|
Tortoise Click here for Tortoise
Florida River Otters Mij the River Otter Click here for Mij the River Otter
Mij was found as an orphan at Bayport in March 2009 at 4 weeks old, when he was abandoned by his parents. His daily diet includes lots of fish and crayfish Fox Squirrel
Florida's fox squirrel
population generally has not fared well. Although they still occur
statewide, several races have declined drastically. The race known as
Sherman's fox squirrel, which occurs in peninsular Florida to the north end
of Lake Okeechobee, currently is listed by the State of Florida as a species
of special concern. The race south of Lake Okeechobee, known as the Big
Cypress fox squirrel, is even rarer and is listed as threatened. Panhandle
populations of fox squirrels have not done as poorly as the others and are
not now listed.
|
Florida White Tailed Deer
Click here for Florida White Tailed Deer
The availability
of suitable food, cover, water, and space defines the quality of habitat,
which influences the population size or carrying capacity of the herd. Soil
richness, which affects food quality, also plays a role. The sandy soils
found in most of Florida are nutrient-poor and do not provide high-quality
forage throughout the year. Consequently, these lands support relatively low
populations of deer. An exception is areas modified by agricultural
practices, which tend to provide deer with a nutritious supply of forage.
The availability of fresh water is also important and appears to be a limiting factor influencing the distribution of deer. The lack of permanent sources of fresh water may restrict carrying capacity to low numbers in other areas. Similarly, rapid changes in the availability of suitable habitat can quickly reduce deer populations. Hundreds of thousands of acres of deer habitat can shrink to almost nothing during flood events. This reduces the carrying capacity and concentrates deer on high ground where many animals eventually die of starvation. Deer usually reach highest densities where the woody cover is at least as much as the open grassland. They thrive in agricultural areas interspersed with woodlots and riparian habitats. They favor early successional stages that keep brush and sapling foods within reach.
The average
annual home range size for adult females is about 250ha , and 650ha for
yearling and adult males. Does' largest monthly home range size in north
Florida occurs in October during the peak of the rut. Bucks in the same area
begin to move over larger areas in July and maintain Yearling males may travel up to (6mi) from their natal areas to establish new ranges. After this dispersal period, most deer show a strong lifetime fidelity to their home ranges. AgeLife expectancy of deer is influenced by hunting pressure and other mortality factors. Although 20-year-old whitetails have been documented, deer surviving beyond six years typically represent a small proportion of the herd and may be very rare in heavily hunted populations. ColorationThe coloration of white-tailed deer aids in their camouflage, thermoregulation, and even communication. Coloration and appearance of the pelage (coat) changes with seasonal molts, with summer coats being thinner and lighter to help deer stay cool. Colored in various shades of brown ranging from tawny to cinnamon to almost-black. The inside of the ears, throat, belly,
rump, and underside of tail are white. When white-tailed deer sense danger,
the tail is held upright ex Food Their diet consists of leaves and tender tips of many woody shrubs and vines, succulent green plants, grasses, acorns, mushrooms, aquatic plants and many other types and parts of plants within about 4.5 ft above ground. Due to their selective feeding habits, deer can change the relative abundance of plant species in an area. As their favorite foods become less available, their diets gradually shift to less nutritious and less preferred foods which can have an adverse affect on reproductive success. More on the Florida White Tail Deer visit: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW121
Turtle?
Tortoise?
Terrapin?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-terrapin.htm http://www.totallytortoise.com/tortoise-turtle-terrapin.html What is the difference? Turtles are aquatic animals and tortoises are terrestrial. Box, snapping and alligator turtles live in freshwater habitats, 5 species of turtle prefer Florida's' saltwater environments: Loggerheads, are most prevalentGreen LeatherbackHawksbill Kemps Ridley
|
|||||
pool in Brooksville, Florida. The lack of rain forced this otter to use
whatever was as close to his natural habitat
to survive. Linda Christian rescued the otter and nursed him back to health and released him on the Weeki Wachee River.
The Raccoon, Procyon lotor, is found in areas
with trees, including urban areas, statewide. It is gray, brown, and black
with a pale brown underside. Its face is lighter with a black mask. Its
hind legs are longer than its forelegs. It is 30-35" long with a 9-12"
banded tail and weighs 10-15 pounds.
so
eat fungi, berries and fruit. They forage in the trees and on the
ground.
o
inch long hatchlings will make a journey from their underground nests in
the sand to the Gulf of Mexico. This happens yearly on all Florida Beaches
from May 1st to October 31st. At Pine Island Beach the eggs or hatchlings are brought to 100
Acre Wood Wildlife to be raised until
they are large enough to make the journey less perilous due to
predators.
ll
length and weigh about 250 pounds (113 kilograms), but large specimens of
more than 1,000 pounds (454 kilograms) have been found.
their expanded home ranges through October. 
posing
the white underside and rump. This conspicuous reaction known as "flagging"
quietly alerts other deer nearby. The white
flag of the does' tail also serves as a beacon that guides her fawns as they
try to
follow in dimly lit forests. During their first 3-4 months, fawns sport spotted
coats that provide excellent
camouflage. This spotted pelage
disappears to be replaced by the adult brown coat at about the same time the
fawn is weaned. 
