As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors – whether in your campsite or at home.
How to be safe around bears
Tips from Florida Fish & Wildlife on how best to manage encounters with Florida black bears, which are becoming more common in certain parts of Florida.
How to deal with feral hogs
One of the more fearless creatures you’ll encounter in Florida’s wilds is the wild hog. Here is advice from Florida Fish & Wildlife on how to cope with hogs.
How to Identify a Coral Snake
Coral snake or king snake? Their coloration is similar so it’s tough to tell, but remember the rhyme, “red touch yellow, kill a fellow.” Don’t pick snakes up!
Name that Snake!
Tripped over a snake on a Florida trail? Stopped in your tracks watching one in the water? We’ve all had these moments that make us wary. The good news is that there are only six species of venomous snakes in Florida, and they’re pretty easy to identify. Especially after you take a look at this […]
Pelican bookends
This week has been bookended by pelican sightings, with many peppered in-between. However, this photo is NOT of a pelican, it’s a black skimmer skimming the surface to pick up a meal. For reasons known only to themselves, flocks of white pelicans descended on Paynes Prairie early last week, and when I crossed the prairie […]
Where to encounter a Burmese python
Where might a hiker encounter a Burmese python? Thankfully, the range – despite recent scares of big snakes in Central Florida, which were pets that were let loose – of the “naturalized” pythons is, according to sources at Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, not too far north. “Wild pythons have been found up to […]