The mission of The Florida Chapter of the Wildlife Society is to serve and represent wildlife professionals in promoting wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and resource stewardship.
The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society is pleased to announce that Rebecca McKee of the University of Florida is the 2024 recipient of the Courtney A. Tye Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship, Christian Fernandez of the University of Florida is the recipient of the 26th annual Greater Everglades Student Memorial Scholarship, and Felix Roy of the University of Florida is the recipient of the 6th annual Undergraduate Diversity Student Scholarship. Rebecca, Christian and Felix will be recognized for these awards at a banquet during the FLTWS Spring Conference on April 25th in Cape Coral.
The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society will hold its annual Spring Meeting at the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, Cape Coral, Florida, April 24-26, 2024. The Meeting will include a symposium, business meeting, networking socials, student interaction activities, keynote speakers, technical sessions, poster session, banquet dinner, awards ceremony, a field trip and an invasive species workshop on Friday.
The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society will hold its annual Spring Meeting at the Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village, Cape Coral, Florida, April 24-26, 2024. The Meeting will include a symposium, business meeting, networking socials, student interaction activities, keynote speakers, technical sessions, poster session, banquet dinner, awards ceremony, a field trip and an invasive species workshop on Friday.
The latest issue of our FL Chapter newsletter is out. It includes a message from the President, project spotlight, summary of our Spring Meeting, committee reports, scholarship and awards winners, and other important chapter news and announcements.
Grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) are small, short-tailed birds with a white median stripe at the top of a flattened head. Twelve subspecies of the grasshopper sparrow occur in grasslands throughout North America, Central America and the West Indies. Only one subspecies, the Florida grasshopper sparrow (A. s. floridanus) breeds in Florida. Another subspecies, the Eastern grasshopper sparrow (A. s. pratensis) can also be found across the state in the winter months. During the breeding season, Florida grasshopper sparrows are isolated from the eastern subspecies in Georgia by more than 300 miles. Please visit the Florida Birding Trail website for tips on where to see Florida grasshopper sparrows.
The American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is the most widely distributed of the New World crocodiles, ranging from the southern tip of Florida, along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, as well as the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola. It is one of two species of crocodilian native to Florida, the other being the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Crocodiles inhabit brackish or saltwater areas and can be found in ponds, coves, and creeks in mangrove swamps.
Coyotes (Canis latrans) were sporadically introduced into Florida by hunters in the 1920s, but their natural range expansion from the western U.S. began in the 1970s. They have spread throughout the state from northwest Florida and will likely occur in every county within the next few years.
Coyotes are smart and resourceful. They are active during the day and night, and can flourish in most habitat types. They eat a wide variety of small invertebrate and vertebrate prey, but will also eat wild fruits and carrion. All of these characteristics make them very well suited for survival, even as Florida’s human population continues to grow.
The elusive Florida bonneted bat (Eumops floridanus) occurs nowhere in the world but south Florida, and is believed to have the most limited geographic distribution of any species of bat in the U.S. However, so little is known about these bats that even the size of the species range is uncertain!
The bonneted bat is Florida’s largest Chiropteran species, with a wingspan of up to 20 inches. (To put this in perspective, most of Florida’s bat species have a 10-12 inch wingspan.) The ears of these bats are broad and forward-facing, giving their heads the appearance of a bonnet.
Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and the Cabinet approved an investment to protect nearly 28,000 acres of Florida’s natural lands and link existing conservation areas. Today’s actions also mark the first acquisition within the Caloosahatchee-Big Cypress Corridor, an important Everglades and panther habitat.
Click this news item to read more.
With more than 6 million acres of state-managed conservation lands, options for experiencing wild Florida can be difficult to narrow down. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is proud to announce the WMA Recreation Finder, an interactive virtual map for Florida residents and visitors looking to find their perfect outdoor experience on public lands. Click this story to read more.
Help biologists learn more about Florida’s wild turkey populations by reporting all wild turkeys you see during your normal daily activities from June 1 to Aug. 31.
We’re interested in sightings of hens with and without poults (young wild turkeys), and male birds (jakes and gobblers) from all regions of the state, including rural and developed areas. When reporting numbers of poults, be sure to look carefully because young birds may be difficult to see in tall grass or brush.
The Sunshine State is home to healthy wild turkey populations. They occur throughout Florida and prefer open forests and forest edges and openings. Our biologists conduct this survey each year to learn more about annual nesting success, brood survival, and distribution and abundance of wild turkeys.
Learn more about the FWC’s summer wild turkey survey.
Report your wild turkey sightings online: bit.ly/3qtVbVF OR by using the Survey123ArcGIS app: bit.ly/3OVVP8n
Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission sent this bulletin at 11/17/2021 12:59 PM EST
For Immediate release: Nov. 17, 2021
Contact: Carli Segelson, 772-215-9459, Carli.Segelson@MyFWC.com
Michelle Kerr, 727-282-7642, Michelle.Kerr@MyFWC.com
Suggested Tweet: To modernize, align with @FishWildlife best management practices, @MyFWC is evaluating trapping rules. Public feedback welcome. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLFFWCC/bulletins/2fca46b #Florida
FWC evaluates trapping rules, seeks public input
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is seeking public feedback as staff begin to evaluate rules addressing regulated wildlife trapping. Staff are exploring possible changes to modernize trapping rules to align with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ best management practices in support of species-specific and humane trapping methods.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has launched a new community science project aimed at learning more about Florida’s skunk populations.
The Sunshine State is home to two species of skunks, the striped skunk and the smaller eastern spotted skunk. Both are thought to be found throughout the state and biologists are hoping to involve the public in collecting observations to learn more about the distribution of both species and the types of habitats in which they are found.
Anybody that breathes air, drinks water, swims, fishes, hunts, enjoys wildlife watching or just visiting state and national parks should be concerned about the environmental setbacks that have occurred during the last few years. Wildlife and fish populations will likely decline from increased pollution and habitat destruction resulting from reduced protection for our waterways and public lands.
Harvard Law School’s Environmental and Energy Law Program (EELP) staff succinctly describe the history of more than 80 critically important environmental rollbacks, including current status on EELP's website: https://eelp.law.harvard.edu/regulatory-rollback-tracker/.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants to know the attitude of the public regarding the possession and management of venomous reptiles by zoos, as well as individual residents in their homes. FWC Captive Wildlife staff was directed by the Commission in November 2015 to evaluate existing regulations and develop a range of regulatory options for the Commission’s consideration. In order to effectively receive information and direction from the public, the agency has developed an online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/VR-Rule, and will be accepting survey responses and recommendations through July 27, 2016.
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The Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Awards of Excellence..
Herbert W. Kale, II Award - Hilary Swain, Executive Director at Archbold Biological Station
Paul Moler Herpetological Conservation Award - Peter Meylan, R. R. Hallin Professor, Emeritus at Eckerd College
Outstanding Educator Award - Andrea Hutwagner, STEM Education Manager at Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Influential Woman in Wildlife Award - Karen Bjorndal, Director of the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research
NGO Special Recognition - South Florida Wildlife Center