My wife and I like to sit on our back porch and watch the sunset each day. We do not make all of them, but we try to make as many as we can. We often see small bats darting in all directions feeding on bugs. Recently we were enjoying a ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
As a mostly land-locked state with a relatively tiny coastline, going to a university in Alabama to earn a degree in marine biology seems like an unusual choice at first. However, both our Sea Grant Agent, Rick, and I can attest it works ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
The Snake Watch Project began in 2022 to determine which species of snake people encountered in the Pensacola Bay area, where they were seeing them, and when they were seeing them. The project has received more attention this year and the ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Sometimes, if we are paying close attention, the most extraordinary things can happen in our own backyards. Monica, a friend and neighbor of mine, has always been an animal lover. She routinely rescues dogs and wayward wild animals, often ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, WildlifeThis sounds similar to the idea that has been discussed about protecting some species of sharks. Do we really want to do this? It reminds me of an interesting situation that was created when they passed the Marine Mammal Act in ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
On any given day, a walk down the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier over the Gulf of Mexico will typically reward the observant visitor with what, for most places, is a rare treat—a sea turtle sighting. Today, on a 30-minute stroll, we saw four ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
JOIN YOUR LOCAL PARTICIPATING UF IFAS EXTENSION OFFICE IN THE PANHANDLE OF FLORIDA TO CELEBRATE POLLINATORS WITH NO MOW MARCH. https://go.ufl.edu/nomowmarch Landscapes and lawns have potential to support many of our native pollinators ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
If you've ever spent any time fishing, you know it's rare to catch exactly what you want on the first bite. Even more so, when large nets are pulled behind boats at sea, it's impossible to catch a single target species. These extraneous ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Wildlife
Like any Florida nature trail worth its salt, the approach to the Edward Ball Nature Trail on the University of West Florida (UWF) campus includes a sign asking visitors not to feed the alligators. UWF sits along Thompson Bayou, which flows ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
At their December 2021 meeting, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) passed two rulings designed to enhance the conservation of diamondback terrapins, a small estuarine turtle. As of March 1, 2022, no one can possess ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife