“Only in Florida . . .” jokes the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in a social-media post sharing a video of a barefoot man wrestling a giant alligator on the side of a highway. “Just another totally normal day in the Sunshine State.” Mike Dragich, the Blue Collar Brawler, is the barefoot man who stepped in to […]
Tag: florida
Gopher tortoises find new home on Florida coast after astonishing journey to flee hurricane
Dozens of gopher tortoises survived a perilous sea crossing after being swept from their homes during Hurricane Helene last summer, and are enjoying a new lease of life on a remote stretch of Florida coastline. Rangers at Fort de Soto county park near St Petersburg say that before the September storm only eight of the […]
The secret lives of Florida’s crocodiles: study reveals long-distance commutes
New research has revealed surprising details about the secret lives of crocodiles swimming through Florida‘s waterways, including the long distances some travel in search of food and shelter, and their ability to slither unnoticed through populous neighborhoods. The preliminary study provides rare insight into the habits and habitat of the species in a state more […]
Man Finds Baby Raccoons in Bag of Mulch and Saves Their Lives
A Florida man’s gardening plans took an unexpected turn when he opened a bag of mulch and discovered three baby raccoons nestled inside. Unsure how to help the tiny creatures, he reached out to Owl’s Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife. Following the sanctuary’s advice, the man brought the raccoons back to the Home Depot where he’d […]
Florida Manatees Denied Endangered Species Protections Despite ‘Ongoing Die-Off’
According to a new proposal put forth by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, will remain listed as a threatened species and will be submitted separately for protections from another subspecies, the Antillean manatee. The Antillean manatee has been proposed to be listed as […]
Florida’s manatees are actually relative newcomers, historical research suggests
Manatees, long considered among Florida‘s most beloved and enchanting inhabitants, are not native at all, and only came to the Sunshine state for warm temperatures and clear blue waters like any other visitor, researchers have found. The surprise revelation by scientists at the University of South Florida (USF) and George Washington University (GWU) upends decades […]
Warming Winters Threaten Florida’s Unique Scrub Jay
Florida’s iconic scrub jay, the only bird species found exclusively in the state, is facing new challenges linked to global warming. A recent study published in Ornithological Advances highlights how rising temperatures are complicating efforts to conserve this already endangered species. For decades, Florida scrub jay populations have dwindled due to habitat destruction caused by […]
The Burmese python problem: how 20ft predators are wreaking havoc on the Everglades
An invasive predator that can grow up to 20ft, weigh over 100kg and devour prey six times its size – it is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. That’s what residents of southern Florida have been struggling with for the past few decades, with the rapid growth of the Burmese python population in the Everglades. […]