In an effort to protect sea turtles, as well as educate the public, scientists and volunteers from Mote Marine Aquarium patrol nearly 35 miles of beaches in Sarasota and Manatee counties every single day during nesting season. Their aim? To follow the tracks of sea turtles that come ashore, ensure that the pregnant turtles released their clutches of eggs into the nest, and safely made it back into the water.

Mote takes things one step further as part of their conservation efforts; they also mark off all nests that they locate. Generally, the nests are marked with wooden stakes (typically orange or yellow in color), surround by caution tape and notices, educating the public on the nest and instructing beach goers to only view the nests and not walk on, dig around, or disturb the nest in any way.

It is important that beach goers, renters, and residents of homes and condos along be aware of what they can do to help ensure a healthy nesting season.

IMPORTANT TIPS & REMINDERS:

• Sea turtle nesting season is from May 1 – October 31
• There are turtles in the water, just off the beaches. Pay extra attention when boating and don’t leave nets, lines, hooks, or trash in the water.
• Lights can disorient sea turtles when they come onto the beaches, so please limit the use of bright lights during the evening hours. Instead, reduce or block outdoor lights and use blinds, curtains or drapes to eliminate internal light from shining out your windows.
• Do not light fires, use bright flashlights, or shoot off fireworks on the beach.
• Stack or remove all debris and furniture (chairs, umbrellas, toys, buckets, fishing gear, etc.) from the beach when you leave for the day. These items can create obstacles for the turtles as they come ashore and can even trap, injure, hurt, or kill them.
• Fill in all holes and knock down all sand castles when you leave the beach. An adult turtle might be able to navigate its way from a small hole in the sand, but baby turtles cannot and they will become easy prey for predators.
• If you see a turtle coming on shore to nest, stay out of its vision and quietly observe from a distance.
• Do not approach the animal, do not scream or use bright lights, and do not stand directly in front of its path.
• If you are lucky enough to see baby turtles hatching at night, the same rules apply; do not touch, pick up, or handle the turtles. Do not get in their way and quietly observe from a safe distance.
• If you see a trapped or injured turtle or if you come across disoriented baby sea turtles lost in a sand dune or moving away from the water, call Mote Marine immediately 941-388-4331. They will provide you with further instructions.

Remember, sea turtles are protected under federal law, so to ensure your safety and the safety of the animals, please do not harass or tamper with the nests at any time. For more information on sea turtle conservation, please visit Mote Marine Aquarium.

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The Florida Scrub Jay is the only bird found exclusively in Florida.

This friendly and curious bird has been in serious decline in recent years due to development which has encroached on its natural nesting areas. The Florida Scrub Jay is now found mainly in central and south Florida with occasional sightings in the panhandle. It is estimated that fewer than 4,000 pairs currently exist and the population has dropped over 25% since the mid 1990s. The bird is listed as “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.

The “Threatened” classification has complicated development and building plans for many in the counties where the bird is found. Until recently, acquiring a building permit in a Scrub Jay nesting area was quite difficult and expensive. In Charlotte County however, in a test plan approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, now streamlines the permitting process with a simple application and modest mitigation fee. The fees paid will be used to create a Reserve of approximately 4,500 acres in the county. http://charlottecountyfl.com/communityservices/naturalresources/scrubjays/

The name of the bird, Florida Scrub Jay, is descriptive of the habitat needed for the bird to survive. It will live in areas that are primarily types of low growing oaks. The height is important as the birds nest close to the ground, 3 – 10 feet. These trees are found in areas of bare sand with palmettos and other low growing vegetation. Before development, wild fires were a natural occurrence in Florida, creating open areas and keeping vegetation low. With development, fires were quashed and oaks and pines were able to grow tall, creating areas unsuitable for the Florida Scrub Jay.

The Florida Scrub Jay generally lives in a family group of a mating pair and helpers, usually older offspring who remain to assist the care and feeding of siblings. If an area of scrub opens up, helpers may leave to find a mate.

The Florida Scrub Jay will often fly close to humans and has been known to take a peanut from a persons hand. In Charlotte County, the birds are so used to humans they will often fly right up to a person out for a walk and even land on their head. To someone unfamiliar with the Florida Scrub Jay, this friendliness can be disconcerting. Anyone who had been strafed by a Blue Jay will be frightened. However the Florida Scrub Jay just wants to get to know you.

When you see a Florida Scrub Jay, stand back and enjoy the beautiful bird but don’t encourage it to come near you. Also, you should be aware that pet cats are a major threat to birds of all kinds. Spaying and neutering pet cats and keeping them indoors will help protect the Florida Scrub Jay as well as other species of birds.

Internet Resources

• Florida Master Naturalist Program – University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service http://www.masternaturalist.ifas.ufl.edu/
• Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) – Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds” Online at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Florida_Scrub-Jay/id
• Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) – excerpted from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Multi-species Recovery Plan for South Florida http://www.fws.gov/southeast/vbpdfs/species/birds/fsja.pdf
• Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) –U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service species report Online at: http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/Species-Accounts/Fla-Scrub-Jay-2005.htm
• FWCC Land Cover/Habitat Classifications – Florida Department of Environmental Protection Online at: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wetlands/feri/fwcchabitats.htm
• Audubon of Florida– http://fl.audubon.org/
• The Nature Conservancy – Protecting Nature, Preserving Life– http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/florida/
• 1000 Friends of Florida – Saving Special Places, Fighting Urban Sprawl, and Building Better Communities– http://www.1000friendsofflorida.org/
• Florida Wildlife Federation – “Protecting Florida’s Natural Resources for 70 Years!”– http://fwfonli4.w20.wh-2.com/site

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One of Florida’s most beloved marine mammals has been making a steady comeback over recent years. The West Indian manatee, a species that has been on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service “endangered” species list since 1972, has steadily seen its numbers improve over the last 23 years.

According to CNN, when aerial surveys began in 1991, there were only 1,267 manatees in Florida waters.

Manatees, which are known to inhabit warm, coastal waters all along the cost of Florida and inland estuaries. These large mammals are often referred to as sea cows and rely on a diet of sea grasses, marine algae, water celery, and other types of aquatic vegetation. These slow moving sea cows can grow to nearly ten feet long and weigh up to 1,200 pounds.

Their size and unconcerned movements in their natural habitat is one reason that manatees were placed on the endangered species list those many years ago. Their population suffered greatly over decades of crowded, unregulated waterways. Often the victim of boat propellers, manatee numbers suffered due to collisions with fast moving watercraft across the thousands of Florida waterways. Further impact studies showed the coastal construction destroyed much of the manatees natural habitat, further contributing to a decline in population numbers.

While the manatee remains protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, it may be reclassified as  a”threatened” species as early as 2017. However, federal protections, like reduced boat speeds and habitat protection would remain in place despite an improvement in the species population status.

Today, manatee numbers in Florida have improved dramatically since the early 90s. There are now an estimated 6,300 manatees in Florida waters – an improvement of nearly 500%.

If you want to see these magnificent animals in the wild, visit the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach or take a drive up to Crystal River. These are the easiest places to view manatees in their natural habitat.

However, if you are fortunate to see a manatee in the waters of Sarasota or Charlotte counties, there are a few important reminders:

• Do not disturb the manatees (do not feed, do not touch, do not swim next to, ride, or hold onto)
• Do not feed the manatees
• If you are in a boat, cease power until the manatees pass
• If you are in a kayak, just enjoy the view and don’t disturb the animals with your paddles

Manatees are an important member to the Florida ecosystem and an animal that we hope to enjoy for many years to come.

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http://blog.oceanconservancy.org/2015/08/28/join-us-for-the-30th-annual-international-coastal-cleanup/

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On Sept. 21, 2015 at 4-6:30 p.m.
Sarasota/Manatee MPO Conference Room
7632 15th St. East
Sarasota, FL 34243

The maps are used to direct resources to these priority corridors to help complete the overall system of connected greenways and trails in Florida.

To ensure that the department uses the most accurate, current and comprehensive data for the Opportunity Maps, the Office of Greenways and Trails conducts reviews and updates of the maps every three years. The finalized maps will be presented to the Florida Greenways and Trails Council for approval at its December meeting.

During this planning process two opportunity maps will be updated:

• The Land Trails Opportunity Map represents the existing, planned and conceptual non-motorized trails that form a land-based trail network. The map comprises trail planning efforts by cities, counties, transportation planning organizations and other agencies throughout Florida, focusing on linear trails that form a comprehensive connected system.

• The Paddling Trails Opportunity Map represents the vision for a comprehensive water-based trails system. It includes waterways that are designated as part of the Florida Greenways and Trails System or are appropriate for future designation. These trails must be scenic, at least three miles in length, and navigable for the majority of the year.

For more info contact Samantha Browne at 850-245-2076 or Samantha.Browne@dep.state.fl.us.

Links to more information can be found at https://floridadep.gov/parks/ogt.

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