News
The charismatic snails snacking on the springs' algae problem
2+ week, 2+ day ago (1265+ words) In the 2010s, scientist Dina Liebowitz scooped up algae-coated tiles from the waters of the Ichetucknee River as visitors bobbed, splashed and floated along the surface in inner tubes. When the revelers called out with questions, the ecologist condensed years of…...
To bee or not to bee: There's no question about the value of the honeybee to life
3+ day, 9+ hour ago (742+ words) On a warm April morning at the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, visitors gathered under a pavilion to do something out of their comfort zones. Many people run when they hear the steady hum of a honeybee. But on April…...
Sperm whales make sounds like human vowels, scientists report
5+ day, 14+ hour ago (498+ words) If you had to try to communicate with a sperm whale, you might try to (speaking slowly) talk really slowly. (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "FINDING NEMO") ALBERT BROOKS: (As Marlin) Dory? BROOKS: (As Marlin) What are you doing? Of course, in…...
At "Sloth World" in Florida, wild sloths have died by the dozens
3+ day, 22+ hour ago (1566+ words) On a busy tourist strip in Orlando, behind noisy bars and souvenir shops, 21 sloths in crates reached the end of a grueling international trip. Soon, they would all be dead. The tree-dwelling mammals were transferred to a warehouse resembling an…...
Why a battle over Florida scrub jay habitat could be significant for the Endangered Species Act
2+ week, 5+ day ago (952+ words) In a legal battle that could have implications for the Endangered Species Act, a young tech entrepreneur is facing off against federal wildlife officials over building on scrub jay habitat in Punta Gorda. The scrub jay is only found in…...
Manatee released in Melbourne after rescue from storm drain and recovery
1+ week, 6+ day ago (593+ words) "Melby" the manatee is back in the wild, following his nearly two-month-long recovery after being rescued from a storm drain in Melbourne Beach. The adolescent manatee arrived at Sea World Orlando underweight, at 410 pounds, in February. Upon his release into…...
Sharing the shade: Tussock moth caterpillars a daily reality for UF students
1+ week, 4+ day ago (751+ words) University of Florida students aren't just finding relief from the heat under shady oak trees across campus this spring. They're finding caterpillars. Many Gainesville residents are used to the fuzzy green visitors and even expect their yearly return. But now…...
How bad for humans is wildlife trade? A new study has answers
1+ week, 5+ day ago (954+ words) In 2003, a shipment of exotic African rodents to a pet store in Illinois sparked the United States' first mpox outbreak. Gambian giant rats and other rodents infected prairie dogs, which in turn infected nearly 100 people who handled the animals. Ebola…...
Florida's black bears are getting active again. Here's how to coexist responsibly
2+ week, 3+ day ago (601+ words) Florida black bears are getting more active " and hungry " as the weather warms up. Though they're most prominent in areas like the Panhandle, Ocala and Big Cypress, bears make appearances across the whole state. They've shown up in cities like…...
Humane Society of Tampa Bay offers discounted adoptions to empty crowded kennels
3+ week, 1+ day ago (361+ words) The dog kennels at both campuses of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay are almost at capacity. Organization officials said adoptions are dropping as the cost of living continues going up. And when people aren't adopting, shelters start to fill…...