Tag: UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

image- Oriconoco crocodile horizontal

June 25: Join UF/IFAS to support conservation of imperiled crocodile species

by Lourdes Mederos
May 15, 2026

Local scientists and students from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are leading research efforts to save an endangered species of crocodiles in Colombia. On June 25, faculty, students and scientists ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Croc Docs, CrocFest, Crocodiles, Endangered Species, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank Mazzotti, Summer CrocFest, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
A close-up of a frog's webbed foot in an underwater setting.

UF scientists identify the potentially invasive Tropical clawed frog

by Brad Buck
May 15, 2026

Does the thought of a frog fascinate you or freak you out? What if you imagined one with claws? University of Florida scientists have confirmed a clawed frog species in the Tampa area, and they don’t know yet whether it might spread to ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: African Clawed Frog, Christina Romagosa, Colin Goodman, David Blackburn, Florida Museum Of Natural History, Frogs, Identification, Jeff Hill, Nonnative, Ponds, Prey, Quenton Tuckett, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tampa Bay, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, Tropical Clawed Frog, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
Bluebird in the foreground. Bird box in background.

UF wildlife ecologists teach public to help boost bluebird population

by Brad Buck
May 15, 2026

As pest-eaters, Eastern bluebirds benefit Florida farmers. Not only that, they’re cute. Two good reasons Hance Ellington has started a program to preserve them. As a UF/IFAS assistant professor of wildlife ecology and conservation, Ellington ... READ MORE

Category: Natural Resources
Tags: Bluebirds, Eastern Bluebird, Hance Ellington, Insectivores, Katie Sieving, Nest Box, Pests, Range Cattle Research And Education Center, Teaching, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

Study: Sea level rise shifts habitat for endangered Keys species

by Kirsten Romaguera Rabin
May 15, 2026

A newly published study in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation describes the response to sea level rise by an endangered species only found in the Florida Keys. The silver rice rat moved to higher elevations at a greater ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, UF/IFAS Research, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Department Of Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, Endangered Species, Endemic Species, Florida Keys, Rats, Robert McCleery, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
image - a tegu trap

UF/IFAS research: Can artificial intelligence outsmart invasive species?

by Lourdes Mederos
May 15, 2026

  Argentine black and white tegus are large non-native invasive lizards posing a threat to the biodiversity and natural balance of Florida’s ecosystems. Tegus have a diverse diet including fruits, vegetables, insects, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: @TheCrocDocs, AI, AI Trap, Argentine Black And White Tegu, Artificial Intelligence, Croc Docs, FLREC, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasion Science, Invasion Science Research Institute, Invasive Species, Invasive Species Research, Jenna Cole, Melissa Miller, News, Research, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, University Of Florida, World Vision Systems
An asian swamp eel close up. Photo by USGS.

Be an invader detector: UF scientists call on public to help track elusive Asian Swamp Eels

by Lourdes Mederos
May 15, 2026

University of Florida researchers are urging South Floridians to help stop the spread of an invasive fish now secretly moving through canals, marshes and wetlands across the region’s most vulnerable environments. Visitors, residents, ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Invasive Species, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: 1-888-IVEGOT1, Asian Swamp Eel, Canals, Citizen Science Month, Conservation, Croc Docs, Fish, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank J. Mazzotti, Frank Mazzotti, Invasive Species, IVEGOT1 Mobile App, South Florida, Southeast Asia, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, USGS, Wetlands
A close look at an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake at the Jacksonville Zoo. UFIFAS Photo Josh Wickham.

Wildlife Watch: Can you recognize Florida’s native venomous snakes? Here is your how-to with Ask IFAS’ bilingual guide

by Lourdes Mederos
May 15, 2026

About this series As residential and commercial development expands across Florida, wildlife is adapting to live closer to people. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) shares tips through ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Conservation, Copperhead, Coral Snake, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, Ecology, Florida, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Native Snakes, News, Nonvenomous, Pit-viper, Pygmy Rattlesnake, Snakes, Steve Johnson, Timber Rattlesnake, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, University Of Florida, Venemous Snakes, Vipers, Wildlife, Wildlife Watch
A lone coyote walking in a grassy field under a clear blue sky.

Coyotes — the predator under watch by UF cameras, scientists

by Brad Buck
May 15, 2026

Every fifteen minutes, 365 days a year, University of Florida scientists can see how and where many coyotes move at two locations in the Sunshine state. Those images show coyotes in two different landscapes in Florida: pine flatwoods in North ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Behavior, Cameras, Coyotes, Deer, DeLuca Preserve, Foraging, GPS Technology, Hance Ellington, Hunting, Jefferson County, Monitoring, Natural Resources, Osceola County, Predators, Range Cattle Research And Education Center, Tall Timbers’ Livingston Place Property, Turkeys, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
A close look at a female panther chameleon_ photo by Natalie Claunch

Scaring neighbors and causing community tension: Study uncovers cost of invasive chameleons

by Lourdes Mederos
May 15, 2026

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, Wildlife
Tags: 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

Be an invader detector: UF scientists call on public to help track elusive Asian Swamp Eels

by Lourdes Mederos
April 21, 2026

University of Florida researchers are urging South Floridians to help stop the spread of an invasive fish now secretly moving through canals, marshes and wetlands across the region’s most vulnerable environments. Visitors, residents, ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Invasive Species, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: 1-888-IVEGOT1, Asian Swamp Eel, Canals, Citizen Science Month, Conservation, Croc Docs, Fish, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank J. Mazzotti, Frank Mazzotti, Invasive Species, IVEGOT1 Mobile App, South Florida, Southeast Asia, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, USGS, Wetlands

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