FWRI June Research Updates

Milestone Reached in Grasshopper Sparrow Conservation While it wasn’t the most showy or dramatic moment, the release of the 501st Florida grasshopper sparrow was still a dramatic milestone for one of North America’s most endangered birds! On June 1, the 501st grasshopper sparrow completed its journey from White Oak Conservation with 12 other sparrows, coming out of its enclosure and joining its fellow birds in the wild of the central Florida prairie. The conservation-recovery and release program for Florida grasshopper sparrows is part of a multipronged strategy to bring the species back from the brink of potential extinction, which couldn’t be done without the collaboration and hard work of our staff, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, White Oak Conservation, the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida and other partners. Learn more from our press release and video.  Melanistic Gar Found in Choctawhatchee River What’s black as tar, has armored scales and a mouth full of teeth? A melanistic longnose gar! Melanism is an abnormal extent of dark coloration in the skin, scales, fur, or feathers of animals and is characterized by excessive deposits of melanin. Its relatively rare in animals and is not seen often by biologists. This Longnose Gar was encountered on the Choctawhatchee River while biologists were performing routine long-term monitoring. Fisheries Biologists Gather Data from Everglades National Park Through support from the National Park Service, researchers from FWC’s Fisheries Independent Monitoring (FIM) program have been monitoring the coastal waters of the Everglades National Park (ENP). The project began in 2019 to provide information on ecosystem changes in response to Everglades restoration efforts. Using multiple seine and trawl nets, FIM’s sampling design allows scientists to gather data on the entire fish community at different life stages in diverse habitats, providing a comprehensive picture of marine life within the ENP. Last April, the FIM program sampled within the ENP for 21 days deploying 244 nets, identifying and counting 30,429 individuals from 139 distinct taxa! Monitoring activities are conducted under permit number EVER-2021-SCI-0019 Hurricane Impacts on Aquatic Systems Hurricanes are a natural occurrence in Florida and provide water for our aquatic systems. Depending on conditions, the negative impacts of hurricanes on aquatic vegetation can be severe and may result in long-lasting effects, often leading to many years of recovery to return to pre-hurricane conditions. Strong winds, increased wave action and higher water levels may cause increases in nutrients and suspended solids in waterbodies. Our fish and habitat monitoring programs are used to evaluate changes from hurricanes and inform resource managers on the best strategies for habitat restoration and enhancement on systems already affected by man-made alterations such as upland development and water level stabilization. Learn more on our website.  New on MyFWC.com/Research We hope you enjoy these articles that have been recently added/updated on our website: Annual Rescue Summaries (Manatees)  Manatee Mortality Event Along the East Coast Update on Carcass Examination, Manatee Mortality Event 2022 Manatee Mortalities New Publications Red Tide-Related Hotlines and Information Sources Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force Meeting Information Chronic Wasting Disease Current Red Tide Staff Red Tide Current Status Stone Crab Catch Data Avian Influenza Coastal Wetlands Research Our Mission Through effective research and technical knowledge, we provide timely information and guidance to protect, conserve, and manage Florida's fish and wildlife resources.

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