take?
A very, very long time.
Study:
Pythons Killing Everglades Wildlife
How Burmese Pythons Are Devouring the Florida Everglades
Bill Nelson: Florida Pythons Are Putting Endangered Species At Risk
January 30, 2012
Bald Eagles and Pesticides
Florida has now become a Bald Eagle paradise.
We
see them nearly every single time that we leave the house
and sometimes we don't
even have to do that.
Very rarely one will just soar over our house on its way to
the nearest water.
So, of course, they are everywhere here in Lake County near
the Ocala National Forest.
Duh, their primary food source is fish!
You can spot their terribly messy, huge nests from quite a
distance away.
And every year they just keep adding on to it, until it
finally collapses
under the weight of it all and they simply rebuild.
Seeing them sitting casually on the top of a sign or on a lamp
post is, for a person
who once upon a time would drive for miles just for the hope
of finding one, miraculous.
Watching them soar overhead while driving can make keeping the
car on the road a challenge.
The reason for the remarkable comeback from the brink of
extinction for the Bald Eagle,
was the complete ban of the use of the hideous
pesticide, DDT.
When in the world are we as
a race going to ban ALL pesticides?
We have seen just in this one particular species, the Bald
Eagle, the alpha and the omega.
Why don't we get it?
Pesticides are evil and they must be eradicated if we and they
are to survive.
Pesticides are everywhere, in everything, they are in our
water, in our food,
in the air that we breathe and
worse for me
personally, in our pets foods.
Pesticides have been linked to and are believed to be a
primary cause of many types of cancers.
The San Joaquin Valley in California, the land of super farms,
has one small town,
McFarland,
where the incidence of
leukemia in children under six, was 80%.
And this was just one example, of so many, of what pesticides
can do.
If you, like me, would like to see a world without pesticides,
perhaps you could
write a letter to the President, your elected politician, a
newspaper or whatever,
but please, say something, do something.
Remember the slogan for the big chemical company
"better living through Chemistry?"
The key word is living!
Don't let the Human race become the next Bald Eagle.
Bald Eagles Move Closer To Cities
January 27, 2012
A Very Special Public Event
If you are a dedicated nature lover and live in Florida or anywhere
within driving distance
of the
West Coast of the state, better put this date on your Calendar.
Larry Richardson, the premier Florida Wildlife Biologist and
perhaps our best known
expert on the Florida Panther
and the Ghost Orchid, will
be making a public speaking
appearance on Sanibel Island February 3rd at the "Ding"
Darling Wildlife Refuge.
This is a rare chance to hear from an expert about two of the
most Endangered Species in the world
and Richard is the one who keeps a watchful eye on both of
them.
All of the details about this exciting event are in this
story:
Florida Biologist Coming to "Ding" Darling
January 24, 2012
Fueling Extinction
This is a subject very close to my heart as I have traveled
often through
the lands of the
Ogallala Aquifer and have admired the
beauty of not only
the land, but of the wildlife and the people living
there.
The idea that another horrific
oil spill could happen to this pristine, fragile ecosystem,
was incomprehensible and I have railed against this idea
since first hearing of it.
Now, that the plan has hopefully, finally been put down, it
has been revealed
which species were going to be put most 'at risk' by this
terrible plan.
For those of you not familiar with the Endangered
wildlife of Florida, we had two
of the ten species that could potentially have been
annihilated by the approval
of the Keystone Pipeline, which would have run from Canada to
Texas,
affecting many wild things, ecosystems and human populations
in its pathway.
One only has to bring to mind the two most recent oil
disasters to understand
why this was such a terrible idea to begin with:
the BP Gulf Oil and the Exxon/Mobile Oil Yellowstone
River disasters.
The two Florida species on the 'at risk' list were:
the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
and the Whooping Crane.
Fueling Extinction Report Reveals Top Ten Most 'At Risk' Species
Fueling Extinction: How Dirty Energy Drives Wildlife to the Brink
January 21, 2012
Millions Of Dead Bats Is Very Bad News
If you are one of those people who fear
Bats because of
the stereotype that
they inherited from scary old movies, think about this number:
4,500.
That is the number of insects that a Bat can eat every day.
Now imagine that one day very soon, all of the
Bats just disappear.
There are going to be lots and lots of bugs just waiting to
nibble on
you.
Like the Everglades in August, is what
the U.S. could face without
our very best bug controller around to protect us
anymore.
Bats are wonderful, efficient little creatures who do so much
good for us and
we had better figure out how to stop this disease before we
lose them.
In Florida we have the Gray Bat,
which was already Endangered.
Right now, Bat Deaths number over 5.5 million from White-Nose
Syndrome
and
if help for them doesn't come soon, we may all feel like we are living in
the tropics.
Bat Deaths, a Catastrophe In the Making
Mysterious Killer Threatens Bats
White Nose
Syndrome
FWS News Release PDF
January 18, 2012
It Was a Team Rescue of Endangered Turtles
The US Air Force and the Coast Guard teamed up this week in
Florida to
rescue 29 Endangered green sea turtle
hatchlings.
We know that these two groups regularly save lives all over
the country,
but this was a rescue of an altogether different kind.
These little late bloomers were not quite ready for the now
cold Atlantic and
probably would not have survived the trip without a little
help from their new friends.
The hatchlings were eventually released further out to sea in
a warmer area and with a little luck,
they should have a better chance for survival.
Team Turtle
Rescue
January 15, 2012
Beginning A New Way of Thinking
This week, Goldie Hawn was a guest on Dr. Oz and as they
talked,
he remarked on her youthful appearance for her age.
(She is, by the way, my age and I have always found her to
be a kindred spirit)
He asked her to what she attributed this and she said that
each day she finds
five reasons to be grateful and that in doing so, the
resultant positive mind set
contributes to keeping her healthy and
happy.
She has written a new book and has an organization devoted to
the subject.
I have always found Goldie to be a positive, intelligent,
happy person and have
admired her since the late 1960's, when first I saw her in
the very silly Laugh-In.
So these are the five things that I am grateful for today:
The person that I share my life with died a few days ago
and was
brought back to life by a machine in his chest.
The puppy that we brought home to help us recover from the
tremendous grief
of losing another of her kind is healthy, happy and full of
irrepressible joy.
A field near our home was recently overrun with dozens of
migrating Sandhill Cranes.
There are so many birds at our window eating, that they have to
take a number.
The sun is shining and it is warmer today.
Now this list of five may seem strange to some, but Goldie
did not say that it had to
make sense to others, only to find five things that you are grateful
for each day.
For today, these are mine.
Thank you Goldie.
January 11, 2012
Sometimes Even Red Tape Can Make A Bow
Finally after nearly a month of wrangling, finagling and all
manner of chatter,
the FAA has relented, made a one time exception and
the Alabama waylaid
Endangered Whooping Cranes
are on their way at last, back to Florida.
Welcome home little ones, we hope that your time here will be
just a little
less stressful than the past few weeks have been.
Whooping Cranes Are Cleared For Takeoff
January 8, 2012
Not A Good Week For Whooping Cranes
There were two disturbing stories concerning Endangered
Whooping Cranes this week.
First the annual human led 1200 mile migration flight from Wisconsin to
the
Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida
was halted in Alabama
by Government officials who believe that the flight is in
violation of FAA
regulations because the pilots are being paid, which is against FAA rules.
Some have suggested that if the matter cannot be resolved,
the Cranes could
be released locally in Alabama, which is not good
news for people here in Florida,
as this is their winter home and was their destination before
they were stopped.
Sport Plane Taking Birds To Florida Is Grounded
Then the next day a Whooping Crane was shot and killed in my
home state of Indiana.
Unbelievably, this is the second one to be killed in the past
two years in the state.
Whooping Crane Killed In Indiana
January 5, 2012
It's Cruise Season In Florida, So Be Careful
Where You Swim!
Now that Snow Bird season is in fill swing in Florida, the
Cruise Ships are lined up at
every dock and port in the Sunshine state, from Jacksonville to
Miami.
The tourists and the Cruise Ships bring much needed income to our
state
and we are happy to see them all come here for their
vacations.
But, what we don't want, or need, are the disgusting things
that Cruise Ships leave
behind,
like raw sewage, dumped just offshore of our beautiful Florida
beaches.
The impact that this has had on our wildlife is hard to
understand unless you personally
witnessed the damage done to this same wildlife by the BP
Oil disaster last summer.
And, it's not just in the Oceans, it's also in our local lakes.
Right now, Boaters all over the state are being stopped and
checked
and if they are dumping raw sewage, they are being fined, big time.
Two things to consider, swimming in this cesspool pollution
can make you very sick
and eating any fish that live in it, will as well.
When our waters are used as public bathrooms, we all pay,
eventually.
Doing the right thing is easy, finding people who actually
will........
Miami
Marinetime Law
Time to
Clean Up Cruise Ship Pollution
Florida Boating Laws
January 2, 2012
My 2012 Wish List for Florida's Endangered Wildlife
Like fellow Hoosier David Letterman's Top Ten List,
my
list also begins with number 10:
Number 10: Floridians will
become better Black Bear Aware with their Trash.
Number 9: All of our Endangered Sea Turtles
will have a banner egg nesting season.
Number 8: The little green treefrogs
and lizards will stop disappearing from my
yard.
Number 7: Idiots will stop stealing the
Ghost Orchid, which dies when taken from its home.
Number 6: Whooping Cranes
will increase their numbers and travel to and from Florida safely.
Number 5: Manatees will
have a warmer winter and many fewer collisions with local boaters.
Number 4: Right Whales
will have fewer incidents with Military and Cruise ships in the Atlantic.
Number 3: Florida Panthers
will have their Habitats protected from hunters, golfers and others.
Number 2: The Florida Everglades
will finally get the money allocated to it and get cleaned up.
Number 1: The US Government will realize their
ridiculous mistake of a 3.5% cut to the EPA
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