Captive-Reared Grasshopper Sparrows Successfully Breeding in the Wild
In May 2020, FWC researchers and partners discovered some big news for tiny Florida grasshopper sparrows: Captive-reared sparrows are successfully breeding in the wild! Florida grasshopper sparrows are one of the most critically endangered birds in the world. As part of a recovery strategy to avoid extinction of the species, 150 captive-bred Florida grasshopper sparrows were released into Florida prairies over the last two years. Field researchers have detected more than 25 captive-reared and released sparrows defending territories in the wild so far. As of May 2020, researchers have found the nests of eight of these captive-bred sparrows and some have already fledged young!
Additional funding is needed to expand captive breeding and to support additional conservation research projects. Concerned citizens who would like to join the effort to save these birds can donate to the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida’s sparrow fund. This project is funded in part by a grant from the nonprofit Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida via proceeds from the ‘Conserve Wildlife’ license plate. Since its founding, the Foundation has raised and given away more than $43 million for conservation, outdoor recreation and youth programs and camps. For more information, please visit www.wildlifeflorida.org or call 813-358-8058.
YouTube: Nesting Wilson's Plover
From March to August, Wilson’s plovers nest on a wide variety of coastal habitats in Florida, including sandy beaches, dunes, barrier islands, marsh edges, gravel pits, dredge spoil islands and shell rakes. If left undisturbed, eggs will incubate for 23-25 days until hatching. Unlike backyard birds, newly hatched chicks roam and explore their habitats on foot under adult supervision for about 21 days until fledging. Please give shorebirds plenty of space while observing. To learn more about our shorebird conservation efforts and how you can help please visit the Florida Shorebird Alliance.
Flickr: Sea Turtle Nesting
FWRI sea turtle nesting program coordinator led a three-day training for FWC sea turtle staff. This included a night walk, morning survey, and ground truthing.
Facebook: Rescued Manatee Gives Birth
Over Mother’s Day weekend, FWC’s manatee rescue team along with partners, received a report of an excessively buoyant adult manatee with a watercraft wound near Siesta Key. The over 1600-pound female was taken to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation, where the examining veterinarian noticed a fetal heartbeat. On May 12, the injured manatee gave birth to a healthy calf! While the mother is still in critical care, she is stable.
Instagram: Panther Update
FWC biologists, with help from Law Enforcement and citizen scientists, continue to collect samples from wild Florida panthers and bobcats to learn more about the prevalence of feline leukomyelopathy (FLM). Since January 23, 2020, 14 samples have been collected from bobcats across portions of central and southwest Florida. Testing to date has revealed that two of these bobcats as confirmed for FLM, which brings the total documented cases to 8 (2 Florida panthers and 6 bobcats). This neuromuscular disorder has now been documented in Collier, Charlotte, Pasco, and Alachua counties. FWC staff continue to collaborate with other experts to determine a cause of this disorder.
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