FWC Fish and Wildlife December Research Updates

MarineQuest 2024 is Coming Soon! Dive into a world of discovery! Manatees, panthers, sea turtles and more! Join us for an unforgettable day of discovery at our 29th annual FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute open house: MarineQuest 2024! Join us for our FREE public event: Saturday, February 10, 2024 10am - 4pm FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in Saint Petersburg, FL Come face to face with live critters, participate in activities, and learn about Florida’s iconic fish and wildlife directly from our state’s top researchers! There’s something for everyone. Mark your calendars, we hope to see you there! This event is held in conjunction with the St. Pete Science Festival that takes place right next door! The two events happen side-by-side and attendees are able to walk from one to the other. You can learn more about the event on our website and RSVP on Facebook. Oystercatcher Survival Research Publication Cedar Key and Florida’s Nature Coast is home to the largest concentration of wintering American oystercatchers (Haematopus palliates), representing birds from nearly all Atlantic Coast states and making up more than 8% of the population. This area is a paradise for this imperiled species because of its extensive oyster reefs that provide important foraging and roosting habitats. Critically important high-tide roosts lack woody vegetation, are far from the mainland and typically have low human disturbance, but they are limited in number and vulnerable to effects of climate change and sea-level rise (erosion, prolonged high-water events). When these roosts are unavailable, the oystercatchers are forced to use less optimal locations where there is an increased risk of predation, requiring the wintering birds to expend additional energy instead of resting. A new publication by our team looks at the survival and site fidelity of wintering oystercatchers and identifies adult survival factors. These analyses used 12 years of banded bird resight data and includes birds banded as chicks from breeding grounds in Florida and nine other Atlantic Coast states. Annual adult survival estimates ranged from 0.86 to 0.96 and are similar to other American oystercatcher survival analyses. However, the researchers documented a 7.3% decline in survival from 2007 to 2018 associated with an increase in the duration of extreme high tides, requiring the birds to spend more time utilizing suboptimal roost locations that present greater threat to survival. While survival is high, the decline during the study period is an early warning of threats to this critically important wintering population. Scientists and land managers are working on ways to create and enhance habitats for wintering and breeding American oystercatchers in the Nature Coast and statewide. Endangered Miami Tiger Beetle The federally endangered Miami Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia floridana) is a small, iridescent copper-green beetle that are only found in the greater Richmond Pine Rocklands of southwest Miami, where they prey on other ground-dwelling invertebrates like ants. This beetle’s survival is dependent on the presence of fire to maintain patches of bare ground where adults and larvae live. Today, less than 2% of the globally imperiled pine rocklands in Miami remain and continue to face challenges with their maintenance due to heavily urbanized surroundings (Ex. Smoke Management, Containment). Once thought to be extinct, it was rediscovered in 2007. Beginning in 2015, FWC and our federal and county partners began surveys to monitor the Miami Tiger Beetle. Despite its many threats, including development, climate change, and exotic and invasive species, small populations continue to persist in a handful of natural areas receiving fire. As of earlier this year, 25 of the remaining pine rockland sites have been surveyed, but only two population groups have been detected. Our ongoing research efforts aim to determine habitat requirements of the Miami Tiger Beetle, quantify detection rates, and monitor population trends. Given the challenges of using fire to sustain habitat in an urban setting, our team is exploring ways to mechanically and manually maintain open patches of bare sand and rock to support the Miami Tiger Beetle, and pre- and post-monitoring is being conducted to gauge response.  Earlier this year, USFWS Southeast Region designated 1,869 acres as critical habitat in Miami-Dade County, Florida, for the endangered Miami tiger beetle. The New Panther Plate is Here! The new “Protect the Panther” license plate is a stunner, featuring a photo by Carlton Ward of the now-famous first female panther documented north of the Caloosahatchee River since 1973, along with her kitten. Our staff worked with Carlton and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida to design the new plate. These license plates help fund the State's panther-related research, rescue and conservation activities. Other ways you can help panthers when on the road – follow all speed limits and panther speed zones, which coincide with areas in south Florida where panthers are known to cross roadways. Crocodile FAQs Video Since being listed as an endangered species in 1975, the population of American crocodiles in Florida has recovered from a few hundred individuals to approximately 2,000 non-hatchling crocodiles – a conservation success story in the making! With this rise in population, sightings have increased, and you may have heard about them in the news or online. We’ve made this video to help answer some of your frequently asked questions about this threatened species and our research on them. Despite their shy and reclusive nature, make sure to respect their space and keep your distance. The future of this threatened species relies on the safe co-existence between humans and crocodiles. Learn more about current research on our webpage. New on MyFWC.com/Research We hope you enjoy these articles that have been recently added/updated on our website: General Information on Smalltooth Sawfish Annual Rescue Summaries (Manatees) Red Tide - Related Hotlines and Information Sources Stone Crab Catch Data Oyster Integrated Mapping and Monitoring Program (OIMMP) Selected Sawfish References  Fish and Wildlife Health Black Bear Research Cooperative Land Cover, version 3.7 - Updated November 2023 2023 Manatee Mortalities  Black Bear Statewide Abundance 2023-2028 Red Tide Manatee Mortalities Bear Presence and Dispersal in South Fl0rida Wildlife Corridor Right Whale Image Gallery Red Tide Current Status Technical Reports 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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