If you live near or visit the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico coasts, odds are you’re a fan of the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). Fried or steamed legs and claws, crabcakes, entire softshell crabs—that sweet crab meet is delicious ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
I have a vivid memory of snorkeling the seagrass beds around Port St. Joe when I was an undergraduate marine biology student. Our field research lab involved completing a visual fish survey, using waterproof dive slates and pencils to record ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Every now and then, we get a true “what IS it?” come through our office. A couple of weeks ago, a local oysterman found one of the weirdest organisms I’ve ever seen. This tiny creature was only an inch long, and had what looked ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
While we have luckily avoided direct impacts from recent hurricanes Helene and Milton in northwest Florida, we still felt their massive size and power. These storms whipped up the entire Gulf of Mexico, pushing creatures rarely seen above ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
People have a lot of strong feelings about snakes. Whether it be fear, alarm, hatred, or wonder, it’s rare someone doesn’t react at all to seeing a snake in front of them. I will say, though, that when one of our volunteers sent a photo ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Last week, I took a group of kids on a beach walk at Deadman’s Island in Gulf Breeze. They picked up hermit crabs, watched shorebirds, and looked for interesting finds along the beach. Toward the east end of the peninsula (it’s not actually ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Water
Sometimes I plan my blog subject well in advance, and sometimes the universe drops a topic literally at my feet. Walking into my office yesterday morning, I was startled to find a dead mockingbird lying on the doormat directly in front of ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Florida is blessed with an abundance of ecologically diverse state parks. Among them are opportunities to hike, camp, and see wildlife lush forests and wide-open savannas or fish, swim, and paddle through pristine bayous and rivers. One ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Though this is titled late winter, it did not feel like winter on this walk. The air temperature was 75°F. There was a blanket of fog over the beach, and it felt slightly humid and sticky, but with a cooler feel than we have in summer. ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife
It is March and spring is in the air. Since we were kids, we all knew that spring was the time of flowers, nests, and new birth. And now it is here. Our first experience with the season was the pollen. Many plants mass broadcast ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, Wildlife