Here are a few Florida Nature stories that caught my eye this week.
Whale Shark in Destin, FL.
The whale shark is not only the world’s largest shark but also the world’s largest fish. They can reach 59 feet long and weigh 15 tons. They only feed on plankton, shrimp and the like, not at all dangerous to humans.
Here’s a good article on them at Encyclopedia Brittanica. A truly marvelous beast and another bucket list item that I have yet to see. Here’s a short video of one that showed up in Destin, FL this week. Click Here
Alligator CT Scan.
So, how do you give a 376 lb alligator a CT Scan? Very carefully. This keep reminding me of a scene from The Silence of the Lambs. What ever you do, guys, don’t get too close. He probably has a lock pick in his mouth. Also where else would an alligator get a CT scan than University of Florida. Click Here.
Monkeys in a state park
Short video about Rhesus Macaques at Silver River. If you go looking for these guys be careful. Lots of them carry a simian herpes virus that can be excruciating or even fatal to humans. Don’t get bit. Click Here
‘Never seen anything like it.’ Bradenton fishing captain says illegal poaching is rampant
Poaching has always been an issue, but it may be getting worse. Most of these items were destined for gift shops before they were confiscated. Good Work FWC. Click here
22 ball pythons have been caught in a St. Johns neighborhood. Where are they coming from?
Ball pythons seem to be more in vogue with collectors than their Burmese cousins, but they’re still an invasive pest. I’m guessing somebody either released or had a pregnant female escape in this neighborhood. Ball pythons are one of the most kept reptile pets. Hopefully they’ll get them all eventually. They don’t get nearly as large as the Burmese python so not as much of a problem but still a major issue. Click Here
First Roseate Spoonbill seen in Wisconsin in 178 years.
Ok, not strictly a Florida story. Roseate Spoonbills were last seen in Wisconsin in 1845. I also saw an article that one was recently seen in Washington, DC after a similarly long time. They were almost hunted to extinction for their pink feathers for ladies’ hats and other clothing. Not long ago the only populations were near the gulf between Florida and Texas. Really good to see them making a comeback. Click Here
Burrowing owls
Another threatened species that I have never seen. One of the extremely few birds that dig a burrow. They feed mostly on small mammals and large insects. Click Here
The Atlantic is frying, but so far hurricanes are dying. What’s going on?
For a hurricane to form it needs several things. It needs warm water to have the energy necessary. It needs minimum wind shear — the difference in wind speed and direction at a given point up through the atmosphere. Too much wind shear and the storm tears itself apart. It also needs rising air else or it can’t get organized. Right now we have high temperatures but lots of windshear and sinking air. The author seems to think we’ll get storms soon. I doubt it. The shear may lessen but I see no near future where the air over the Atlantic starts rising. I’m hoping I’m right on this. Click Here
Fort Myers Butterfly Estates closes its doors
I really hate to hear that. I had planned to go there a couple of years ago but the trip never happened. Now it never will. Lots of small nonprofits and small businesses are finding the real estate price inflation can have dire consequences. In this case the old landlord sold the real estate and the new owner wanted the land for other customers. Click Here
Leprosy in Florida
Leprosy is a horrible skin disease that has afflicted mankind for millennia. We still have it in Florida, spread by both human-human contact and contact with armadillos. I look into the distribution of the disease in this week’s article. Click here