When I searched the keywords “sea turtle success rate Florida” this is the information I find from FWC. They must really think we’re retarted. Here’s the link: Sea Turtle Success Rate Florida – FWC The Clearwater Marine Aquarium did the same thing when I tried to ask them about these things on camera at their public event at Pier 60. This is in contrast to more legitimate research about prevalence and incidence. It hurts man, it really hurts.
The Vaquita porpoise is nearly extinct, now only living in the upper portion of the northern Gulf of California, Mexico, mostly within the Colorado River delta.
Bycatch is the number one threat to marine mammals. Worldwide, estimates of over 650,000 marine mammals perish each year as a result Continue reading The Dwindling Vaquita Porpoise Population; On The Brink of Extinction
The tasty goliath grouper has been prohibited as a fish to be harvested or possessed in state and federal waters since 1990. Some people think goliath grouper are at a point where they can be harvested. This massive fish has become highly prevalent in the waters of the Gulf. Tampa Bay goliath grouper have had an especially high increase in abundance Continue reading What’s Happening with Goliath Grouper?
The once sparse manatee has reached a population denisty to neccesitate the reclassification from endangered to threatened. The US Fish and Wildlife Service made the announcement on March 30th, 2017. The official decision Continue reading Recent Decision to Reclassify the Manatee
Today while roaming around Key Vista Nature Park just next to the Anclote Power Plant we stumbled upon an injured loon laying along the bank of Rocky Creek. The Loon is a type of waterfowl like the Anhinga. It appeared to be injured. Even after being tapped with the side of a fishing pole the bird didn’t move an inch. It only rotated its head a bit. It was hard to say what the cause of the injury was. The obvious thing is the fishing line wrapped around its beak, but other injuries could be possible. We decided it would be Continue reading Injured Loon at Key Vista Nature Park
A condominium complex resident in Countryside noticed a owl behaving in a strange manner. Owls are usually nocturnal animals, and are typically cautious of humans. It is usually a clear sign of distress of some kind when a large mature bird like this one doesn’t fly away at the first sight of humans. The Clearwater Police Department deputies Continue reading Great Horned Owl Rescued by a Caring and Observant Citizen
Cold stunned sea turtles are a common occurrence along the gulf coast. It only takes water temperatures as low as 65 degrees for these cold-blooded creatures to become lethargic, according to Lauren Bell, a marine biologist in sea turtles and aquatic biology at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. “As of now there haven’t been any cold stunned turtles,” she said yesterday evening around sunset. At the time, the water was hovering just above that critical 65 degree mark. Because of air temperature in the mid 30s overnight, the water temperature at Pier 60 has fallen to 60°f as of 6:30am, 10 degrees almost overnight. There is a strong possibility that at least a few lethargic, cold stunned turtles will need rehabilitation this morning.
