Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute August Monthly Updates

New Red Tide Video to Educate Visitors and Residents  As part of an ongoing education effort on red tide research, The Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) recently created an animated video on red tide in Florida’s marine and estuarine waters. This video is intended for residents and visitors and covers three main topics:  What is red tide? Is red tide dangerous to humans? How do we track red tide?  Available as a single video or as three shorter stand-alone videos focused on each topic, these easy-to-access resources can be readily shared to help provide critical education leading up to and during red tide events.  The video is intended for a variety of audiences, from vacationers with little knowledge of red tide to long-time residents who wish to know more about the phenomenon and how it’s tracked.  “Historically, red tide shows up during summer or fall on the Gulf Coast of Florida, so it’s important for citizens to stay aware and educated." -Dr. Katherine Hubbard, FWC Director, Center for Red Tide Research.  In 2020, the reactivated Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Task Force identified a need in their first consensus document for communication efforts to better educate the public about red tide and other HABs. In response, the FWC HAB Grants program funded the “Developing a Communications Strategy for Red Tide in Florida” study conducted by Florida Sea Grant and a HAB communication working group was formed. This video was created, in part, to address some of the group’s recommendations.  Give Mating Manatees Their Space! Manatee mating herds may be seen in shallow, nearshore Florida waters during the summer months. Mating herds are comprised of a female followed by a group of male manatees which sometimes remain together for days or weeks. If you encounter a herd, it's important to watch from a distance as these large, strong animals are focused on mating. Bystanders that get too close could be seriously injured. In most cases the manatees are not stranded, injured or distressed, and the public should not try to approach or assist the animals in any way. If you see a mating herd or observe an injured or dead manatee, please call our FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline: 888-404-3922. Support manatee rescue and conservation efforts by purchasing a Save the Manatee license plate. Searching for Florida's Rare Carpenter Frog On the hunt for a rare frog! The carpenter frog (Lithobates virgatipes) is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) in Florida and has only been documented in two counties (Baker and Columbia), in the north portion of the state. Records for the species were severely lacking, leading to concern that the carpenter frog may become, or had already been, extirpated from the state - a range contraction that could be associated with a decline in habitat quality caused by a changing climate. In 2020 biologists began surveying previously known carpenter frog localities and other potentially suitable habitat to clarify the status and distribution of carpenter frogs. Biologists are very excited to report that carpenter frogs are not gone from Florida! Status and distribution findings will be published and provided to property managers for future conservation and management of this species. Preliminary Sea Turtle Nesting Count Looks Good Good News! Preliminary statewide totals for sea turtles nesting on Florida beaches indicate the 2022 nesting season is very good for loggerhead and leatherback turtles. As of July 31st, 111,851 loggerhead nests and 1756 leatherback nests have been documented, these numbers are higher than the entire 2021 nesting season! It looks like the same forecast is also in store for the green turtle nest count with 24,577 nests as of July 31st, and we still have two months of heavy green turtle nesting ahead. Thanks to all the FWRI partners involved in an outstanding community science effort to document sea turtle nesting activity statewide! Read more about sea turtle nesting on our website.  New on MyFWC.com/Research We hope you enjoy these articles that have been recently added/updated on our website: Red Tide Current Status Red Tide-Related Hotlines and Information Sources Annual Rescue Summaries, Manatee Update on Carcass Examinations from Atlantic Unusual Mortality Event Manatee Mortality Event on the East Coast: 2020-2022 2022 Manatee Mortalities Internship Opportunities Right Whale Image Gallery MarineQuest Amphibians and Reptiles Carpenter Frog Status and Distribution HAB Publications Red Tide Videos Avian Influenza Cobia 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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