Finalists in Florida State Park ‘Capture the Real Florida’ photo contest
The finalists in all three categories for Florida State Parks’ 2023 Photo Contest “Capture the Real Florida!” have been announced. According to a Florida State Parks social media post, the finalists...
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FWC finds eastern diamondback rattlesnakes in gopher tortoise burrow
Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were rattled after finding a surprise inside a gopher tortoise burrow. According to an Instagram post from FWC Research, a pair of...
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FWC cites 18 boaters during 3-day manatee protection patrol in Caloosahatchee
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission gave more than a dozen boaters citations and nearly 40 warnings for violations in manatee-inhabited waters. According to FWC, over a three-day...
View ArticleManatee suffering from afflictions rescued from Crystal River
CRYSTAL RIVER A beloved manatee is regaining strength after wildlife officials rescued the animal suffering from various afflictions. According to the Florida Fish and Fish Conservation Commission,...
View ArticleManatees transported from Fort Myers, Manatee County and Homosassa Springs...
FORT MYERS Florida wildlife officials have been busy rescuing and transporting manatees for rehabilitation. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, officials rescued an...
View ArticleBlue-green algae blooms in the Caloosahatchee bring health risks to pets and...
CAPE CORAL Thick, green and smelly: Blue-green algae blooms are back, along with the health risks. Cape Coral residents in one neighborhood say they are starting to see blue-green algae in the...
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6th Florida panther death of 2024; corpse discovered in Collier County state...
Picayune Strand State Forest Authorities have announced the discovery of another dead endangered Florida panther for the sixth time in 2024, but they’re unsure what killed it. According to the Florida...
View ArticleMicroplastics infecting Southwest Florida
The Southwest Florida lifestyle is the reason why many people move here and stay. “Water quality is the most important thing. The whole thing for Southwest Florida Water quality is lifestyle is based...
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New SWFL conservation area spans 4M acres and protects endangered species
COLLIER COUNTY Southwest Florida locals have had growing concerns over water, loss of wildlife and access to natural lands for a while. Now a new conservation area spanning more than four million acres...
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Towing a 70,000-pound sperm whale carcass to open waters off Venice Beach
VENICE BEACH The death of a massive sperm whale brought hundreds to the beach to see the marvel in person. Measuring 44-feet long and weighing a gargantuan 70,000 pounds. A male sperm whale took its...
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Crocodile bites 68-year-old’s leg in the Everglades
EVERGLADES A boater got airlifted to the hospital after a crocodile bit his leg in the Everglades. According to the Everglades National Park Service, a 68-year-old man was swimming to shore after...
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Endangered leatherback sea turtle nesting season begins in Florida
SANIBEL Pretty soon, small areas of beaches will be taped off, as nesting season gets underway for an endangered sea turtle species in Florida. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research...
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Pregnant Burmese python caught in Everglades by Python Cowboy and hunting dog...
EVERGLADES Invasive Burmese pythons are proliferating in the Everglades, but Python Cowboy and his dog Otto are protecting native wildlife and helping rid the species from Florida. Mike Kimmel, also...
View ArticleHaitian migrants accused of smuggling guns and drugs busted by FWC
Sebastian Inlet More than two dozen Haitian migrants on a boat with guns and drugs were stopped by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers during an operation at night. According to...
View Article10-foot great white shark hanging out in SWFL waters
SANIBEL Southwest Florida’s newest resident may be a 10-foot great white shark OCEARCH is tracking. According to OCEARCH, for the last four months, Penny, a 10-foot great white shark weighing more than...
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FGCU researchers seek answers to mysterious fish deaths and behavior
LONG KEY Scientists are testing the water in Florida to see if they can solve the mysterious deaths of endangered fish. State lawmakers allocated $2 million to figure out what’s happening in our water....
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21 endangered smalltooth sawfish deaths spur fishkill investigation
FLORIDA KEYS Scientists are urgently searching for answers to understand why smalltooth sawfish are dying at an alarming rate or have been seen acting bizarrely at the shoreline. According to the...
View ArticleArthrex ‘SpeedBridge’ formally recognized as Certified Wildlife Habitat
NAPLES Arthrex announced that a key feature of its global headquarters campus in Naples has been formally recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the Everglades Foundation. The ‘SpeedBridge,’ a...
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Water quality alert issued for Naples Pier area; bacteria levels high
NAPLES The Florida Department of Health in Collier County issued a water quality advisory Thursday afternoon for the Naples Pier. According to the agency, the water does NOT meet recreational water...
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12 endangered Florida panther deaths in 5 months, latest on Alligator Alley
ALLIGATOR ALLEY Another endangered Florida panther has been found dead, marking 12 deaths for the state animal of Florida since November. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation...
View ArticleDeSantis announces $9.5M for Florida Coral Reefs protection
WINK NEWS Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a new $9.5 million bill in the works to protect Florida’s coral reefs. Friday’s announcement revealed the money is being used to grow more corals and put...
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10-year land management hearing for Babcock Webb Wildlife Management Area
FORT MYERS Authorities want to hear from the public during a meeting discussing plans for a wildlife area spanning the next decade in Fort Myers. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation...
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Meteor showers and nocturnal wonders on display during Everglades Dark Sky...
EVERGLADES From star gazing to a meteor shower celebration, Everglades Nation Park is getting ready to host more than 20 night-sky events for anyone passionate about the outdoors. According to the...
View ArticleConstruction of new visitor center closes portion of Everglades
EVERGLADES CITY A portion of the Everglades National Park around Everglades City will be closed to the public while authorities work on the construction of the new Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor...
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Caught on Camera: Alligator shelters in Cape Coral sewers
CAPE CORAL A Cape Coral man notices an alligator behind bars in his neighborhood. Mike Lewandowski lives across the street from a sewer and came across the alligator while mowing his lawn. Gator in a...
View ArticleNaples Pier swim advisory lifted
NAPLES A swim advisory has been lifted in an area around Collier County after high bacteria levels were detected earlier in March. According to the Florida Department of Health, the advisory for high...
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Mangroves – they’re more than just a plant
SANIBEL Mangroves are Mother Nature’s natural protectors for our canals, shorelines, and barrier islands like Sanibel. “Some of the contributions that mangroves made to the island during Hurricane Ian...
View ArticleTrash blows into the Caloosahatchee from Lee County apartment complex
DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS Trash is making a big mess while it blows around the Harbor Grand apartment complex near downtown Fort Myers. Then, when the trash truck comes to empty the dumpster, some of the...
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Sawfish emergency response seeks answers to Florida Keys mortality event
FLORIDA KEYS Officials are preparing an emergency response to the mysterious sawfish mortality and abnormal fish behavior happening in the Lower Florida Keys. According to the National Oceanic and...
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Florida panther caught on camera: cars narrowly miss endangered cat on busy road
An endangered Florida panther was caught on camera dashing across a very busy state road in Central Florida, narrowly missing a potentially deadly incident. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife...
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2 endangered Florida panthers struck by vehicles on April 1
For the fourth time since the start of 2020, wildlife officials recorded two endangered Florida panther deaths on the same day. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s...
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FWC trains Floridians on Burmese python capture techniques
The invasive Burmese python is swallowing up native species one by one, wreaking havoc on the delicate balance throughout Florida’s ecosystem. These massive snakes have been documented growing up to...
View ArticleNational Volunteer Month: FPL picks up 60lbs of trash at Shady Oaks Park
FORT MYERS In celebration of National Volunteer Month, Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) employees and their families volunteered at Shady Oaks Park. FPL Central Maintenance Planner Samuel Kindelan...
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Foe turned Ally: Tracker-infused Burmese python decoy strategy
NAPLES Before an invasive species can squeeze more native species out of Southwest Florida, Naples Zoo just recruited two more undercover agentsss. According to Naples Zoo, working with the Conservancy...
View ArticleEarthquake, aftershocks rattle NYC and beyond: “One of the largest” East...
CBS NEWS NEW YORK New York City and its surrounding area were hit by a significant earthquake and multiple aftershocks Friday, including a powerful aftershock Friday evening. A 4.0 magnitude aftershock...
View ArticleFWC treating for invasive aquatic plants in Lake Cypress
CYPRESS LAKE Environmental officials are set to do some aquatic plant control in a Lee County lake during the middle of April. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,...
View Article16 Cuban nationals repatriated after intercepting makeshift boat near Key West
KEY WEST Florida authorities recovered more than a dozen Cuban nationals after reports of a makeshift boat headed toward Key West. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, on...
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Endangered smalltooth sawfish deaths climb to 38 in Florida Keys
FLORIDA KEYS Florida wildlife officials have updated the sawfish mortality numbers that have been happening during the ongoing abnormal fish behavior event in the Florida Keys. According to the Florida...
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Gopher Tortoise Day: SWFL celebrates threatened reptile’s big day
CAPE CORAL One of Southwest Florida’s most beloved reptiles is finally getting celebrated the way it always deserved to be. Gopher Tortoise Day is April 10, with the goal of raising awareness for the...
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Smalltooth sawfish rescued amid emergency response to Florida Keys bizarre...
Cudjoe Key An endangered smalltooth sawfish was rescued in the Florida Keys after authorities were alerted that it was swimming in circles, like many others during the ongoing abnormal fish behavior...
View ArticleBlue-green algae bloom triggers health alert in part of Lee County
ALVA The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is issuing a health alert due to blue-green algae blooms present in the Caloosahatchee River near the Alva Boat Ramp. The releases are a third of...
View ArticleWildfire on Alico Road now 95% contained
FORT MYERS The wildfire near Alico Road in Fort Myers continues to burn as crews battle to contain it. The 10-acre fire ignited Monday afternoon, East of Interstate 75. San Carlos Fire Rescue said the...
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4 endangered Florida panther deaths in April bring 2024 total to 11
Two more endangered Florida panthers were discovered dead by wildlife officials after the animals were struck by vehicles in Collier and Hendry counties. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife...
View ArticleCaught on Camera: Extremely rare piebald white-tailed deer in Florida
Florida wildlife officials posted a picture of a deer that’s so rare it even appeared like it was wearing a personal coat of camouflage. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation...
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April: 2024’s deadliest month for Florida panthers with 5 roadkill victims
A little past halfway into April and five endangered Florida panthers have died from vehicle strikes, making it the deadliest month of 2024 so far. The number of mortalities listed on Florida Fish and...
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Helping Florida’s threatened shorebird population during nesting season
Southwest Florida locals can help protect shorebirds thanks to a new and innovative method. The birds typically nest on the beach, although beaches in Southwest Florida are constantly busy. CREDIT:...
View ArticleFWC charges 2 for issues with alligator skulls and deer harvesting
Two suspects are accused of dozens of wildlife violations involving alligator and deer remains at a taxidermy business. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, while deer...
View Article911 call released of Collier County alligator attack victim
A man survived an alligator attack in Collier County thanks in part to the quick thinking of his neighbor. Rick Fingeret was walking his dog by a lake in the Quarry Community on Friday night when...
View ArticleBear spotted sleeping in tree in Collier County
NAPLES A large black bear climbed up a tree and was caught on camera relaxing on some branches at Heritage Bay Boulevard in the northeastern part of the county, north of Immokalee Road. A video sent in...
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Endangered smalltooth sawfish deaths more than double since mid-March
FLORIDA KEYS Wildlife officials have announced five more endangered smalltooth sawfish mortalities occurred in the last two weeks of the ongoing abnormal fish behavior event in the Florida Keys....
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