Category: Environment

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Fern Forest: a hidden oasis of green

One of the most verdant, lushly vegetated venues in Broward County is the Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek. True to its name, this secluded oasis is home to more than 30 varieties of ferns. A 247-acre nature preserve, and a designated Urban Wilderness Area, Fern Forest includes 10 different plant communities within its boundaries.

This well-hidden, high hedge-lined park is located just off South Lyons Road, parallel to the turnpike. The entrance is easy to miss and I drove past it the first time. Once inside the gates, I was impressed by the beautiful setting and ready for a nature hike. The property is very nicely maintained with good signage. I parked in one of the large parking lots near the picnic area, with includes a covered pavilion with eight picnic tables, and six additional picnic tables scattered nearby among the trees.

To reach Fern Forest Nature Center’s main building and its pathways, visitors traverse the entry boardwalk, which goes though an information gazebo and then on to the nature center. This impressive wooden building quickly comes into view as you stroll along the boardwalk between the trees and look up to see the large, two-story natural structure that appears like a giant tree house built into the woods.

The two levels of the building are connected outside by wide natural-wood stairs, with matching wooden benches and porches to rest on nearby, and there are elevators as well. The first floor houses the indoor exhibit area featuring interpretive displays on the park, as well as native reptiles, kids’ educational activities, a nature store, trail maps, reference guides, and a lot of cool science posters. Back outside, you’ll find their 120-seat amphitheater that’s open on three sides into the green, ferny forest, with long wooden audience benches and a raised platform at the front for concerts and other events.

Upstairs, the second floor offers the Royal Fern Hall, a 2,343-square-foot, air-conditioned assembly space that has capacity for 120 people and features an equipped catering kitchen and buffet counter. It’s available for meetings, receptions, and other gatherings. The views from up there are amazing.

After exploring the nature center building, I went off to discover the rest of the grounds, starting with the Cypress Creek Boardwalk Trail. This wheelchair-accessible, raised boardwalk is a half-mile loop through a beautiful low hardwood hammock and maple/cypress community. Built above the wetlands and with high rails throughout—separating you from the trees, water, and wildlife—it’s the safest route for those who don’t want to go on the uneven terrain and often-muddy ground trails of the outer wooded paths. It was a nice, scenic walk.

But there is so much more to discover at this nature preserve. The property features a wading bird habitat, a butterfly bridge, a pavilion/outdoor classroom, a restored cypress dome, and a rewatering channel with culverts, a pump, and a receiving pond. There are lots of scheduled programs and events on-site throughout the month.

For hiking, visitors can take the Wetland Wander Trail, the Prairie Overlook Trail, or the Maple Walk. The 1-mile Prairie Overlook loops through an open prairie and an oak/cabbage palm community and includes a 20-foot-tall observation platform. The rustic Maple Walk covers ⅓ mile of red maple swamp and can get soggy; tree markings help guide you. The Wetland Wander is a ¼-mile foot trail that runs parallel to a canal and wetlands community.

Fern Forest also has a bit of art. Just behind the nature center before the beginning of the walking trails, nestled in a clearing among trees, is the sculpture “Fern-Lore Guardian,” which is two bronze pod forms created by artist Jerome Meadows, installed in 1993 by the Art in Public Places program.

Besides artists, scientists also have been enticed here, including some from Florida Atlantic University and Broward Community College, who had visited Fern Forest and discovered more than 200 species of plants. And coming up for National Take a Hike Day on Sunday, Nov. 17, is a Wetlands Walk, where a naturalist will lead a hike through the swamp and guide the group on an exploration of native flora and fauna. This will start at 10 a.m.; preregistration and $3 are required.

If you like being surrounded by lush green foliage and going on some peaceful nature walks, then Fern Forest is the place to check out.

Fern Forest Nature Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, for no charge. For more information, go to www.broward.org/Parks/Pages/park.aspx?park=14.

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A turtle rehab center: From rescue to release

There is a place on the Atlantic coast where injured and sick sea turtles are brought into a state-of-the-art facility and nursed back to health. They are provided their own saltwater tank to swim in, given a name and identity, and treated like valued patients. The public can come visit for free and learn about these sea patients while watching them in their recovery.

It’s Loggerhead Marinelife Center, one of Florida’s most-visited nonprofit scientific sites. I first learned about this place when it was voted the best free attraction in the U.S. in USA Today’s 2024 Readers’ Choice “10Best” list—beating such icons as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Boston’s Freedom Trail, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And it’s not far away, in Juno Beach!

So I decided to go check out this impressive rehabilitation center with my son Jacob, who loves anything related to animals. We spent a half-day there, immersing ourselves in the wonders of the ocean and enjoying a place totally dedicated to sea turtle and ocean conservation. The center notes that visitors can “explore interactive exhibits, observe our sea turtle patients, and engage with marine experts”—and we did all three things.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center has been operating for over three decades. Its advanced hospital, founded by the Gray family, is a leading resource for sea turtle rehab. It includes a surgical suite, blood-work lab, and facilities for x-rays, endoscope, and ultrasound. The treatment protocol is to take turtle patients “from rescue to release,” with the plan of releasing them back into the ocean as soon as they are medically cleared.

When Jacob and I were visiting, we learned about sea turtles named Arugula, Willow, and Falafel. Each one had a sign on its tank with its name, age, date admitted, and a little story about what brought them there. For example, we learned that Arugula was a juvenile green sea turtle found entangled in a fishing line and suffering from fibropapillomatosis tumors. The hospital admitted the patient May 31, performed surgery to remove the tumors, gave Arugula antibiotics, and now was providing supportive care until it can return to the sea.

Some weeks after we visited, the center posted this on its website: “Public Sea Turtle Release: Join us as we say goodbye to sea turtle patient Willow. The release will take place on the beach behind the Center. Be sure to arrive early so you don’t miss out on the fun!”

I think it’s great that you can come see a turtle while it’s being actively treated, learn its story, and later watch it get released on the beach and return to where it came from.

Jacob and I also checked out a variety of exhibits there, including beautiful fish gliding around in salt-water aquaria, a huge, prehistoric Archelon sea turtle replica, displays of local wildlife, a glowing tank full of jellyfish, and educational exhibits about the marine environment of South Florida. We talked with some employees who were showing a range of turtle skulls on a table, providing us with fun facts.

We learned that Juno Beach is home to one of the largest loggerhead turtle populations in Florida, hence the name of the center. The beaches there host some of the highest-density sea turtle nesting in the world, and Loggerhead Marinelife Center researchers record each turtle nesting activity along 9.5 miles of beach adjacent to the center. Loggerheads range in size from 2.4 to 3.5 feet, and their name comes from their large block-like head. They also are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

The center receives sea turtles from their very start in life, too. It has on display a tank full of turtle hatchlings, which many kids were excited to gather around and observe while we were there. And outside in front of the entrance doors, there is a “Hatchling Holding Area,” which includes a large cooler left out so that if people find live hatchlings on the beach and bring them to the center after hours, they can place them in sand contained in the cooler—for safekeeping.

“If the hatchlings are on their way to the ocean, leave them alone. If they seem weak and confused, bring them to the Center,” the sign there says. “We appreciate your help saving our local sea turtles.”

What a wonderful system for some of our state’s natural wildlife.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, go to marinelife.org.

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Refuge of strength, fragility at the Norton

The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach is exhibiting Donna Conlon, an American-Panamanian artist active in Panama, born in 1966. Her still of “From the Ashes (De las cenizas),” a 2019 video, endorses the hummingbird as her current statement toward invasive climate change.

Conlon’s exhibit is as silent as it is real. The exhibition is a two-minute, 57-second soliloquy of the smallest things as a big reminder for nature conservation. Hummingbirds, typically measuring 3–5 inches in length, include the smallest species of the bee hummingbird, just about 2 inches long and weighing less than 2 grams.

That’s small.

But don’t underestimate their size. They have the highest mass-specific metabolic rate of any homeothermic animal. Hummingbirds play a crucial role in maintaining the health and balance of ecosystems. Their co-evolvement with specific plant species makes them highly efficient pollinators, and their ability to travel long distances helps in the cross-pollination of plants promoting genetic diversity. However, habitat loss and range shifts are causing hummingbirds to lose a significant portion of their current range. Reduced nectar secretion due to climate change can reduce the volume and sugar content of nectar. This leads to a decrease in nectar production and means less food for pollinators, which also affects the hummingbirds’ survival and reproduction. Extreme heat can reduce their food intake and energy levels.

While there are around 366 species of hummingbird found in their native lands of the Americas, currently 21 of them are listed as endangered or critically endangered. Although many hummingbirds live from 3 to 5 years, some can live up to a decade or more in the wild. This further emphasizes the need for natural habitat conservation and pollution reduction.

Note that Conlon’s message is likely most relevant when attempting to solve the big problems by focusing on the little things.

Naturalism and Contemporary Conveyance of Reality

While Naturalism emerged in the 19th century as an attempt to resolve the idealized and stylized art between Neoclassicalism (also found at the Norton Museum) and Romanticism’s errors in realistic portrayals of the real world, the conveyance of reality cannot be more employed within a naturalist aspect to address the conservatory issues in contemporary lifestyles today.

Conlon’s statement is blatantly honest. While her work is a socio-archaeological investigation into her immediate environment and daily life, the intersection between these two fields offers valuable correlations between habitat and reality. Social archaeology explores how the social dimensions of human life are reflected in settlement patterns, for example, as Conlon’s artistic focus is on identifying and revealing their idiosyncrasies. Her conveyance is connected and contradicted by human nature inherited from today’s contemporary lifestyles. Settlement patterns, especially under climate change, are as revealing in nature as wildlife, and how their existence thereof underlines the contextual aspect of health stemming from the environment.

Idiosyncrasies: Behavioral Peculiarities, Distinctive Features, and Physical Reactions

In native tribes, the hummingbird represents life, love, beauty, joy, and freedom. This is likely due to its procession of autonomic compliance to these qualities and by adjacency to contemporary dynamic consistencies. Hummingbirds are sensitive to change, making them important indicators of environmental health.

Again, back to the little things, it is not to underestimate them by their size. Watching the muscle power and strength of the bird in Conlon’s slow-motion graphic stimulates the same power of structure and endurance that the strongest swimmer swimming the 800-meter butterfly encompasses. In real time, its wings are flapping as rapidly as up to 80 beats per second.

That’s fast.

Conlon captures this distinctive and peculiar feature in which its idiosyncrasy is a common-sense way of seeing it from a formal point of view about the resilience such small creatures possess. Their power to bestow is entangled with human nature: Different species of hummingbirds prefer different types of flowers, which helps maintain plant diversity of plant species in their habitats. For humans, this means nutrition and food security, medicinal resources, and ecosystem services—and helping climate regulation by plants alone.

Perhaps the hummingbirds’ vibrant colors construct the symbolic joy embodied in human nature. One cannot undermine the beauty of fragility and, in life, as a connotation of peace.

The Little Things—Ways to Conserve at Home

Planting native flowering plants that are as resilient to climate change as the bird’s unique qualities can help ensure a steady food supply for these pollinators. From a natural standpoint, you can attract these lovely neighbors to come and say hello during the day! Planting native flowering plants can also help to house a nest for the female, who is responsible for caring for her young. Lastly, the hummingbird can help in insect control to those pests that may, unwelcomingly, like to hang around.

Donna Conlon resides and works in Panamá City, Panamá. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Kansas (1991). She also has a master’s in fine arts from the Rinehart School of Sculpture, Maryland Institute College of Art (2002). Her work is represented by Diablo Rosso in Panamá and by Espacio Minimo in Madrid. For more information about Conlon and her work, go to www.donnaconlon.com.

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Meet one of Florida’s Smallest Owls The Threatened Florida Burrowing Owl

The cute, brown and white speckled Florida burrowing owl, (Athene cunicularia) with its long legs and short tail, white eyebrows and big round yellow eyes, is the only own species out of 171 species worldwide, that lives and makes its nests underground.

Weighing in at a mere 6-oz., 9-in. tall with a 21-inch wingspan, the owls, listed as “threatened,” in the state of Florida, due to loss of habitat, can be found year-round in Florida, Mexico and parts of South America.

“The main threat (to the burrowing owl) is the continued loss of habitat,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission says on its website. “Threats to habitat include construction activities, development and harassment by humans and domesticated animals.”

The burrows, owls and their eggs are protected from harassment and disturbance by Florida state law.

In addition to their loss of habitat, the owls are at risk from flooding and natural predators, especially iguanas, an invasive species in Florida.

“Once you see them, they capture your imagination,” says Kelly Heffernan, an avian biologist and the founder and director of Project Perch, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Florida burrowing owl.

She founded Project Perch with the South Florida Audubon Society in 2008.

“They’re one of the only bird species with eyes in front of their face, like humans,” she says.  “This gives them an endearing quality.”

Typically, the Florida burrowing owl may dig its own nest or utilize the abandoned burrows of prairie dogs, armadillos, skunks, or pocket gophers.  Project Perch creates artificial burrows using inexpensive, 40-in. PVC sewer pipes which act as nesting chambers for the birds and irrigation control boxes, which become their home.

They get buried in the ground and covered by 6-in. of dirt and connected to the pipe which goes up to ground level.  In front, volunteers put a bed of white sand to attract the owls to the burrow.  When the birds fly out at night to hunt, they’re attracted to the white sand to burrow.

Breeding season is February 15 to July 10 and the owls live an average of six to eight years.  Both parents take care of their young until they are ready to fly the coop, about 40 days after hatching.

Females lay up to eight eggs within a one-week period, and they will incubate the eggs for up to 28 days.  Once the babies are born, they remain in their burrows for two weeks.  They begin learning how to fly at four weeks, but will not be able to fly well until they are six weeks old.  They continue to live with their parents until 12 weeks old.

Burrowing owls are different than other owls as they are active during the day time (diurnal) rather than at night.

Known as Florida’s “original homegrown pesticide,” the owls eat bugs, frogs, lizards, snakes, palmetto bugs, baby birds and mice and are a “holdover species,” from when Florida was (believe it or not!) a desert.

“They are an essential part of our environment,” Heffernan says.

As green spaces are developed, forests are cleared and wetlands are filled in, the owls turn to other open spaces, making their homes in parks, golf courses, school yards, vacant lots and airports.

Project Perch works with developers and other landowners to relocate the burrows and works to protect the owls by installing fencing around their burrows to keep power mowers away from the tunnels and by nurturing the birds by constructing artificial perches to give them a lift.

Perches help the owl see ground predators by increasing their field of vision and allowing them to spot nearby prey.

The non-profit’s artificial burrow design attracts the owls to high-dry ground instead of being susceptible to the burrows’ possible flooding and collapse.

Locally, both the Coral Springs Sportsplex and the Parkland Golf & Country Club, an Audubon certified gold community, have successful initiatives, led by Cooper City volunteer Paul Kragh (“Owl Man Paul”), a retired operations manager for McDonalds and the director of burrowing owl conservation for Project Perch.

Kragh worked with Joe Postel, director of agronomy for the Parkland Golf & Country Club, who reached out to the non-profit in 2023 when the golf course was undergoing an $8M renovation.

“A week before construction began, a burrowing owl showed up on the 18th hole,” remembers Postel.

Although the diminutive bird threw a potential monkey wrench into the club’s renovation timeline, Postel says members were captivated by the bird, they named Bunker.

“They  took a liking to the little guy,” he says, noting that a photograph of Bunker, taken by a member, hangs in the British consulate in Miami.

They set up a live stream camera in the burrow so members could observe Bunker, featured him in the community’s “Critters of Parkland Golf & Country Club” newsletter and created an artificial burrow to relocate him from the 18th hole.

“They’re an interesting species,” says Postel.  “This is a perfect example of how natural habitats are so important to our threatened wildlife and how we must act to protect them.”

“Bunker brought us so much joy and wonder,” he says, noting how otherwise busy members took time to rally around him and go out of their way to ensure his survival.

And, although Bunker left the golf course presumably to find a mate, Postel hopes another will take advantage of the artificial burrow they created.

Additionally, Kragh has implemented successful mitigation projects in the Florida Keyes at Radio Marti in Marathon, a government-owned island and radio towers known for broadcasting news and information to residents of Cuba during the Cold War.

Now, situated on acres of open field, Kragh and a crew of volunteers installed six pairs of artificial burrows.

Other mitigation projects include the Isle Casino in Pompano Beach and at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, where due to runway construction, the owl colony diminished significantly.

If, however, you are fortunate to spot a burrowing owl, it’s best to leave them alone, advises Kragh.

“People love to look at these cute birds,” he says, “but it’s best to leave them be.”

“Observe them from a distance,” he says.  “Get a pair of binoculars or use a long camera lens when you go ‘owling’.”

Having survived since the late 1880s in South and Central Florida, this species needs some help from its human counterparts to better adapt and survive into the future.

“It’s up to us to save this native species,” says Heffernan. “They don’t fly or migrate anywhere else; they’re ours to keep or lose.”

What You Can Do To Help:

  • Add T-perches near a burrow being careful not to disturb/puncture the tunnel.  It is best to have Project Perch or a registered agent from the SFWC help with that.
  • Restrict the use of rodenticides and pesticides.  Burrowing owls also
    feed on mice.
  • Consider installing an artificial burrow.  Look at ProjectPerch.com to see if your home is a good location for owls and contact them if interested.  You can also create a starter burrow.
  • Report medically injured owls to the SFWC at (954) 524-4302.
  • Keep pets away from the owls’ burrow sites and put a bell on the collar of your outdoor cat to reduce the loss of birdlife.
  • Report malicious destruction or harassment of burrowing owls or their nests to (888) 404-3922.

Visit projectperch.org

southfloridawildlifecenter.org

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Dining on the dock at historic seafood spot

Where can you dine on the east coast of Florida with lots of funky, kitschy appeal, scenic water views from every table, delicious seafood, and some of the best key lime pie in the state? That would be at the Old Key Lime House on Ocean Avenue in Lantana.

Located on a bustling street right near a drawbridge at the Intercoastal Waterway, Old Key Lime House is the oldest structure in the state to house a waterfront restaurant, and it claims to have the largest tiki bar in South Florida. It’s close to Route 1 and easy to find. Once you spot the historic, bright-green building, you know you’re there. From out front it looks much smaller than it really is. But behind this colorful house, overlooking the wide-open, picturesque Intercoastal, is the full sprawling property with a fun potpourri of dining and bar areas. You’ll be glad you found it.

With four bars (including one up a high staircase to a porch above the water with great views of the boats below), a central stage for live music, several large-screen TVs, and many areas for waterfront dining, Old Key Lime is popular for lunch, dinner, and nightlife. I’ve been there for all three, with various friends and family members. We always have a nice time and good food. People come for the locally caught seafood and the key lime pie—not to mention sunsets over the water. It’s always a party at the Old Key Lime House. As night falls, it’s usually rocking with great live music.

It started as a two-story home built in 1889 from sturdy heart of pine by Morris and Mary Lyman, who were among Lantana’s founders and who sold fish and oysters locally. Morris Lyman was a storekeeper and postmaster and named the town, incorporated in 1921. Their building eventually became the Old House Restaurant in 1989 and was renamed the Old Key Lime House in 2000. Owner Wayne Cordero was at the helm then, perfecting the restaurant’s famous cornbread as well as its even more famous item, the key lime pie. It came from the recipe of his grandmother, Agnes, and was part of his cherished memories from childhood summer visits to visit family in Key West.

This historic site has a storied past. “Originally a boarding house for travelers, it later became a speakeasy during the Prohibition era, attracting a colorful cast of characters and stories that still echo through its weathered walls,” according to the Dean Mitchell Group. “Today, the restaurant and bar preserve the charm of days gone by, with its original Dade County pine construction and nautical decor.”

Old Key Lime House is a colorful testament to the history and flavor of this coastal community. It’s usually packed with both locals and visitors who savor its laidback, Florida Keys–style atmosphere. Tourists often come to check it out, but with the numerous packed bars and live music on the property, it’s also a popular watering hole for the community. Everybody enjoys the lovely waterfront views as well as quirky décor inside and out.

To get out to the dining areas, you first go through the original house, which has a fireplace and vintage collection of memorabilia, photos, and documents on the walls throughout the foyers. You can read about the recipe for the key lime pie. There are lots of antiques around, such as a vintage cash register and an old gas pump. It’s like a little museum of the town’s history. You can watch aquatic life in two giant tanks in front of the check-in booth, as well as visit the gift shop and explore merchandise for sale, such as “Old Key Lime House” collectible T-shirts.

Outside, there are tables in several different covered sections, around the bars, on wooden decks, and even out on the docks. Kids can enjoy a large play area complete with giant skeletons for extra thrills.

There are plenty of spots for patrons to secure a boat for those who come by water. Signs pepper all the posts there, with messages such as the typical “No Shoes, Shirt, No Service” along with others like “Slow Please: Report Manatee Injuries,” “No Boat Boozing,” “Dock at Your Own Risk,” “No Sailboats, No Catamarans,” and, at the floating boat bar, “No High Heels.”

Old Key Lime House has weathered several hurricanes and tropical storms, and repairs always bring it back to life. Recent damage to a dock, in December 2023, happened after a storm swept through and two nearby sailboats came loose and slammed into the dock. Hopefully, nothing bad will close this place for long.

 

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Peacock fever

You are not seeing things, that’s a peacock on the road.

Like occasional gator sightings, or seeing a turtle cross the street, seeing a peacock on a Parkland side street is another reminder of how close we live to nature.

Peacock sightings are also a legacy of the fact that the Parkland and Coral Springs area used to be farm and ranch land. In the past few decades, new developments were added, but small farms are still thriving in our area.

These large pheasants are not native to Florida, or even the Americas. The most memorable peacock with blue and green plumage comes from the Indian subcontinent. They first arrived as pets or for specialty farms, and over time they were released or escaped into the wild. They are omnivorous, and will eat plants, flowers, seeds, insects, even reptiles, and amphibians. So South Florida is paradise for them.

Technically, peacocks are the male peafowls, whereas the peahens are the females. But the brilliant display exhibited by the males during mating season makes them a more iconic image for the species.

Throughout scientific history, there is much speculation about why peacocks have such a vibrant display. Darwin speculated that the peahens, through a long line of descent, must have “appreciated this superiority.” But scientists are not sure if the large tail plumage, or the train, is due to natural selection as Darwin postulated.

A multiyear study in Japan concluded that peahens did not show a preference for large trains. In fact, peacocks with more symmetrical, or elaborate train (more eyespots) affect the peahen’s choice of mate.

The eyespots, or ocelli, do seem to affect peahens. The angle at which they are displayed seems important to holding the peahen’s attention. The dance and rattling of the tail seem to be an attention-grabbing aspect of their ritual. For most human observers, it’s the eyespots that are most mesmerizing.

The eyespots are composed of intermeshed features held together by microhooks. The eyespot’s structure keeps the spots stable when the peacock vibrates his tail to attract the peahens. The vibration usually has a frequency of 25.6Hz, which is audible for the peahens, and able to keep the attention of most observers looking at it.

While scientists continue their research into this area, we can all enjoy these displays when we find them on the street or at a local farm. However, some in the neighborhood with a peafowl population may be more concerned about their noise. The typical peacock sound has been described as a cross between a bird call and a baby crying out.

Before you consider harming these gorgeous birds, keep in mind that even though peacocks are not native, they are protected under a Florida statute, which may result in a fine of $5,000 and/or up to a year in prison if you are found guilty of shooting a peacock. The penalty is even more if one tortures or intentionally harms a peacock—up to 10 years in prison.

You may see them mostly wobble or hop around. Peafowls can fly around a mile in a single flight, so with an abundance of food locally, they can quickly become wild and adapt to our southern Florida climate.

So you may find yourself face to face with a peafowl, even if you are not next door to a farm or do not park where these birds reside.

You may also find leucistic variants, which is a natural loss of pigmentation, similar to white lions and tigers you have seen. These are prized by some, and bred locally for pets.

This spring, hopefully you will be lucky enough to see them in person. If not, enjoy the pictures we have collected of local peacocks!

 

 

 

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Sawgrass Nature Center… Where wildlife is rescued, and people learn about nature

You can have a nice brush with wildlife and nature at a hidden gem within Sportsplex Park in Coral Springs. Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital is a nonprofit facility on 5 acres of land. It seems part farm, part zoo, part museum, part conservation park, part wetlands, and part animal hospital. You can see all kinds of wildlife being rehabilitated in their natural habitats here.

I went recently on a Saturday afternoon with family members, and we all enjoyed it. For only the cost of a $5 donation, we got to see a variety of wildlife up close, including owls, gopher tortoises, alligators, snakes, guinea hens, black vultures, fancy pigeons, Amazon parrots, red-tailed hawks, and a mix of reptiles. Many of them are orphaned, disabled, or nonreleasable, and there are informative signs on their enclosures telling us their names and brief stories.

There are two buildings at the site: (1) a multipurpose building with animals to view in cages, museum-style educational materials, a nature gift shop, a meeting room, and more; and (2) the wildlife hospital where wild native animals are treated, rehabilitated, and released back into the wild. The hospital was not open when we visited, but I understand they do great work there and provide medical care for all the animals and birds brought to them.

We did get to see all the wildlife in the nature center’s permanent exhibit area. Animals are housed in natural-looking habitats and birds in beautiful aviaries. We did the full self-tour (which doesn’t take too long), seeing all the creatures and learning about what brought them there, and we explored the shady grounds. One can also learn something about Florida wetlands while at Sawgrass Nature Center. “It’s a unique place where people of all ages can come to observe birds, mammals, reptiles, and native plants and learn to appreciate the beauty of nature in South Florida,” according to the center.

This place is especially known for its educational programs, which focus on Florida’s native wildlife and their natural habitats. They feature live animals in these programs, along with specimens, artifacts, and other presentation materials. There’s a large, airy outdoor classroom on the grounds to hold educational sessions, lectures, summer and holiday camps, parties, and other group activities. That day, a young girl’s birthday party was going on in there and at the animal habitats nearby, and the kids seemed to be having a great time.

The nature center has a strong environmental component in its programs, and it typically serves around 3,000 students annually, with field trips to the venue and outreach programs in the schools. Volunteers conduct programs on ecology, natural history, wildlife rehabilitation, and conservation. Field excursions provide opportunities to view, photograph, or sketch wildlife in their natural surroundings. And there are weekly preschool activities for the youngest learners. Virtual programs are another option where people can learn about Florida’s wildlife and ecosystems. A lot of education from this small place!

It also was interesting learning about why some of the animals were initially brought to the facility. Not all of the wildlife here are hurt, although we did learn about birds that couldn’t fly and residents with other impactful injuries. We read about a tortoise initially being gifted as a pet. Well, that tortoise grew to be huge, and it must have been too much to handle so was taken to the center, where it now has a good home and is obviously well cared for. Other animals are rehabbed and released.

The nature center provides a variety of educational programs to increase people’s awareness of the wildlife around them and to encourage the preservation of natural habitats. By stimulating curiosity about the natural world, providing some fascinating ecological insights, and caring for the creatures entrusted to them, Sawgrass Nature Center is doing a great thing. Funded chiefly by donations, it’s totally worth a visit and supporting their work. Check it out soon!

For more information and to sign up for an educational program or tour, go to sawgrassnaturecenter.org.

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Diving deeper with dolphins

Dolphins are known for their playful personalities. We love watching them leap into the air and swim alongside boats. Many of us even have swimming with these adorable mammals on our bucket lists. But dolphins aren’t all fun and games. Dolphins are highly intelligent creatures that can be aggressive, cunning, and remarkable, which explains why our NFL team is named after them!

Dolphins love to play games—sometimes at the expense of other animals. When it comes to game playing, dolphins are masters at having fun. In many instances, dolphins have been observed tossing fish or turtles to each other for sport. On an episode of BBC’s and PBS’s “Spy in the Wild,” a pod of dolphins is caught snatching a lone puffer fish and playing catch with it. The dolphins are careful not to bite the fish too hard, as they know the puffer fish are poisonous. But these cunning mammals also know that when they consume small amounts of puffer-fish poison, it acts as a narcotic, relaxing the dolphins and taking the game—and the dolphins—to new heights.

Male dolphins form gangs. A study published by the National Academy of Sciences found that young male dolphins form close bands of two to three dolphins to find females to mate with. These bands also work together to defend against other dolphins looking to take the females. In instances where backup is necessary, these small bands are linked to a larger network of male dolphins that serve as allies. These male gangs can form a network of up to 50 dolphins.

Dolphins are naval assets. According to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, dolphins have an entire area of their brain dedicated to echolocation, meaning they can “see” with sonar, helping them navigate and hunt in deep and murky water. Considered one of the most sophisticated sonar systems known to nature, their echolocation skills have made bottlenose dolphins a naval asset. Since 1959, dolphins have been an important part of the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program, helping to identify and guard against mines and other underwater threats.

 Dolphins can stay awake for two weeks straight. Imagine going 14 days straight with no sleep and maintaining your health and mental acuity. Sounds completely impossible, right? For dolphins, it’s not a problem. The two halves of a dolphin’s brain can sleep in shifts so that dolphins are constantly half awake. This uncanny ability to literally sleep with one eye open helps dolphins guard against predators.

Dolphins are deep thinkers. Dolphin brains contain spindle neurons, which are associated with advanced abilities such as problem-solving, recognition, reasoning, communication, and even adapting to change. The presence of these neurons suggests that dolphins are actually deep thinkers. Many years ago, at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Mississippi, a dolphin named Kelly astounded trainers with her cunning behavior. One day, when a gull flew into her pool, Kelly caught the gull and handed it over to her trainers, who rewarded her with lots of fish. Kelly quickly learned from this experience. The next time she was fed, she hid one of the fish at the bottom of her pool and later used it to lure more gulls to her pool. Then she would catch the birds and hand them over to her trainers, reaping the rewards of even more fish.

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Finding Peace: Practical Ways to Relieve Stress in Your Daily Life

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, stress has become a constant for many. However, incorporating simple yet effective stress-relief strategies into your daily routine can make a significant difference in your overall physical and mental well-being. 

Here are some practical tips from the CDC, along with simple (and local) ways to relieve stress and make healthy choices in the new year:

Take breaks from news stories, including those on social media. It’s good to be informed, but constant information about negative events can be upsetting. Consider limiting news to just a couple times a day and disconnecting from phone, TV, and  computer screens for a while.

Take care of your body: Staying physically healthy can improve  your emotional well-being. Whether you’re already a gym rat or working towards developing a  sustainable exercise routine, Parkland/Coral Springs and the surrounding areas have plenty of options to help you stay active.

Eat healthy. Have fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and low-fat or no-fat dairy. Limit foods with unhealthy fats, salt, and added sugars.  Luckily, living in South Florida makes it just a bit easier to eat well all year. From the many smoothie and juice shops to our nearby locally owned healthy eateries, our town is perfect for people who want food that doesn’t skimp on flavor or nutrition.

Get enough sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day to help you sleep better. Adults need 7 or more hours per night. 

Move more and sit less. Every little bit of physical activity helps. Start small and build up to 2 ½ hours a week. You can break it into smaller amounts such as 20 to 30 minutes a day. Many locals enjoy taking a brisk cool walk first thing in the morning or  an afternoon stroll to break up the day. Either way, spending time outdoors and connecting with nature is proven to have a calming effect on the mind. 

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Everglades restoration brings back wading birds

Florida is renowned for its striking wading birds. More than a dozen species make their home here, from the Snowy Egret to the pink-plumed Roseate Spoonbill to the Tricolored Heron. Beloved by locals, these birds also draw visitors from across the globe looking to get a glimpse of their colorful plumage.

Not only are these birds an important part of the economy, they’re also key indicators of ecological health. Wading birds depend on healthy wetlands, coastlines, and the Everglades for their survival.

“Wading birds tell us when the Everglades are healthy,” explains Kelly Cox, director of Everglades policy at Audubon Florida, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of birds. “When they’re in the right place at the right times of the year in the right numbers, we know that we’re getting the water right in the Everglades. If wading birds can successfully raise chicks, it’s likely that other species that depend on the Everglades are going to be healthy too.”

Wading bird populations have faced their fair share of challenges in Florida throughout history. In the 1800s, many species of wading birds were hunted almost to extinction for the sake of women’s fashion. The birds’ colorful feathers were collected and used as adornments for hats. “There was one point in U.S. history when feathers from wading birds were more valuable than gold per ounce,” says Cox. The decimation caused by the plume trade precipitated the creation of Audubon Florida.

In the 1900s, urban and agricultural development of the Everglades significantly impacted wading bird populations. Water control efforts drastically changed South Florida’s landscape, destroying their habitats. Dredging canals and plumbing out water from the Everglades eliminated floodplains and sloughs—foraging areas for wading birds—and interfered with the natural flow of water that the birds depended on for successful breeding conditions.

“Wading birds can’t wade in a 15-foot canal,” explains Cox. “They have no way to catch prey in that type of environment. As a result of that, we started to see their populations really decline.”

Everglades restoration projects, which began in full force around 2000, have helped many of Florida’s wading bird species recover. “We’ve already started to see measurable benefits from returning those water flows to as close to we can get to the way Mother Nature designed it,” affirms Cox.

A prime example of this success is the Kissimmee River Restoration Project. In the 1960s, the Kissimmee River was channelized by cutting and dredging a 30-foot-deep canal, which eliminated a floodplain and destroyed the ecosystem. Ninety percent of the area’s wading bird population disappeared. “We just wrapped up the restoration of that river, and the number of birds that have returned to that area is unbelievable,” enthuses Cox. “It confirms our theory that if you give the wading birds a chance, they will come back. But it has to be under the right ecological conditions.”

A recent initiative in Broward and Palm Beach counties will improve the habitat that these birds need while also safeguarding water quality for the people of South Florida.

In May of this year, the South Florida Water Management District and the Army Corps of Engineers broke ground on the North Phase of the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP), a restoration initiative that will restore water levels in the Central Everglades, bring more water south to replenish Everglades National Park, and send fresh water to Florida Bay.

“In general, we have really limited the ability of water to flow south into Everglades National Park, and subsequently Florida Bay,” explains Cox. “That water flow has been so stifled that in some parts of Florida Bay, we’ve seen hypersaline conditions because there’s not enough fresh water.” When water is hypersaline, it’s saltier than typical seawater, making it difficult for fish and seagrass—which wading birds feed on—to survive.

CEPP North will include the construction of seven new structures and one new canal as well as the improvement of 18 miles of canals already in operation. The North Phase is expected to be completed by 2029.

The other two phases of CEPP are the South and New Water phases, which are already underway. CEPP is a key part of the joint state-federal partnership to restore America’s Everglades, known as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. “Everglades restoration is the largest ecosystem restoration project in the entire world,” confirms Cox.

Wading birds are the measure of success for these projects. Every year, the South Florida Water Management District—the primary agency charged with overseeing Everglades restoration—puts out a Wading Bird Report in collaboration with Audubon Florida. The report includes data on the birds’ nesting behavior throughout the Everglades. The greater the number of nests and hatchlings, the better the birds are doing. In 2021, the Everglades experienced its second-highest nesting effort for many wading bird species in 80 years.

“Conditions are improving for wading birds across the Everglades, which suggests that Everglades restoration is helping,” says Cox. “It’s improving foraging conditions for wading birds, which leads to increased nesting, but there’s still a lot to do.”

Currently in the planning stage is the Biscayne Bay Southeastern Everglades Ecosystem Restoration Project, which focuses on Broward and Miami Dade counties with the goal of restoring habitats and increasing treatment capacity to help move more water south. “Biscayne Bay, which has been plagued by algae blooms and hypersaline conditions, has a big opportunity to benefit from this project,” says Cox.

For more information on South Florida’s wading birds and Everglades restoration, check out fl.audubon.org/conservation/everglades.

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El Niño is officially back. What will that mean?

El Niño describes a phenomenon in which eastern Pacific waters are warmer than average. It has wide-ranging impacts across the world, and it has started.

It may not be obvious why weather patterns in the Pacific should impact us here on the coast of the Atlantic. But years of data show a consistent relationship that Floridians should be aware of.

For June, the average temperature along the eastern Pacific has risen to an average of 0.8C above normal; this is a relatively quick change from the La Niña conditions that were dominant for the past few years, which coincides with very active tropical storm seasons. Whereas, El Niño is expected to deter the formation of Atlantic tropical storms.

So why is that?

Traditionally, the very warm waters off the western Pacific, near the Philippines, are where the water vapor rises, then falls on the eastern Pacific. This was first identified by Gilbert Walker in 1904.

When El Niño happens, the Pacific waters off South America are warmer than average. This causes stronger rising air, which inverts the typical trade-wind patterns in the Pacific.

This new center of air rising on the eastern portions of the Pacific means that air will fall down from high in the atmosphere near the western U.S., and the tropic Atlantic waters.

One early indication of this is that it is drier than normal in Canada, where the wildfires have been flaring up. The warm air that rises falls down near western Canada, causing warmer temperatures there. El Niño is also contributing to this due to a lower jet stream, and it’s causing more storms to travel along the southern states. This impacts Florida, and we will likely see above-average rainfall near us. This will also mean drier conditions in the states along the Great Lakes.

 

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New winter diet for the manatees

Lettuce is being stocked in the Indian River manatee buffet to feed the local population that migrates to the estuary during the colder months of the year. So far, the manatees are skipping the buffet, which does not bode well for the local manatee herd that is still weakened from 2021.

The supplemental feeding program established by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is in response to an Unusual Mortality Event that has seen 750 deaths (all causes) on the Florida Atlantic coast in the 12-month period ending in November 2021.

A healthy adult manatee is nearly 10 feet long and approximately 1,000 pounds. They require 4%-9% of their body weight (40-90 pounds) in food each day. In the wintertime, the favorite hangout for the Atlantic coast manatees is the Indian River Lagoon, which traditionally feeds the herd with the local seagrass.

According to FWC, “since 2011, persistence of algal blooms has resulted in reduced water clarity and light penetration” and a “dramatic reduction” in sunlight getting to the seagrass at the bottom of the lagoon. The seagrass “in this region and specifically in the Indian River Lagoon has declined significantly.”

Due to the shortage of their natural food, the region saw a significant number of emaciated manatees last year, and as more resources, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have been brought in to help with the response, a joint unified command team was established.

According to a press conference held on Jan. 13 by the joint unified command team, so far this year, the temperature in the area had been warm and manatees had not yet started to congregate in the Indian River Lagoon. But as January temperatures were starting to drop, more and more manatees would start to migrate to what is described as their “capital” for wintering.

What the manatees are seeing when they enter the Indian River Lagoon is not the lush seagrass fields they are hoping for, but a “desert,” according to Martina de Wit, a research scientist with FWC. This is the cause of the starvation we saw last year and may recur when more manatees show up in their wintering grounds.

The state allocated an extra $8 million recently to help alleviate the dire situation, and a feeding program was born. In captivity, manatees do eat lettuce but require “a week or so” before accepting it as food. In the wild, no observed feeding has occurred, as of the Jan. 13 press conference. But the FWC expects “some adjustment period when switching to a different diet,” and when the realization of lack of natural seagrass sets in, the FWC “expected that manatees can adapt to [lettuce] without any major issues.”

When asked by a reporter, “Why lettuce?”, and not some other natural vegetation, the FWC is concerned with introducing invasive species or extra nutrients to an already fertilizer-rich ecosystem, which is causing clarity issues in the first place. The lettuce that is not eaten is removed. Given the quantity of food required (40-90 pounds of food per adult animal), it’s difficult to harvest that amount of food. This is the reason it’s still illegal for the public to feed manatees.

Feeding manatees is meant as a short-term bridge until longer-term habitat restoration and improvement projects get traction. According to Ron Mezich, the provisioning chief, the lack of local seagrass donor beds is a major hurdle for the nursery that is planned to help regrow the seagrass that has been lost.

Meanwhile, Joint Command Rescue Chief Andy Garrett said that efforts to bring up more rescue facilities are ongoing. His team gets alerts from the public about distressed animals, and in 2021, a record 159 manatees were rescued and 115 went to the rehab facility. So far in the past month, 23 manatees have been rescued, and the facilities are near capacity. More facilities are being brought up, and Garrett encourages the public to call the hotline when they see an animal in distress.

As the temperatures cool, more of the manatees are expected to require help. Let us all hope that the wild manatees take a liking to lettuce and that the seagrass nursery flourishes in the Indian River Lagoon.

To help with both the rescue and the feeding program, you can donate to the Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership or the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. It will take a significant effort to save many of the gentle giants, as the FWC works to reverse the desertification of their winter capital.

 

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