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The hawksbill turtle’s shell is hunted for making illegal tortoiseshell products. |
Scarce, but Around: Where to See Endangered and Threatened WildlifePeople like Florida. It’s a great place to live and a popular place to vacation. But this human population comes at a price for wildlife, of which there are 46 endangered or threatened species. The state supports the 4th largest population on the 22nd largest total area and is one of the 10 fastest-growing states in the nation. Balancing human demands and animal needs is difficult at best. Fortunately for animals and humans, there are more than 1.4 million acres of national forests and more than 511,000 acres of state parks and recreation areas. Dozens of wildlife refuges and sanctuaries also take an active role in balancing public use with species protection. Still, human demands are squeezing remaining animal populations into smaller and smaller areas. The good news is there are many places throughout Florida where you can see endangered and threatened animals in the wild - without compounding the threat. Species with predictable habits, like sea turtles, manatees and the Key deer, are easy to see if you are in the right place at the right time. Following are natural areas and programs that give you the best chances to do just that. Sea TurtlesOf the 8 species of sea turtles worldwide, 5 are found in Florida - the Atlantic green turtle (Chelonia mydas; endangered), Atlantic loggerhead (Caretta caretta; threatened), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea; endangered), Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii; endangered) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata; endangered). The turtles have become endangered due to habitat loss and killing for shells, leather, perfumes and cosmetics, and because of the collection of their eggs as a delicacy. Florida's beaches are an important sea turtle nesting habitat - they lay between 40,000 and 70,000 eggs each year. Although you may catch a glimpse of a turtle swimming near shore along the Florida coastline, your best bet is to participate in an organized turtle walk. All of the walks require reservations and are led by guides or park rangers who ensure the turtles are not harassed or disturbed. There are no guarantees that you will see a turtle, but all of the programs claim a high success rate. Before you go on any of the following turtle walks, make sure you can walk in low light some distance on the beach - and don’t forget your mosquito repellant.
West Indian ManateeAlso called a sea cow (Trichechus manatus; endangered), this gray mammal is between 8 and 15 feet long and weighs 800 to 1200 pounds. Despite our culture’s adoring attitude toward manatees, the manatee population has been severely decreased due to many human-induced causes, such as injuries from boat propellers, vandals, poaching and habitat destruction. (Please see the article on manatees in the print issue.) There are good manatee viewing sites in several places, on both the east and west coasts of the central part of the state:
Key DeerKey deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium; endangered) are among the easiest to see of the endangered and threatened species in Florida because they all live in one area. Related to the Virginia white-tailed deer, the Key deer live on Big Pine Key and the surrounding keys in Florida. They are the smallest of all the white-tailed deer, measuring between 24 and 28 inches high. Loss and destruction of habitat, plus automobile-deer encounters, keep their numbers low. The National Key Deer Refuge is located off of U.S. 1 on Big Pine Key. The best viewing time for the deer, as with most wildlife, is early morning and evening. Please call the refuge at 305-872-2239 for more information. Endangered, Threatened and Protected BirdsBirds are also among the easier species to see in the wild, especially where they live in significant numbers. The Florida scrub jay, crested caracara, Everglades snail kite, peregrine falcon, red-cockaded woodpecker, southern bald eagle and wood stork can often be spotted by keen observers in a number of areas around the state. Florida Scrub Jay The Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens; threatened) is a blue and gray crestless jay without the white wingspots and tailfeather tips of the more common blue jay. (Please see the spring 2000 issue of EcoFlorida for an in-depth article on the Florida scrub jay.) Good viewing sites for the jay include Ft. Matanzas National Monument, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Kissimmee State Park, Ocala National Forrest, Oscar Scherer State Park and the Briggs Nature Center. Crested Caracara About the size of an osprey, but with shorter wings, the crested caracara (Caracara plancus; threatened) is rarely found north of Orlando or east of the St. John's River. The bird’s decline is mainly due to habitat loss, but also illegal killing and trapping, roadkill and low reproductive rate. The Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area Prairie Lakes Unit (352-732-1225) near Kenansville is a good spot to see crested caracaras, as is the Avon Park Air Force Range and Lake Okeechobee. Peregrine Falcon The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus; endangered), a gray raptor that feeds mainly on other birds, can often be seen in the Florida panhandle at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (850-227-1327) and St. George Island State Park (850-927-2111), and near Jacksonville at the Guana River Wildlife Management Area and State Park (904-825-5071). Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Named for the small red spot on each side of the black cap of the males, the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis; threatened or endangered) lives in open stands of old pines. It can be found from the Blackwater River State Forest (850-957-6140) in the far western part of the Florida panhandle, Apalachicola National Forest (850-643-2282), Ocala National Forest (352-625-2520)and the Big Cypress National Preserve (941-695-2000) in the Everglades. Southern Bald Eagle The eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus; threatened) suffered sharp declines due to shooting, habitat destruction and exposure to DDT and was listed as endangered in the lower 48 states in 1973. Banning the use of DDT and protective measures moved the bird to the threatened list in 1995. Although many of the eagles that nest in Florida move north during warm months, they return each year to their traditional nests to mate. There are a number of good eagle viewing sites throughout the state.
Bald eagles can be seen also at Tosohatchee State Reserve (407-568-5893), Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (941-575-5435) (typically from December through April), Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve (941-432-2004), Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge (352-563-2088), the Crystal River and Oscar Scherer State Park (941-483-5956) (typically from October through May). Wood Stork Wood storks - large wading birds with dark, featherless heads, stout bills and white plumage trimmed with black - nest in treetop colonies on islands and in swamps and feed on small freshwater fish in shallow water. The Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (941-348-9151) in Immokalee southwest of Ft. Myers, owned and operated by the National Audubon Society, has the largest nesting colony of wood storks in the United States. February is the best month to see the storks on their nests. Other viewing areas include:
Snail Kite The Everglades snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis; endangered), a medium-sized hawk with a wingspan of about 45 inches, uses its slim, hooked beak to extract apple snails, its primary food, from their shells. The reduction in kite numbers is due to the draining of marshes for sugarcane farming, which has done its part to destroy the habitat of the apple snail. Although previously found in freshwater marshes over most of Florida, the Everglades snail kite is currently found only in central and south Florida:
Gators and Crocs: Threatened And EndangeredSouth Florida is the only place in the world where alligators (Alligator mississippiensis; threatened or a species of special concern) and crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus; endangered) live in the same area. Alligators are usually found in fresh water; crocodiles prefer coastal, brackish or salt water habitats. You can tell them apart by their snouts: The crocodile’s snout is more tapered and triangular-shaped with an exposed fourth tooth on either side of the lower jaw. Most Florida crocs - about 500 in all - nest in Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Key Largo in the Everglades (but public access is prohibited), and on the berms of the cooling canals of the FPL Turkey Point Plant near Miami. Crocodiles have been seen near marinas on Florida Bay, too. There are many other endangered and threatened species in Florida, and you always have the chance of seeing any of them when you visit natural areas around the state. Some of the highest concentrations are in Everglades National Park and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, but many other areas have species in significant numbers. When you are wildlife watching, keep in mind that wildlife are, indeed, wild, and that they deserve our respect. Keep a safe distance. And keep reading EcoFlorida for details on various wildlife around the state. Recommended ResourceFor a full list of all Florida’s endangered and threatened species and species of special concern, please check out the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission’s official list page. Written by
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 Key deer photo courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission  Florida scrub jay |
Edith E. Stull is a writer and editor who relocated from Philadelphia to Florida more than 25 years ago to escape the cold and the crowds. She lives close to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and enjoys watching the abundance of wildlife that calls this area of Florida home.
