Category: Wildlife
Scaring neighbors and causing community tension: Study uncovers cost of invasive chameleons
July 22, 2025
When exotic chameleons creep into a suburban Florida neighborhood, they bring more than their color-changing charm. They can also spark confusion, curiosity and social chaos. A new study by scientists at the University of Florida Institute ... READ MORE
Category: , Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, WildlifeTags: Central Florida, Chameleon, Diane Sturgeon, Exotic Pet Market, IFAS, Invasion Science Institute, Invasive Reptiles, Invasive Species, Invasive Species Management, Lourdes Mederos, News, Non-native Species, Orange County, Panther Chameleon, Public, Residential Neighborhood, Societal Effects, Society, Species, Species Introduction, Stakeholders, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, University Of Florida, Warm Climate, Wildlife Managers, Wildlife Trade
Florida Land Steward Update, July 18, 2025
July 18, 2025
THANKS TO THOSE JOINING US YESTERDAY FOR OUR FLORIDA LAND STEWARD WEBINAR ABOUT THE GOPHER TORTOISE RECIPIENT SITE PROGRAM, RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE Mac Barrett, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, gave an excellent presentation ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, WildlifeTags: Family Forest, Florida Land Steward Program, Florida Panther, Forest Management, Gopher Tortoise, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Online Course, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tree Farm, Wildlife
Don’t Fear the Fins: Spread Shark Awareness
July 17, 2025
Blog post written by Laila Cohen, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County intern Did You Know... Florida has the highest number of shark bites in the U.S. In 2024, 14 unprovoked shark bites occurred in Florida, 8 of which were in Volusia County, ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, WildlifeTags: Environment, Fish, Florida Sea Grant, Sharks
Meet Zahir Ringgold Cordes: A Florida Master Naturalist Program Success Story
July 17, 2025
Meet Zahir, From Fashion to Passion Although having a lifelong passion for the environment, Zahir initially studied fashion design until an eye-opening gap semester traveling to Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. It was there that she was ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & LifeTags: Environmental Education, Florida Master Naturalist Program, FMNP, Fmnp-in-srq, Pgm_EcoNR
Celebrate World Snake Day with Naturally Florida
July 16, 2025
Celebrate World Snake Day with Naturally Florida July 16 is World Snake Day! Florida is home to an incredible diversity of native snakes—many of which play important roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Learning about snakes in Florida ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, WildlifeTags: Living With Wildlife, Polk County, Shannon Carnevale, Snakes
Study reveals world’s largest turtle nesting site thanks to smarter drone surveys
July 14, 2025
A University of Florida research team has developed a more accurate way to count wildlife using drones — an innovation that helped confirm the world’s largest known nesting site for a threatened turtle species. By combining aerial imagery ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Research, WildlifeTags: Amazon, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Conservation, Count, Drone, Estimate, Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Giant South American River Turtles, Guaporé River, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Ismael Brack, Journal Of Applied Ecology, Megan Winslow, Nest, Nesting, Orthomosaics, Poached, Population, Probability, School Of Forest, SFFGS, Statistical Models, Threatened, Turtle, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, WCS, Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation Society
July 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector
July 14, 2025
Recap of July 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector Oak trees play a vital role in our ecosystems, providing food, shelter, and beauty across the globe. In the United States, there are about 90 native oak species, with 24 found right ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, WildlifeTags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD24-25, FloridaFirstDetector, Oaks, Quarantine, SeminoleCountyAg