American Alligator

Home , Alligatoridae, American alligator, American crocodile, Amyris elemifera, Florida panther, Indigo snake (species)

Alligator mississippiensis

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Crocodila Family: Alligatoridae Genus/Species: Alligator mississippiensis Common Name: American alligator

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened (Similarity of Appearance to the American Crocodile) FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened (Similarity of Appearance) FNAI Ranks: G5/S4 (Globally: Demonstrably Secure/State: Apparently Secure). IUCN Status: LC (Least Concern)

Physical Description

The American alligator is a black reptile that can reach lengths of 13-14.7 feet (4-4.5 meters) and a weight in excess of 1,000 lbs (454 kilograms) (Florida Museum of Natural History, n.d.). A special feature of the alligator is its nostrils. The nostrils are upward facing on the long snout, which allows the alligator to breathe when its body is submerged (Smithsonian National Zoological Park, n.d.). Also, armored plates (scutes) cover the body. Alligators have a vertically flattened tail, and a light yellow throat and belly. Alligators are ectothermic (body temperature is externally regulated) and are generally active when external temperatures are 82-92°F (28-33°C).

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They stop feeding when the external temperature drops to 70°F (21°C), and they will go dormant (inactive) at (55°F) 13°C. While in a dormant stage, they can be found in burrows.

Life History

Adult alligators are opportunistic feeders (they feed on what is available). Adults feed on small mammals, birds, fish, turtles, and snakes; juveniles feed on small fish, insects, and amphibians. In the Everglades, alligators primarily feed on apple snails (P. Moler pers. comm. 2011).

Male alligators begin courting in early April and breeding occurs in May or June. The female builds the nest, which consists of debris, soil, and vegetation. The average clutch size is 32-46 eggs, which are laid in late June and early July. The eggs incubate for 60-65 days and hatch in late August or early September. Females reach maturity at 10-15 years old, whereas males mature at 8-12 years old.

Habitat & Distribution

The American alligator inhabits freshwater lakes, slow moving rivers, and brackish water habitats in Florida. The alligator can be found from southeast Oklahoma and east Texas, east to North Carolina, and down Florida (Florida distribution map data from: Krysko et al. 2011).

Threats

The main threat facing the American alligator is the destruction and degradation of its wetland habitat. Destruction of wetlands usually occurs in conjunction with human development. With increased development in their habitat, more alligators are removed at the request of the new property owners; these alligators are usually harvested when removed (University of Georgia, n.d.). Alligators are also vulnerable to increased predation. Alligator eggs face predation from raccoons, bears, and otters, and juveniles also face danger from wading birds and bigger alligators.

Conservation & Management

The American alligator is Federally protected by the Endangered Species Act as a Threatened species, due to their similarity of appearance to the American crocodile, and as a Federally- designated Threatened species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

Other Informative Links

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Florida Museum of Natural History FWC Species Profile FWC Hunting Information FWC Nuisance Alligator Program International Union for Conservation of Nature National Geographic Smithsonian National Zoological Park University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

References

Florida Museum of Natural History. (n.d.). Alligator mississippiensis (Daudin, 1801). Retrieved May 10, 2011, from: http://crocodilian.com/cnhc/csp_amis.htm

Krysko, K., K. Enge, and P. Moler. 2011. Alligator mississippiensis (Daudin 1801) American alligator. Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Florida.

Smithsonian National Zoological Park. (n.d.). American Alligator. Retrieved 10 May , 2011, from Smithsonian National Zoological Park Friends of the National Zoo: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Americanalligato r.cfm

University of Georgia . (n.d.). American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis). Retrieved May 10, 2011, from Savannah River Ecology Laboratory: http://www.uga.edu/srelherp/alligators/allmis.htm

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This page blank American crocodile

Crocodylus acutus

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Crocodilia Family: Crocodylidae Genus/Species: Crocodylus acutus Common Name: American crocodile

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G2/S1 (Globally: Imperiled/State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: VU (Vulnerable)

Physical Description

The American crocodile is a grayish-brown crocodilian that can reach lengths of up to 15 feet (4.6 meters). A dark crossband or spots can be found on the back, legs, and tail. The crocodile also has a white belly, tapered snout, and the fourth tooth on the lower jaw (mandible) can be seen when the snout is closed (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

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Life History

The diet of the American crocodiles primarily consists of small mammals, birds, frogs, turtles, and fish (Fishman et al. 2009).

Male crocodiles begin courting females in late January and early February. Crocodiles are ectothermic and therefore control their body temperature by basking in the sun, or moving to areas with warmer or cooler air or water temperatures. Courting rituals can be extensive, often lasting for days. Males initiate courting by quickly and consecutively performing head slaps, and the female will raise her snout and arch her tail if she is interested. The last courting ritual involves the male and female rubbing snouts and submerging under water. Nesting occurs in late April and early May. The soil nests are built on land and above high tide marks. Females will lay 20 to 60 eggs that incubate for about 85 days. When the incubation period is complete, females will dig the nest up and carry the young to water (Mazzotti, n.d.).

Habitat & Distribution

The American crocodile inhabits brackish or saltwater areas and can be found in ponds, coves, and creeks in mangrove swamps. American crocodiles occur in South Florida and also can be found in Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, along the Caribbean coast from southern Mexico to Venezuela, and along the Pacific coast from Mexico to Peru. The northern end of the crocodile’s range is in South Florida. Occasionally, crocodiles are encountered inland in freshwater areas along the southern Florida coast (Distribution map data from: Krysko et al. 2011).

Threats

Historically crocodiles were hunted extensively as their hides were worth a considerable amount of money between 1930 and 1960. This caused considerable damage to their population rates. Presently, illegal hunting and habitat destruction are the main threats to the crocodile population (Florida Museum of Natural History, n.d.). Habitat destruction occurs in different ways, but the main threat has been humans developing in crocodile habitat. It is illegal to hunt crocodiles in the U.S.; however, some hunting still occurs illegally. Hunting also occurs in other countries in the crocodile’s range, as most countries have hard times enforcing conservation laws, or have no conservation laws to protect the crocodile and its habitat. Hydrological alterations in their habitats can cause damage to their eggs as they cannot withstand conditions that are too dry or too wet (Florida Museum of Natural History, n.d.). Crocodile nests also face threats of predation from raccoons, birds, and crabs (Mazzotti, n.d). Other threats include vehicle strikes, disease, and mortality and habitat damage from hurricanes (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

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Conservation & Management

The American crocodile is protected as a Threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Threatened species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Animal Diversity Web Florida Museum of Natural History Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC - American Crocodile brochure FWC - A Guide to Living with Crocodiles International Union for Conservation of Nature National Geographic University of Florida IFAS Extension U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Profile Western Connecticut State University

References

Fishman, J., K. MacKinnon and S. Baker. 2009. "Crocodylus acutus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 01, 2011 http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Crocodylus_acutus.ht ml.

Florida Museum of Natural History. (n.d.). American Crocodile. Retrieved May 20, 2011, from Herpetology: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/cnhc/csp_cacu.htm.

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Crocodylus_acutus.PDF.

Krysko, K., K. Enge, and P. Moler. 2011. Crocodylus acutus (Cuvier 1807) American crocodile. Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Florida.

Mazzotti, F. J. (n.d.). American Crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) in Florida. Retrieved May 20, 2011, from Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences: http://myfwc.com/media/664081/AmericanCrocodilesinFL.pdf. .

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This page blank Cape Sable seaside sparrow

Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae Genus/Species: Ammodramus maritimus Subspecies: Ammodramus maritimus mirabilis Common Name: Cape Sable seaside sparrow

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G4T1/S1 (Globally: Apparently Secure, Sub sp. Critically Imperiled/ State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: Not ranked

Physical Description

The Cape Sable seaside sparrow is a secretive bird that is usually heard before they are seen. This species can reach a body length of five inches (12.7 centimeters) with a wingspan of 5.1-7.9 inches (18-20 centimeters) (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.). This seaside sparrow has a

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dark olive-gray colored back, a light gray side with dark olive streaks, and small patches of yellow feathers in front of their eyes and at the bend of their wings.

Life History

The diet of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow primarily consists of spiders, beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, grass, and sedge seeds.

Nesting occurs from February to August, with most nesting activity happening from April to May. The length and timing of nesting depends on flooding, as nesting will be delayed or terminated if flood waters become too high. Cape Sable seaside sparrows build their nests in clumps of grass that are around six inches (15.2 centimeters) off of the ground. Females lay between three to four eggs per clutch, with two to three nests attempted every year. The rate of nesting success is 40-75%. Eggs are incubated by the female for 12 days. Fledging occurs at 9- 11 days olds.

Habitat & Distribution

The Cape Sable seaside sparrow inhabits areas that are periodically burned and flooded. These areas include flooded inland prairies of cordgrass (Spartina), muhly grass (Muhlenbergia filipes), and short sawgrass (Cladium). The Cape Sable seaside sparrow is sometimes known as the “Goldilocks bird” as conditions have to be just right to survive. Cape Sable seaside sparrows can be found only in Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve in Dade and Monroe counties, as they are the only bird restricted to the Everglades’ ecosystem. This species has not been seen in Cape Sable, Florida since the 1970’s.

Threats

Historically, habitat destruction and conversion to agricultural land has been the major threat to the species (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2003). Presently the degradation of habitat is a considerable threat to the Cape Sable seaside sparrow population (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). Improper water regimes in the Everglades can cause delays and even the termination of nesting. Three or more years of low breeding rates can cause critical declines in the Cape Sable seaside sparrow’s population, as its lifespan is only around four years. Encroachment of hardwoods and the removal of dead plants can reduce the suitability of the habitat for breeding. Prescribed fire is the usual method to prevent this; however, fire can kill adults, their young, and eggs (National Park Service, n.d.). The population of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow is restricted to South Florida, which makes the species vulnerable to natural

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catastrophes. South Florida is vulnerable to direct hits from hurricanes, which could significantly reduce the species’ population.

Conservation & Management

The Cape Sable seaside sparrow is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Species Profile National Park Service The Cornell Lab of Ornithology U.S. Geological Survey

References

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Ammodramus_maritimus_mirabilis.PDF

National Park Service. (n.d.). Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow: In Depth. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from Everglades National Park: http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/csssindepth.htm

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Seaside Sparrow. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from All About Birds: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Seaside_Sparrow/lifehistory

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2003, October 8). Cape Sable seaside sparrow. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from Species Conservation Guidelines South Florida: http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/BirdsPDFs/CapeSableSeasideSparrowConservationGuid elines.pdf

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This page blank Eastern indigo snake

Drymarchon corais couperi

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Colubridae Genus/Species: Drymarchon corais Subspecies: Drymarchon corais couperi Common Name: Eastern indigo snake

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G4T3/S3 (Globally: Apparently Secure, Sub sp. Rare/State: Rare) IUCN Status: LC (Least Concern)

Physical Description

The Eastern indigo snake is a non-venomous, bluish-black colored snake that can reach lengths of eight feet (2.4 meters). Its chin, cheek, and throat are mostly red or brown, but can also be white or black. Most indigo snakes have smooth scales, although adults do have keels (ridges)

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on the front of some of their scales (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). When approached, the Eastern indigo snake shows no aggression (L. Nester pers. comm. 2011). They are also exothermic species – their body temperature is externally regulated.

Life History

The Eastern indigo snake’s diet primarily consists of a variety of species, including small mammals, birds, toads, frogs, turtles and their eggs, lizards, and small alligators (National Park Service, n.d.).

Indigo snakes begin breeding between the months of November and April and nest between the months of May and August. Females lay 4-12 eggs yearly or bi-yearly, with the eggs hatching 90 days after being laid. Since the indigo snake is a commensal of the gopher tortoise, females usually deposit their eggs in gopher tortoise burrows. Females may have the ability to hold sperm, which would allow them to defer fertilization of an egg. Parthenogenesis (a form of asexual reproduction) may also be possible with Eastern indigo snakes, as some virginal snakes have been seen laying eggs (Kendrick and Mengak 2010, Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, n.d.).

Habitat & Distribution

Eastern indigo snakes inhabit pine flatwoods, hardwood forests, moist hammocks, and areas that surround cypress swamps. They can be found throughout Peninsular Florida and southeastern Georgia (Florida Museum of Natural History, n.d.).

Threats

The main threats facing the Eastern indigo snake is habitat destruction, fragmentation, and degradation. Habitat destruction is caused mainly by the extension of urban development in their habitat. Indigo snakes lose more than 5% of their habitat each year in Florida (Kendrick and Mengak 2010). As a species that often occupies gopher tortoise burrows, indigo snakes face being injured by people hunting for rattlesnakes in the burrows. This action usually causes death to other species in the burrow including Easter indigo snakes. Habitat degradation is also a result from this action. Habitat fragmentation is also a threat as increased housing and road development can separate their habitat into smaller individual habitats. Small fragmented habitats can have problems supporting a viable population. Other threats include pollutants,

Eastern Indigo Snake 2 | Page vehicle strikes, captures for domestication, and intentional killings (Kendrick and Mengak 2010, Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Conservation & Management

The Eastern indigo snake is protected as a Threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Threatened species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

-Federal Recovery Plan -Federal Action Plan

Other Informative Links

Broward College Florida Museum of Natural History Florida Natural Areas Inventory International Union for Conservation of Nature National Park Service Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce State of Alabama Forestry Commission Tallahassee Museum University of Georgia - Featured Herp in the Big Cypress National Preserve University of Georgia - Eastern Indigo Publication U.S. Army Environmental Command U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Zoo America

References

Florida Museum of Natural History. (n.d.). Eastern indigo snake, indigo snake, racer. Retrieved May 23, 2011, from Herpetology: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl- guide/Drymarchoncouperi.htm

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/fieldguide/pdf/drymarchon_couperi.pdf

Kendrick, M. M., & Mengak, M. T. (2010, September). Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi). Retrieved May 23, 2011, from The Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources: http://www.forestry.uga.edu/outreach/pubs/pdf/NHS10-12.pdf

National Park Service. (n.d.). Eastern Indigo Snake: Species Profile. Retrieved May 23, 2011, from Everglades National Park: http://www.nps.gov/ever/naturescience/easternindigosnake.htm

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Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce. (n.d.). Drymarchon couperi. Retrieved May 23, 2011, from North American Mammals: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/drymar_couper.htm

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Everglade snail kite Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Accipitridae Genus/Species: Rostrhamus sociabilis Subspecies: Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus Common Name: Everglade snail kite

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G4G5T2/S2 (Globally: Ranges from Apparently Secure to Demonstrably Secure [Insufficient data for specific rank], Sub sp. Imperiled/State: Imperiled) IUCN Status: Not ranked

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Physical Description

The Everglade snail kite is a mid-sized raptor that can reach a length of 14.2-15.4 inches (36-39 centimeters) (Sykes et al. 1995). Males are slate gray with red eyes and orange legs, which turn more reddish during breeding season. Females are brown with red eyes and yellow to orange legs, with varying amounts of white streaking on the face, neck, and chest. Young snail kites are similar in appearance to females except with more cinnamon or buff-colored streaks instead of white (Sykes et al. 1995). Snail kites have a unique curved bill which is used to pluck snails out of their shells.

Life History

The Everglade snail kite feeds almost exclusively on apple snails (Pomacea), which are captured at or near the water’s surface. Snail kites hunt for snails by flying slowly or perching over sparsely-vegetated lake shores or marshes, and grabbing snails with their feet that are within six inches (16 centimeters) of the water’s surface.

The Everglade snail kite nests throughout the year, with a peak nesting season between the months of February and July. Males bring food and nesting material as part of their mating behavior (courtship). Other mating displays include flying with a stick in their mouth and vocalizations. The nest is a woven configuration of dry sticks and dry plant material. The sticks are insulated with green nest material that forms a cup to hold the eggs (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). Males do most of the nest building which are built over water to reduce access to the nest by predators. Snail kites breed and lay eggs yearly. The Florida population endures a peak egg laying period 81 days before the rainy season in the middle of May, when they can lay up to four eggs per clutch. Both parents share incubation duties as each parent will make a “ku- wak” sound when it is time for a change-over of incubation duties (Sykes 1987).

Habitat & Distribution

Everglade snail kites inhabit shallow freshwater marshes and shallow grassy shorelines of lakes. They can primarily be found in the Kissimmee Valley, St. Johns River headwaters, Lake Okeechobee, Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, Water Conservation Areas 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, in Broward, Palm Beach and Dade counties; and sections of Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Threats

The main threat to the Everglade snail kite in Florida is the loss and degradation of wetlands. The excessive drainage of the Everglades and the increased development of Miami-Dade, Palm

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Beach, and Broward counties have reduced snail kite habitat over time (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). Harassment from humans is also a threat as snail kites will flee from their nest if approached, exposing their eggs or young to predators and harsh temperatures. The spread of large exotic apple snails from South America may affect young snail kites, as they have a harder time eating the adult exotic snails. Also, the degradation of water quality from agriculture and urban runoff alters vegetation and limits the snail kite’s ability to locate food or find nesting substrates (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999).

Conservation & Management

The Everglade snail kite is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends staying at least 500 feet from any active snail kite nest, which are marked with warning signs in areas where human disturbance is likely.

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey

References

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Rostrhamus_sociabilis_plumbeus.PDF

Sykes, Jr., P. W., J. A. Rodgers, Jr. and R. E. Bennetts. 1995. Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/171

Sykes, P. W., Jr. 1987. Some aspects of the breeding biology of the snail kite in Florida. Journal Field Ornithology 58:171-189.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (1999, May 18). Everglade snail kite. Retrieved August 2, 2011, from Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida : http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/EvergladeSnailKite.pdf.

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This page blank Florida panther Puma concolor coryi

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Genus/Species: Puma concolor Subspecies: Puma concolor coryi Common Name: Florida panther

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G5T1/S1 (Globally: Demonstrably Secure, Sub sp. Critically Imperiled/State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: Not ranked

Physical Description

The Florida panther is one of the smaller cougar species in the Western Hemisphere. There are currently only 100-160 Florida panthers left in the wild. Adult males can reach a length of seven

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feet (2.1 meters) with a shoulder height between 24-28 inches (60-70 centimeters), and an average weight of 116 pounds (52.6 kilograms). Females are smaller, as they only reach a length of up to six feet (1.8 meters) and a weight of 75 pounds (34 kilograms) (Roelke 1990). Adult Florida panthers have a reddish-brown back, dark tan sides, and a pale gray belly. Kittens have a gray colored body, with black or brown spots, and five stripes that go around the tail. Panthers are never black in coloration (melanistic) (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2008). Some Florida panthers have a crook at the end of the tail, which is thought to come from inbreeding. In males, one descended testicle is also thought to come from inbreeding. This species has a dorsal cowlick and white specks on its fur, which are thought to occur due to tick bites.

Life History

Florida panthers are carnivores (feed only on meat) and their diet consists primarily of deer, raccoons, wild hogs, armadillos, and rabbits. Large carnivores require large areas to roam. Florida panther home ranges average 75 and 150 square miles (194.25 and 388.5 square kilometers) for females and males, respectively. There is some overlap amongst home ranges, particularly for females, but males are typically intolerant of other males.

Florida panthers are solitary in nature, except for females with kittens, and they do not form pair bonds with mates. Females express their sexual receptiveness by the scent of their urine and through vocalizations. The total gestation time is 92-96 days with one to four kittens being born per litter. Births occur throughout the year, but mainly occur in late spring. Dens are usually created in a palmetto thicket. Females do not breed again until their young are 1.5-2 years old. Females reach sexual maturity at 1.5 to 2.5 years old, while males reach sexual maturity around three years old.

Female panthers have a higher survival rate and therefore tend to live longer than male panthers. Ages at death average 7.5 years for females and just over five years for males. The oldest known wild panthers were 20 and 14 years old at death for a female and male panther, respectively.

Habitat & Distribution

Florida panthers inhabit large forested communities and wetlands (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). They can be found in South and parts of Central Florida, although male panthers have been documented as far north as Central Georgia.

Threats

During the 1800’s and early 1900’s, habitat loss and hunting led to the panther’s near extinction. Panthers were hunted and killed by settlers for sport or to protect livestock. During this time, there was an anti- predator sentiment and panthers were killed out of

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fear. By the mid 1980’s, only 20-30 panthers could be found in the wild and this small population was found to be highly inbred. A plan to restore the genetic health of Florida panthers was implemented in 1995. Genetic restoration involved the release of eight female pumas (Puma concolor stanleyana) from Texas in 1995 into available panther habitat in South Florida. The Texas subspecies was selected for this project because they represented the closest puma population to Florida, and historically, the Florida panther subspecies bordered the Texas population and interbreeding occurred naturally between them. Exchange of genetic material between the two subspecies ceased as habitat in the southeastern U.S. became fragmented in the late 1800’s and throughout the 20th century. Five of the eight Texas females reproduced successfully, resulting in a minimum of 20 kittens. By 2003, the last three surviving Texas females were removed from the wild Florida population; no Texas pumas remain in the wild in Florida today.

Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, vehicle strikes, and intraspecific aggression (fighting amongst the species) are the biggest threats to panthers. South Florida has seen a large jump in population over the years causing more vehicles to be on the roads and also occupying more panther habitat. The number of panthers killed by vehicle collisions has increased in recent years as Florida’s population has increased. Adult males are territorial and will often kill juveniles who enter their territory. Male panthers also have been known to kill adult female panthers. Diseases such as Feline leukemia are also a threat to the Florida panther (M. Lotz pers. comm. 2011).

Conservation & Management

The Florida panther is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

FWC's PantherNet FWC Species Profile Florida Natural Areas Inventory Florida Panther Society National Wildlife Federation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Information

References

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Puma_concolor_coryi.PDF

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Roelke, M. E. 1990. Florida panther biomedical investigation. Final Performance Report 7506. Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Tallahassee, FL.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2008. Florida Panther Recovery Plan (Puma concolor coryi), Third Revision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Atlanta, Georgia. 217pp.

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Green sea turtle

Chelonia mydas

(Photo courtesy of Blair Witherington, FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chelonia Order: Testudines Family: Cheloniidae Genus/Species: Chelonia mydas Common Name: Green sea turtle

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G3/S2 (Globally: Rare/State: Imperiled) IUCN Status: EN (Endangered)

Physical Description

The green sea turtle is a marine-dwelling species that can reach a length of 3.2 feet (98 centimeters) and a weight up to 400 pounds (181.4 kilograms) (Witherington et al. 2006). The name can be confusing as the green sea turtle carapace (top portion of the shell) is not actually green, the body fat is green. This turtle species has a black carapace and a white plastron (lower

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shell portion). The green sea turtle is distinguished from other sea turtles by its four pair of coastal (lateral) scutes and one pair of elongated prefrontal scales located between the eyes (NMFS and USFWS 1991).

Life History

The diet of the green sea turtle primarily consists of algae and seagrasses.

During the breeding season, late spring and early summer, male sea turtles will migrate to offshore waters to mate with females. Nesting seasons vary in the different geographical areas of their range; however, the Florida population nests between the months of June and September. Female green sea turtles come onshore at night to deposit eggs, a process that can take up to two hours to finish. The average clutch size is 110-115 eggs. Green sea turtles can nest up to seven times per season (NMFS and USFWS 1991). Once the female lays the eggs and buries them in the sand, she returns to the ocean leaving her young to safeguard theirselves. The incubation time for the eggs is two months. Hatchlings will migrate to the ocean after emerging from the nest. During migration, juveniles face an array of problems including predation and losing their way to the ocean. Sexual maturity is reached between the ages of 20 to 50 years old.

Habitat & Distribution

Green sea turtles can be found in subtropical and temperate oceans of the world (Witherington, 2006).

Threats

The green sea turtle faces many threats both on land and in the water. The main threat to green sea turtles at sea is entanglement in fishing gear such as longlines, monofilament fishing line, nets, and crab trap lines. When entangled in marine debris, the green sea turtle cannot escape and usually drowns. Green sea turtles are also harvested illegally in some countries for their meat and eggs. On land, increased beach development is an ongoing threat for sea turtles as development can cause degradation of the habitat, and limit the amount of nesting sites available. Coastal development also increases artificial lighting which can cause hatchlings to migrate towards the lights instead of the ocean. Other threats include increased predation on eggs, hits by watercraft, and habitat degradation from contaminants and pollutants (ex. oil spills).

Conservation & Management

Green Sea Turtle 2 | Page

The green sea turtle is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule, and by Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act (379.2431, Florida Statutes).

Florida Statutes (F.A.C. Rule 68E-1) restrict the take, possession, disturbance, mutilation, destruction, selling, transference, molestation, and harassment of marine turtles, nests or eggs. Protection is also afforded to marine turtle habitat. A specific authorization from Commission staff is required to conduct scientific, conservation, or educational activities that directly involve marine turtles in or collected from Florida, their nests, hatchlings or parts thereof, regardless of applicant's possession of any federal permit.

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Artificial Light Information FWC Sea Turtle Page National Geographic National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration National Wildlife Federation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Factsheet

References

National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1991. Recovery Plan for US Population of Atlantic Green Turtle. National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D.C.

Witherington, Blair, Richard Herren, and Michael Bresette. 2006. Chelonia mydas – Green Sea Turtle. In Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Pages 90-104.

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This page blank Hawksbill sea turtle

Eretmochelys imbricate

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chelonia Order: Testudines Family: Cheloniidae Genus/Species: Eretmochelys imbricata Common Name: Hawksbill sea turtle

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G3/S1 (Globally: Rare/State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: CR (Critically Endangered)

Physical Description

The hawksbill sea turtle is the rarest sea turtle that regularly occurs in Florida (Meylan and Redlow 2006). Hawksbill sea turtles can reach a carapace (upper shell section) length of 35 inches (89 centimeters), and a weight range of 100-200 pounds (45.4-90.7 kilograms) (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 2012). This species is recognized by its beak-like mouth. The carapace is shield-shaped with brown, yellow, and black blotches or streaks. The plastron (lower shell section) is white to yellow and sometimes contains dark blotches. The

Hawksbill Sea Turtle 1 | Page

hawksbill sea turtle has two pairs of prefrontal scales (located between the eyes), four pairs of coastal (lateral) scutes, and one nuchal (cervical) scute. The species also has two claws on each flipper (Meylan and Redlow 2006).

Life History

The diet of the hawksbill sea turtle primarily consists of sponges.

The age that hawksbill sea turtles reach sexual maturity is not known (Meylan and Redlow 2006). Nesting primarily occurs from June to August in Florida. Females come on shore and develop nests on sandy beaches mainly during daytime hours. This species prefers developing nests near or under vegetation; however, they may develop nests in any zone along the beach. It can take up to 1.5 hours for the female to finish building the nest. Hawksbill sea turtles average three to five clutches per year, with an average of 130 eggs per clutch. Eggs are incubated for 48-91 days. Hawksbill hatchlings migrate to the marine waters when they first emerge from the nest.

Habitat & Distribution

Hawksbill sea turtles can be found in subtropical and temperate oceans of the world (Meylan and Redlow 2006. Map Data From: Carr et al. 1966, Dalrymple et al. 1985, McMurtray & Richardson 1985, Lund 1985, Wilmers & Wilmers 1998, Wyneken & Hicklin 1988, J Wyneken pers. comm., L. Fisher pers. comm., M. Markey pers. comm., O. Clayton pers. comm., P. Wells pers. comm., T. Wilmers pers. comm., T & E Wilmers pers. comm., W. Teas pers. comm. as cited in Meylan and Redlow 2006).

Threats

The main threat that the hawksbill sea turtle faces is accidental capture in shrimp and fishing nets. When captured in nets, the hawksbill sea turtle cannot escape and eventually drowns. Longlines can entangle or snag sea turtles. Development of nesting beaches is also a threat to the species, as their nests can be destroyed, and it makes available nesting sites limited. Coastal development also increases artificial lighting which can cause hatchlings to migrate towards the lights instead of the ocean. Beach armoring (ex. seawalls) is a threat as the structures prevent the natural maintenance of beaches and sand dunes. Other threats include increased predation of eggs, hits by watercraft, and habitat degradation from contaminants and pollutants (ex. oil spills).

Hawksbill Sea Turtle 2 | Page

Conservation & Management

The hawksbill sea turtle is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act, as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule, and by Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act (379.2431, Florida Statutes).

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Sea Turtle Page FWC Artificial Light Information International Union for Conservation of Nature National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration National Wildlife Federation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Factsheet

References

Carr, A., Hirth, H., And Ogren, L. 1966. The ecology and migrations of sea turtles, the hawksbill turtle in the Caribbean Sea. American Museum Novitates 2248:1-29.

Dalrymple, G.H., Hampp, J.C., and Wellings, D.J. 1985. Male biased sex ratio in a cold nest of a hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). Journal of Herpetology 19(1):158-159.

Meylan A., A. Redlow. 2006. Eretmochelys imbricata – Hawksbill turtle. Sea Turtle. In Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Pages 105-127.

McMurtray, J. D., and Richardson, J. I. 1985. A northern nesting record for the hawksbill turtle. Herpetological Review 16(1):16-17.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. (27 February 2012). Retrieved June 14, 2012, from NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/hawksbill.htm

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Lund, P.F. 1985. Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting on the east coast of Florida. Journal of Herpetology 19(1):164-166.

Wilmers, T.J., and Wilmers, E.M. 1998. Eretmochelys imbricate (Hawksbill). Herpetological Review 29(1):50.

Wyneken, J., and Hicklin, J.A. 1988. Confirmed hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata, nesting in Broward County, Florida. Marine Turtle Newsletter 42:6.

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Kemp’s ridley sea turtle

Lepidochelys kempii

(Photo courtesy of NOAA)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chelonia Order: Testudines Family: Cheloniidae Genus/Species: Lepidochelys kempii Common Name: Kemp’s ridley sea turtle

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G1/S1 (Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: CR (Critically Endangered)

Physical Description

The Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is the smallest species of sea turtle and is the most endangered turtle in the world. This species reaches a length of 2-2.5 feet (70-76 centimeters) and a weight of 85- 100 pounds (39-45 kilograms). It is recognized by its olive-gray circular shaped carapace (upper shell section) and large head with a beak similar to a parrot. Kemp’s ridley usually has 12 pairs

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle 1 | Page of marginal scutes (scutes that surround the perimeter of the carapace), five coastal (lateral) scutes, five vertebral (center) scutes, and one nuchal (cervical) scute (Schmid and Barichivich 2006).

Life History

The diet of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle primarily consists of crabs and other crustaceans.

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles develop nests in sand along beaches. The nesting season is between April and July. Female Kemp’s ridley sea turtles will arrive to nest at the same time as a large group after gathering offshore of Rancho Nuevo, Mexico. This process is known as “arribadas” or “arrival” in English. Nesting females are mainly found on the beaches of Rancho Nuevo, Mexico; however, they can be found on Texas and Florida beaches also. Females will lay two to three clutches each season with a 100 eggs per clutch. The incubation period for the eggs is 45- 58 days (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 2011, NMFS et al. 2011, Schmid and Barichivich 2006). Sexual maturity is reached at 7-15 years of age (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, n.d.).

Habitat & Distribution

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles inhabit marine waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the western North Atlantic Ocean (Schmid and Barichivich 2006, Nesting Map Data: See map in NMFS et al. 2011).

Threats

The main threat to the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle is accidental capture (bycatch) in shrimp and fishing nets such as longlines, finfish trawls, beach seines, drift and set gill nets (Schmid and Barichivich 2006). When captured in these nets, the sea turtle cannot escape and will usually drown. Increased development will bring an increase in lighting in the area, which is detrimental to sea turtles as hatchlings will migrate towards the light instead of the ocean. The potential for eggs and hatchlings being crushed or disturbed is increased with the increase of human presence along beaches. Beach sand renourishment can bury Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nests along beaches. Beach armoring (ex. seawalls) is a threat as the structures prevent the natural maintenance of beaches and sand dunes. Other threats include habitat degradation from contaminants and pollutants (ex. oil spills) (NMFS et al. 2011).

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle 2 | Page

Conservation & Management

The Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule, and by Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act (379.2431, Florida Statutes).

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Sea Turtle Page FWC Artificial Light Information International Union for Conservation of Nature National Geographic National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration New England Aquarium U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Factsheet

References

National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and SEMARNAT. 2011. Bi -National Recovery Plan for the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), Second Revision. National Marine Fisheries Service. Silver Spring, Maryland 156 pp. + appendices.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. (22 September 2011). Retrieved June 14, 2012, from NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/kempsridley.htm

Schmid,. J.R., W.J. Barichivich. 2006. Lepidochelys kempii – Kemp’s ridley. In Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Pages 128-141.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2011). Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii). Retrieved May 19, 2011, from North Florida Ecological Services Office:

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle 3 | Page

http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/seaturtles/turtle%20factsheets/kemps-ridley-sea -turtle.htm

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle 4 | Page

Key Largo cotton mouse

Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola

(Photo courtesy of USFWS)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae Genus/Species: Peromyscus gossypinus Subspecies: Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola Common Name: Key Largo cotton mouse

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G5T1Q/S1 (Globally: Demonstrably Secure, Sub sp. Critically Imperiled [Classification as a subspecies question]/State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: Not ranked

Physical Description

The Key Largo cotton mouse is the largest of all subspecies of cotton mouse found in peninsular Florida (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1999). This cotton mouse subspecies can reach a body length of seven inches (17.9 centimeters) with a tail length of three inches (7.7 centimeters). Key Largo cotton mice have a dark hazel back with reddish brown sides, a white belly, white

Key Largo Cotton Mouse 1 | Page feet, and a tail that is brown on top and white on the bottom (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Life History

The diet of the Key Largo cotton mouse consists of berries, seeds, nuts, and insects (M. Tucker pers. comm. 2012). Berries from tropical hardwood hammock trees and shrubs may be an important food supply for the Key Largo cotton mouse (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999).

The Key Largo population of the cotton mouse constructs nests in hollow tree stumps, fallen logs, and crevices in limestone outcrops (Barbour and Humphrey 1982). Breeding occurs throughout the year with a peak breeding season in the fall and early spring (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999, Bigler and Jenkins 1975). The average litter size is 3 young per litter, with three to four litters per year (Bigler and Jenkins 1975).

Habitat & Distribution

The Key Largo cotton mouse inhabits tropical hardwood hammocks in Key Largo Florida.

Threats

Habitat loss and fragmentation have isolated populations of the Key Largo cotton mouse, which increases the severity of all other threats. Isolated populations have reduced gene flow which leads to lower genetic diversity, and potentially lower survival (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2009). Fragmentation along its small range also makes the Key Largo cotton mouse vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes. Trash dumping (a result of increased urbanization) also threatens the Key Largo cotton mouse, leading to an increased population of black rats (Rattus rattus). Black rats may out-compete the Key Largo cotton mouse for food and other resources (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 1999). Sea level rise is an impending threat to the Key Largo cotton mouse population.

Conservation & Management

The Key Largo cotton mouse is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

Key Largo Cotton Mouse 2 | Page

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 5-Year Cotton Mouse Review U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Species Conservation Guidelines U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Multi-Species Recovery Plan

References

Barbour, D.B. and S.R. Humphrey. 1982. Status and habitat of the Key Largo woodrat and cotton mouse (Neotoma floridana smalli and Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola). Journal of Mammalogy 63(1): 144-148.

Bigler, W. J. and J.H. Jenkins. 1975. Population characteristics of Peromyscus gossypinus and Sigmodon hispidus in tropical hammocks of south Florida. Journal of Mammalogy 56(3): 633-644.

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Peromyscus_gossypinus_allapaticola.PDF

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (1999, May 18). Key Largo Cotton Mouse Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola. Retrieved from Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida: http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/KeyLargoCottonmouse.pdf

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2006, June 8). Key Largo cotton mouse. Retrieved August 2, 2011, from Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida : http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/KeyLargoCottonmouse.pdf.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2009. Key Largo cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus allapaticola) 5-Year review: summary and evaluation. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Vero Beach, FL. http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc2378.pdf.

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This page blank Key Largo woodrat Neotoma floridana smalli

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae Genus/Species: Neotoma floridana Subspecies: Neotoma floridana smalli Common Name: Key Largo woodrat

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G5T1/S1 (Globally: Demonstrably Secure, Sub sp. Critically Imperiled/ State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: Not ranked

Physical Description

The Key Largo woodrat is a midsized rodent that can reach a length of 12-16 inches (31-41 centimeters). This species of woodrat has a brown and black back with a reddish-brown tint on its sides, and a short tail that is brown on top and white on the bottom (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Key Largo Woodrat 1 | Page

Life History

Woodrats feed on mushrooms, fruits, berries, seeds, leaves, and plant buds (University of Georgia 2008).

The woodrat excavates an area in the organic soil at the base of trees, rocks, or stumps to build stick nests. In the absence of stick nests, it is believed that Key Largo woodrats use the root systems of large trees or solution holes (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). Breeding peaks in the winter, but the Key Largo woodrat can reproduce all year (Hersh 1981). During periods of breeding, females search for and defend nesting sites, while males are less aggressive. During periods of cooler weather, males become more aggressive in the search for nesting sites (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). Females give birth to one to four young per litter with two to three litters born each year (Hersh 1981, University of Georgia 2008). Sexual maturity is reached by both sexes at the age of five months (Hersh 1981).

Habitat & Distribution

The Key Largo woodrat can only be found in tropical hammocks in Key Largo, Florida.

Threats

Habitat loss and fragmentation are the main threats to the Key Largo woodrat. Development in tropical hammocks in Key Largo has caused the thinning and destruction of vegetation in the hammocks. Habitat fragmentation threatens the species by limiting gene flow and increasing risk from other threats. The limited range makes the Key Largo woodrat vulnerable to storms and fires. Sea level rise also threatens the species as their habitat would be inundated with ocean water. Other threats include increased predation by feral cats and competition from black rats (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999).

Conservation & Management

The Key Largo woodrat is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Key Largo Woodrat 2 | Page

Florida Natural Areas Inventory U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Species Conservation Guidelines U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - South Florida Multi-Species Recovery Plan

References

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Neotoma_floridana_smalli.PDF.

Hersh, S.L. 1981. Ecology of the Key Largo woodrat (Neotoma floridana smalli). Journal of Mammalogy 62(1): 201-206.

University of Georgia. (2008). Eastern Woodrat:Neotoma floridana. Retrieved July 29,2011, from Museum of Natural History: http://naturalhistory.uga.edu/~gmnh/gawildlife/index.php?page=speciespages/species_pa ge&key=nfloridana .

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2006, June 8). Key Largo woodrat. Retrieved July 29, 2011,from Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida: http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/KeyLargoWoodrat.pdf.

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This page blank Leatherback sea turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

(Photo courtesy of Blair Witherington, FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chelonia Order: Testudines Family: Dermochelyidae Genus/Species: Dermochelys coriacea Common Name: Leatherback sea turtle

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G3/S2 (Globally: Rare/State: Imperiled) IUCN Status: CR (Critically Endangered)

Physical Description

The leatherback sea turtle is black with blue, pink, and white splotches throughout the body. Unlike other sea turtles with hard shells, the leatherback sea turtle has a shell comprised of a thick layer of fatty tissue overlayed with a mosaic of tiny bones, and covered with a thin layer of skin. Leatherbacks average six feet (1.8 meters) in length and a weight range of 500 to 1,500

Leatherback Sea Turtle 1 | Page pounds (226.8-680.4 kilograms) (Stewart and Johnson 2006). The leatherback sea turtle is the largest turtle in the world (NMFS and USFWS 1992)

Life History

The leatherback’s diet primarily consists of jellyfish and salps (sac-like filter feeders).

Nesting occurs on sandy beaches from late February and peaks in May; however, nests have been found as late as August (Stewart and Johnson 2006). Females will come onshore and dig a body pit and a nest chamber at the bottom of the pit. They typically construct their nests at night. The average clutch size is 73 yolked eggs and 25 yolkless eggs, also called “spacers”. The purpose of the spacers is unclear. The incubation period is 59-75 days, with the hatchlings migrating to the ocean at night. The age of sexual maturity is poorly understood for this species (Stewart and Johnson 2006).

Habitat & Distribution

Leatherbacks can be found in marine waters throughout the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. They also nest on sandy beaches in the same range. Nesting in the United States usually occurs in Florida, Puerto Rico and St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands).

Threats

The leatherback sea turtle faces many threats both on land and in the water. The main threat to leatherbacks at sea is entanglement in fishing gear such as longlines, monofilament fishing line, nets, and crab trap lines (Stewart and Johnson 2006). When entangled in marine debris, the leatherback cannot escape and will usually drown. Leatherbacks are also harvested illegally for their meat and eggs in some countries. On land, increased beach development is an ongoing threat for sea turtles as the development can cause degradation of the habitat, and limit the amount of nesting sites available for the leatherback. Coastal development also increases artificial lighting which can be detrimental to hatchlings causing them to migrate towards the light instead of the ocean. Other threats include increased predation on eggs, habitat degradation by pollutants and contaminants, and hits by watercraft.

Conservation & Management

The leatherback sea turtle is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and

Leatherback Sea Turtle 2 | Page

Threatened Species Rule, and by Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act (379.2431, Florida Statutes).

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Sea Turtle Page FWC Artificial Light Information FWC Leatherback Nesting In Florida International Union for Conservation of Nature National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Factsheet

References

National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1992. Recovery Plan for Leatherback Turtles in the U.S. Caribbean, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D.C.

Stewart K., Johnson C., 2006. Dermochelys coriacea – Leatherback Sea Turtle. In Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Pages 144-157.

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This page blank Loggerhead sea turtle2

Caretta caretta

(Photo courtesy of Blair Witherington, FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chelonia Order: Testudines Family: Cheloniidae Genus/Species: Caretta caretta Common Name: Loggerhead sea turtle

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G3/S3 (Rare) IUCN Status: EN (Endangered)

Physical Description

The loggerhead sea turtle is a marine-dwelling species that ranges in size from 2.4 to 3.5 feet (74–107.5 centimeters) and can weigh between 155 to 412 pounds (70.2–186.8 kilograms)

Loggerhead Sea Turtle 1 | Page

(Witherington, 2006). This turtle species has a reddish-brown carapace (upper shell section) and a light to medium yellow plastron (lower shell section). The name comes from its large block- like head. The jaws of the loggerhead are very powerful, which enables them to easily crush their armored prey. Loggerhead sea turtles have 11 to 12 marginal scutes (scutes that surround the perimeter of the carapace), five coastal (lateral) scutes, five vertebral (center) scutes, and one nuchal (cervical) scute (NMFS and USFWS 2008).

Life History

The diet of the loggerhead sea turtle primarily consists of jellyfish, crabs and a variety of mollusks.

Loggerheads mate every two to three years in shallow marine waters near nesting beaches and along migratory corridors. Nesting occurs between the months of April and September (NMFS and USFWS 2008). Male loggerheads tend to breed away from the beach they emerged from as juveniles (Witherington 2006). Female loggerheads will go onshore an average of four times a season to lay 100-150 eggs. Loggerhead eggs have a leathery surface and are the shape of a golf ball. When females come onshore they will dig a deep trench in the beach sand to nest in. The incubation period for the eggs is 49 to 58 days. Once hatched, the young will crawl to the ocean. The survival rate of the young during their first year is low, as they have an extensive amount of predators in the marine environment. Loggerheads reach sexual maturity at approximately 35 years old.

Habitat & Distribution

Loggerheads can be found in subtropical and temperate oceans of the world (Witherington, 2006).

Threats

The main threat that the loggerhead faces is accidental capture in shrimp and fishing nets such as longlines, finfish trawls, beach seines, drift and set gill nets. When captured in these nets, the loggerhead cannot escape and will eventually drown. Longlines can entangle or snag sea turtles. Development of nesting beaches is also a threat to the loggerhead, as their nests can be destroyed, and available nesting sites limited. Coastal development also increases artificial lighting which can be detrimental to hatchlings causing them to migrate towards the light instead of the ocean. Increased predation on nests from raccoons and feral hogs is also a significant threat to the loggerhead. Beach armoring (ex. seawalls) is a threat as the structures prevent the

Loggerhead Sea Turtle 2 | Page

natural maintenance of beaches and sand dunes. Other threats include exploitation for meat and eggs in other countries, habitat degradation from contaminants and pollutants, and boat strikes (NMFS and USFWS 2008).

Conservation & Management

The loggerhead sea turtle is protected as a Threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Threatened species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule, and by Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act (379.2431, Florida Statutes).

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Sea Turtle Page FWC Artificial Light Information FWC Loggerhead Nesting in Florida International Union for Conservation of Nature National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Factsheet

References

National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2008. Recovery Plan for the Northwest Atlantic Population of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta), Second Revision. National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD.\

Witherington, Blair, Richard Herren, and Michael Bresette. 2006. Caretta cartta – Loggerhead Sea Turtle. In Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Pages 74 – 89.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle 3 | Page

This page blank Piping plover

Charadrius melodus

(Photo courtesy of Gene Nieminen, USFWS)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae Genus/Species: Charadrius melodus Common Name: Piping plover

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G3/S2 (Globally: Rare/State: Imperiled) IUCN Status: NT (Near Threatened)

Physical Description

The piping plover is a small shorebird, measuring up to 7.25 inches (18.4 centimeters) in length with a wingspan of 14-15.5 inches (35.6-39.4 centimeters) (Alsop 2002). This species has a white belly, pale grayish upperparts, bright yellow-orange legs, and a small bi-colored bill.

Piping Plover 1 | Page

Breeding piping plovers have a black stripe across their forehead and a dark ring partially surrounding their neck (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Life History

The diet of the piping plover primarily consists of insects, crustaceans, and marine worms (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2011).

Piping plovers do not breed in Florida but spend a large portion of their year “wintering” here. Pairs of piping plovers arrive at breeding grounds from southern Canada to Nebraska starting in late March and early April (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2011). In courtship, the male flies over his territory while tilting side to side and performing deep, slow wing beats. After courtship, the breeding pair forms a nest by scraping a depression in the sand, sometimes using pebbles to line the nest. Nests with a pebble lining can take five to ten days to construct, while a nest without pebbles can be constructed in a couple of hours (Elliott-Smith and Haig 2004). Nesting occurs in May and June. Females lay up to four eggs (one egg every other day) that are incubated for 31 days (New York Department of Environmental Conservation, n.d.). The young are precocious (require very little assistance). Young are able to forage with their parents soon after hatching, and fledge at 30 days old (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2011).

Habitat & Distribution

Piping plovers inhabit sandy beaches, sand flats, and mudflats along coastal areas (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). The species can be found along Gulf Coast states and Mexico, along the Atlantic Coast from Florida to Newfoundland, and west to northern Michigan and Wisconsin. The nesting range extends from southern Canada to Nebraska (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Threats

The main threat to piping plovers is habitat loss. Development on beaches has reduced the amount of suitable wintering areas available. Disturbance by humans and domestic animals forces wintering and migrating birds to increase their energy expenditure, and can also cause breeding plovers to abandon nests and young. Other threats include predation from raccoons, skunks, and foxes (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2011).

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Conservation & Management

The piping plover is protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is also protected as a Threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Threatened species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule. Piping plovers are protected in Florida through management of wintering grounds. Frequent disturbance of these migrants has been shown to reduce their survival rates, so wintering areas used by piping plovers may be posted with signs to protect them from disturbance.

-Federal Action Plan -Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Birds of North America Florida Natural Areas Inventory International Union for Conservation of Nature National Park Service New York Department of Environmental Conservation The Cornell Lab of Ornithology U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

References

Alsop, F. J. (2002). Birds of Florida. New York, NY: Dorling Kindersley Inc. 400pp

Elliott-Smith, E., and S. M. Haig. 2004. Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/002

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Charadrius_melodus.PDF

New York Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Piping Plover Fact Sheet. Retrieved July 26, 2011 : http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7086.html

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (2011, June 3). Overview of Biology and Threats. Retrieved July 27, 2011, from Northeast Region: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/pipingplover/overview.html

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This page blank Red-cockaded woodpecker

Picoides borealis

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae Genus/Species: Picoides borealis Common Name: Red-cockaded woodpecker

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G3/S2 (Globally: Rare/State: Imperiled) IUCN: Not ranked

Physical Description

The red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) is a black and white bird that can reach lengths of 9 inches (22.9 centimeters) and a weight of 1.8 ounces (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2011).

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RCWs have a large white patch located on their cheek, a black head and neck, a white belly, and a barred black and white back. The red-cockade, which is only found on the male, consists of a small red streak above the cheek and is rarely visible.

Life History

The diet of RCWs mainly consists of insects, arthropods, and seeds (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2011).

The nesting season for the RCW is between April and June. RCWs are unique in their nesting, as they only nest in self-made cavities in live pine trees, as opposed to dead trees which most woodpeckers prefer. Resin wells are also excavated by RCWs below their cavities to prevent predators from climbing cavity trees and robbing nests. RCWs are cooperative breeders, as they have up to four, but generally one or two, ”helpers” that will help incubate the eggs, as well as feed and brood nestlings and fledglings (R. Boughton pers comm. 2011). Females will lay three to four eggs per nesting. The incubation period for the eggs of RCWs are able to first fly at 26 days old and will either stay with the breeding group as a helper, or leave the group before the next breeding season.

Habitat & Distribution

RCWs inhabit 90-100 year-old longleaf pine, pond pine, pitch pine, and Virginia pine ecosystems from North Carolina, south to Florida, and west to Texas (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001, R. Boughton pers comm. 2011). In Florida, the RCW inhabits slash, longleaf, and loblolly pines (R. Boughton pers comm. 2011).

Threats

The main threat to the RCW is the loss and deterioration of habitat. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, longleaf pines were extensively logged for their value as lumber. Longleaf pine communities were also destroyed and transformed into agriculture fields. Since the 1950’s, clear cutting of longleaf pines for development and agriculture has been a threat to many species that depend on the old-growth pine as it caused habitat fragmentation. Fire suppression can degrade longleaf and slash pine communities causing the area to become a foraging area with low productivity.

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Conservation & Management

The RCW is protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is also protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

In 2006, FWC began a statewide RCW Safe Harbor Program through an agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). The goal of the program is to help conserve the RCW through partnerships with private landowners. Since RCWs are protected under the ESA, landowners have a legal obligation to protect the birds and their habitat. The program currently includes 15 private properties and approximately 65,000 acres. Safe Harbor Agreements make sense whenever landowners are interested in restoring or enhancing habitats that may benefit this endangered species but are concerned about incurring additional regulatory restrictions on the use of their land. It effectively freezes a landowner's ESA responsibilities as long as the owner agrees to restore, enhance, or create habitat that benefits red-cockaded woodpeckers. The Safe Harbor Program has many benefits to landowners, but the primary incentive is the certainty they gain regarding future land use. Property owners can maintain, restore or enhance red-cockaded woodpecker habitat, with the assurance that additional birds will not result in more land use restrictions. The program is voluntary and a landowner can withdraw from it at any time

-Federal Recovery Plan -FWC Management Plan

Other Informative Links

Birds of North America Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Petitions and Listing Actions The Cornell Lab of Ornithology University of Florida U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Red-cockaded Woodpecker Recovery Plan U.S. Geological Survey

References

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Picoides_borealis.PDF

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Red-cockaded woodpecker. Retrieved May 23, 2011, from All About Birds: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-cockaded_Woodpecker/id

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This page blank Roseate tern

Sterna dougallii dougallii

(Photo courtesy of Kirk Rogers, USFWS)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Laridae Genus/Species: Sterna dougallii Subspecies: Sterna dougallii dougallii Common Name: Roseate tern

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G4/S1 (Globally: Apparently Secure/State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: LC (Least Concern)

Physical Description

The roseate tern is a mid-sized tern that can reach a length of 15.7 inches (40 centimeters) with a wingspan of 23.6 inches (60 centimeters) (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). This species has

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a black cap, gray upperparts, white underparts, and a white forked tail. Roseate terns have a thin black bill which becomes red during the breeding season (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Life History

The diet of the roseate tern primarily consists of small fish (ex. sand lance, hake, and herrings) and some invertebrates (National Audubon Society, n.d.).

Roseate terns breed and nest in colonies along with other terns (National Audubon Society, n.d.). They embark upon breeding grounds at the end of April (Spendelow 1995). During courtship, males will fly with a fish in its bill while letting out advertising calls to attract females. Males will also feed females as a courtship ritual (Gochfield et al. 1998). The availability of small fish seems to determine to approximate time the roseate tern nests. The Caribbean population (includes Florida’s population) lays up to two eggs in the middle part of May (National Audubon Society, n.d., Shealer 1992 as cited in Gochfield et al. 1998). The total incubation period for eggs is two to three weeks. Young roseate terns are able to fledge four weeks after hatching and are able to leave their parents around two months of age (Gochfield et al. 1998).

Habitat & Distribution

The roseate tern nests in broken coral deposits, bare limestone, shell/sandy beaches, newly deposits of mudstone and rock, and rooftops. This species can be found from Nova Scotia, south to the Florida Keys, and on islands throughout the Caribbean. Roseate terns can also be found in Australia, Indonesia, southern Africa, northern Europe, the Azores, and the British Isles (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Threats

The main threat to the roseate tern is human disturbance during nesting (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). The collecting of eggs from roseate tern nests has caused the elimination of colonies in the Virgin Islands and other islands in the tropics (Gochfield et al. 1998). Increases in gull populations are a threat to the roseate tern as the gull’s aggressive nature can cause terns to desert their nests (National Audubon Society, n.d.). Hunting is a threat to the South American population as hunting occurs on their winter grounds (National Audubon Society, n.d.).

Conservation & Management

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The roseate tern is protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is also protected as a Threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Threatened species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Birds of North America Florida Natural Areas Inventory National Audubon Society New York Department of Environmental Conservation The Cornell Lab of Ornithology U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida

References

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Sterna_dougallii.PDF

Gochfeld, Michael, Joanna Burger and Ian C. Nisbet. 1998. Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.).Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna.html/species/370

National Audubon Society. (n.d.). Roseate Tern. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from Audubon: http://birds.audubon.org/species/roster

Shealer, D. A. 1992. Behavioral and ecological factors affecting reproductive success in a threatened population of tropical Roseate Terns. Master's Thesis. Rutgers Univ., New\ Brunswick, NJ. as cited in Gochfeld, Michael, Joanna Burger and Ian C. Nisbet. 1998. Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna.html/species/370

Spendelow, J. A. (1995, March). Roseate Tern Fact Sheet. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from U.S. National Biological Service: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/mbr/tern2.htm

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Roseate tern. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from All About Birds: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/roseate_tern/id

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (1999, May). Roseate Tern. Retrieved September 6, 2011, from Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida: http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/RoseateTern.pdf

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This page blank Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly

Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus

(Photo courtesy of Jaret C. Daniels, Ph.D.)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Papilionidae Genus/Species: Heraclides aristodemus Subspecies: Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus Common Name: Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G4T1/S1 (Globally: Apparently Secure, Sub Sp. Critically Imperiled/ State: Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: None

Physical Description

Schaus’ swallowtail is a large black butterfly that can have a forewing length of up to 2.3 inches (5.8 centimeters). This species has contrasting white or yellow markings across the forewing, and a series of yellow blotches that continues along the forewing to the hind wing. It also has a

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black “tail” with yellow edging, and an orange patch on the underside of the hind wing (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Life History

The diet of Schaus’ swallowtail primarily consists of guava nectar, wild tamarind, and cheese shrubs (The Butterfly Conservation Initiative, n.d.).

Males begin courting by cruising around the tops (canopy) of trees in search of receptive females (Montana State University, n.d.). After mating, the female lays eggs singly on the leaves of wild lime (Zanthoxylum fagara) and sea torchwood (Amyris elemifera). Schaus’ swallowtails produce one generation annually between the months of April and July (Daniels 2007). Newly hatched caterpillars feed on young blossoms and leaves (Montana State University, n.d.). The emergence of adult butterflies depends on the beginning of the rainy season in Florida, as the pupae can remain dormant for over a year if the required weather conditions do not exist (Daniels 2007).

Habitat &Distribution

Schaus’ swallowtail inhabits tropical hardwood hammocks in Key Largo and the islands in Biscayne National Park that support the species primary habitat (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Threats

The Schaus’ swallowtail population faces environmental threats in its limited range. Weather conditions such as droughts and hurricanes also threaten the Schaus’ swallowtail. Droughts prevent the pupae from emerging out of dormant stage into adults. Due to its limited range in the Florida Keys, a strong hurricane could wipe out the population. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew nearly caused the extinction of the species with only 73 individuals surviving the storm (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, n.d.). Inbreeding threatens Schaus’ swallowtail because it causes genetic diversity to be lost within the species, thus limiting the ability to adapt to changing environments (Daniels 2007). Other threats include habitat loss due to development and pesticide spraying for mosquito control.

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Conservation & Management

Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

Other Informative Links

Butterfly Conservation Initiative Florida Natural Areas Inventory Oxford University Museum of Natural History University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Partnership with Private Landowners

References

Daniels, J. C. (2007, September). Schaus Swallowtail, Papilio aristodemus ponceanus. Retrieved July 14, 2011, from University of Florida IFAS Extension: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN69800.pdf

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Heraclides_aristodemus_ponceanus.PDF

Montana State University. (n.d.). Schaus' Swallowtail. Retrieved July 14, 2011, from Birds and Moths of North America: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Papilio-aristodemus

The Butterfly Conservation Initiative. (n.d.). Schaus Swallowtail Butterfly. Retrieved July 14, 2011, from http://www.butterflyrecovery.org/species_profiles/schaus_swallowtail/

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (n.d.). Schaus Swallowtail Butterfly. Retrieved July 14, 2011, from http://www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs/facts/schaus_swallowtail_fs.pdf

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This page blank Stock Island tree snail

Orthalicus reses [not including nesodryas]

(Photo courtesy of Dr. Dale R. Jackson, FNAI)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Stylommatophora Family: Orthalicidae Genus/Species: Orthalicus reses Common Name: Stock Island tree snail

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G1T1/S1 (Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: Not ranked

Physical Description

The Stock Island tree snail is a large snail that can reach a length of 2.2 inches (5.5 centimeters). Its thin shell is white to light brown with three brownish to purple horizontal stripes that surround the shell. Numerous narrow brownish to purple stripes can be found stretching

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vertically on the shell surface. The species also has a white inner shell spiral and shell tip (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001).

Life History

The diet of the Stock Island tree snail consists of the epiphytic (growing on the surface of a plant) lichens, fungi, and algae on their host tree (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999, Forys et al. 2001).

Stock Island tree snails are hermaphrodites (have both male and female reproductive organs). They mate and nest during the late summer and early fall months concurrently with the wettest part of the rainy season (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). Nests are constructed in the humus of soil – the area of soil where carbon has reached maximum stability. Fifteen eggs per clutch are laid, which can take 24 to 105 hours to lay. Eggs hatch during the spring when the rainy season begins. Stock Island tree snails begin nesting at two to three years of age (Diesler 1987).

Habitat & Distribution

The Stock Island tree snail inhabits host trees in tropical hardwood hammocks. Important host trees include poisonwood (Metopium toxiferum), pigeon plum (Coccoloba diversifolia), Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia piscipula), strangler fig (Ficus aurea), and gumbo limbo (Bursera simarouba) (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). This species is endemic to Stock Island and Key West in the Florida Keys, but went extinct in its native range in 1992. Several small populations remain, however, only in locations where the snail had been introduced outside of its historic range (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999, Forys 2001).

Threats

Habitat loss and modification is the main threat to the Stock Island tree snail. Increased urban development in the Florida Keys has caused habitat destruction, fragmentation, and degradation to the Stock Island tree snail’s primary habitat. Fragmentation may cause destruction to the microclimate (small atmospheric zone that has a different climate than its surrounding area), which is important for reproduction, feeding, and dwelling. Natural disasters (e.g., hurricanes) are a serious threat to the species, as its limited range could result in complete extinction during a

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single disaster event. Pesticide use near snail habitat can result in the altering of its reproduction, feeding, or the death of the snail. The increased collection of snails can cause a decline in population. Potential natural threats include predation from raccoons, birds, black rats, and fire ants (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). Mortality from fire ants has been implicated as one of the most likely causes of the snail’s recent decline and extinction from its historic range (Forys et al. 2001).

Conservation & Management

The Stock Island tree snail is protected as a Threatened species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Threatened species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule. Following an earlier version, a revised Federal Recovery Plan for the Stock Island tree snail was included in the Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1999). The snail’s status was recently re-evaluated and found to still warrant Federal listing as Threatened (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2009).

-Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

Florida Natural Areas Inventory U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Profile U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service South Florida Multi-Species Recovery Plan

References

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Orthalicus_reses_reses.pdf

Deisler, J.E. (1987). The ecology of the Stock Island tree snail, Orthalicus reses reses (Say).Bulletin Florida State Museum Biological Science 31(3): 107-145. Gainesville, FL.

Forys, E.A., A. Quistorff, C.R. Allen, and D.P. Wojcik. 2001. The likely cause of extinction of the tree snail Orthalicus reses reses (Say). Journal of Molluscan Studies 67: 369-376.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1999. South Florida multi-species recovery plan. Southeast Region, Atlanta, Georgia.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2009. Stock Island tree snail (Orthalicus reses (not including nesodryas)). 5-year review: summary and evaluation. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, South Florida Ecological Services Office, Vero Beach, Florida.

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West Indian manatee Trichechus manatus

(Photo by FWC)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Sirenia Family: Trichechidae Genus/Species: Trichechus manatus Common Name: West Indian manatee

The subspecies of the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) that occurs in Florida is also known as the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris).

Listing Status

Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G2/S2 (Imperiled) IUCN Status: VU (Vulnerable)

Physical Description

The West Indian manatee is a large gray aquatic mammal that commonly reaches a body length of nine to ten feet (2.7-3 meters) and a weight of 1,000 pounds (453.6.6 kilograms); however, it can grow to more than 13 feet (four meters) and weight up to 3,500 pounds (1587.6 kilograms). Manatees feature a wide rounded tail and two flipper-like fore limbs that have three to four nails. Flippers are used to maneuver in the water and to grasp vegetation while feeding. The nostrils

West Indian Manatee 1 | Page are located above the snout and have valves that tightly close when the manatee is under water. Their small eyes have a membrane that can cover the eyes for protection. The ear openings are small and external lobes are lacking. Manatees have a flexible lip pad that is used to move food into their mouth. Manatees have back teeth (molars) for chewing but no frontal teeth. Teeth are continuously lost and re-grown throughout the manatee’s life. Molars form at the back of the jaw and slowly progress to the front of the jaw where they will fall out. This is seen as an adaptation trait for feeding on vegetation with sand mixed in. Manatees can hold their breath up to 20 minutes when resting, but when active they surface to breath every three to five minutes.

Life History

The diet of the manatee primarily consists of marine and freshwater vegetation (ex. Syringodium filaforme) (Bester, n.d.). This species feeds between six and eight hours a day, eating up to ten percent of its body weight in vegetation.

Manatees can breed and give birth throughout the year; however, birthing usually peaks in the spring. During the breeding season, males gather and pursue a female to form a mating group and breed at different times (Bester, n.d.). The gestation time for the manatee is 13 months. Manatees have a low reproductive rate, only giving birth to an average of one calf every three to five years. Females give birth to their first calf between the ages of four and seven years old (Marmontel 1995; O'Shea and Hartley 1995; Rathbun et al., 1995). The calf will stay with the mother for up to two years.

Habitat & Distribution

The West Indian manatee can be found along coasts and inland waters of the southeastern United States, eastern Mexico, the Greater Antilles (Hispaniola, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica), and Central America down to as far as northern Brazil.

Threats

The main threats to manatees are boat collisions and the loss of warm water habitat. Manatees feed in shallow waters making them susceptible to interactions with boats. Boat related deaths can be caused by propeller cuts, impacts from the hull or lower unit of the motor, or a combination of the two. Large ships can crush manatees on the bottom of waterways or between the vessel and the wharf. Impact related and crushing injuries cause various lethal internal injuries. Due to the inability to

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regulate their body temperature (thermoregulate) in cold water, cold stress is a serious threat to the manatee (Irvine 1983). The loss of warm water refuges is seen as a serious long-term threat to the continued existence of the manatee (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 2001). Habitat loss is also an issue as coastal development and pollution can destroy seagrass beds and freshwater aquatic vegetation, which is the main food source of manatees. Manatees are also at risk of becoming entangled in monofilament line (fishing line) and crab trap lines which lead to injury, rescues, and death in extreme cases. Periodically, manatees will get crushed in flood gates and canal locks, or trapped in culverts where they drown or starve. Other threats include diseases, natural disasters, and red tide. Red tide is a dramatic increase of the Karenia brevis algae, which can be a danger to many marine species.

Conservation & Management

The West Indian manatee is protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule. It is also protected by the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act (FMSA). The FMSA allows the State to set restrictions on boat speed and access in important manatee habitats. FWC enforces these boating restrictions along with Federal and local government partners.

-State Management Plan -Federal Recovery Plan

Other Informative Links

FWC Manatee Research FWC Petitions and Listing Actions FWC Species Profile International Union for Conservation of Nature U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species Information U.S. Geological Survey

References

Bester, C. (n.d.). West Indian manatee. Retrieved August 1, 2011, from Icthyology: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/seagrass/manatee.html

Irvine, A.B. 1983. Manatee metabolism and its influence on distribution in Florida. Biological Conservation 25:315-334.

Marmontel, M. 1995. Age and reproduction in female Florida manatees. Pp. 98-119 in T.J. O'Shea, B.B. Ackerman, and H.F. Percival, eds., Population Biology of the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). National Biological Service, Information and Technology Report 1. 289 pp.

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O'Shea, T.J., and W.C. Hartley. 1995. Reproduction and early age survival of manatees at Blue Spring, Upper St. Johns River, Florida. Pages 157-170 in T.J. O’Shea, B.B. Ackerman, \ and H.F. Percival, editors. Population biology of the Florida manatee. National Biological Service Information and Technology Report 1. Washington, D.C. 289pp.

Rathbun, G.B., J.P. Reid, R.K. Bonde, and J.A. Powell. 1995. Reproduction in free-ranging Florida manatees. Pages 135-156 in T.J. O’Shea, B.B. Ackerman, and H.F. Percival, editors. Population biology of the Florida manatee. National Biological Service Information and Technology Report 1. Washington, D.C. 289pp.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 2001. Florida manatee recovery plan, (Trichechus manatus latirostris), third revision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Atlanta, Georgia. 144 pp. + appendices.

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Wood stork

Mycteria americana

(Photo courtesy of Ryan Hagerty, USFWS)

Taxonomic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae Genus/Species: Mycteria americana Common Name: Wood stork

Listing Status

Federal Status: Endangered FL Status: Federally-designated Endangered FNAI Ranks: G4/S2 (Globally: Apparently Secure; State: Imperiled) IUCN Status: LC (Least Concern)

Physical Description

The wood stork is a large, long legged wading bird that reaches a length of 35-45 inches (89-114 centimeters) with a wingspan of 60-65 inches (152-165 centimeters). The primary and tail

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feathers are black (J. Rodgers pers comm. 2011). The head and upper neck of adult wood storks have no feathers, but have gray rough scaly skin. Wood storks also have a black bill and black legs with pink toes. Adult wood storks are voiceless and are capable of only making hissing sounds.

Life History

Wood storks feed on small to medium-sized fish, crayfish, amphibians, and reptiles. Their hunting technique is unique as they will move their partially opened bill through water, snapping up prey when the prey comes in contact with the bill.

The wood stork is the only species of stork that breeds in the U.S.. Wood storks are very social in nesting habitats, as they are often seen nesting in large colonies of 100-500 nests. Colonies in South Florida form late November to early March, while wood storks in Central and North Florida form colonies from February to March (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). After copulation, males begin gathering twigs for constructing nests (Coulter et al. 1999). Wood stork nests are primarily built in trees that stand in water (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). In Florida, wood storks are capable of laying eggs from October to June (Rodgers 1990). Females lay a single clutch of two to five eggs per season (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1999). The average incubation period is 30 days, with young wood storks able to fly 10-12 weeks after hatching (J. Rodgers pers comm. 2011).

Habitat & Distribution

Wood storks nest in mixed hardwood swamps, sloughs, mangroves, and cypress domes/strands in Florida (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001). They forage in a variety of wetlands including both freshwater and estuarine marshes, although limited to depths less than 10-12 inches. The wood stork breeds in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Non-breeding wood storks have an extensive range throughout North America, to northern Argentina in South America (Florida Natural Areas Inventory 2001, J. Rodgers pers. comm. 2011).

Threats

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The South Florida population has collapsed due to agricultural expansions and altered hydrocycles (Coulter et al. 1999, J. Rodgers pers comm. 2011). Wood storks need normal flooding to increase prey population with a natural drawdown to concentrate prey in one area (J. Rodgers pers comm. 2011). Successful breeding depends on normal hydrocycles. The drainage of cypress stands prevents the wood stork from nesting, and promotes predation from raccoons (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1996).

Conservation & Management

The wood stork is protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is also protected as an Endangered species by the Federal Endangered Species Act and as a Federally-designated Endangered species by Florida’s Endangered and Threatened Species Rule.

-Federal Recovery Plan -Federal Action Plan

Other Informative Links

Birds of North America Florida Natural Areas Inventory FWC Species Profile FWC Additional Information International Union for Conservation of Nature National Geographic National Park Service Southwest Florida Water Management District The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

References

Coulter, M. C., J. A. Rodgers, J. C. Ogden and F. C. Depkin. 1999. Wood Stork (Mycteria americana), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/409.

Florida Natural Areas Inventory. 2001. Field guide to the rare animals of Florida. http://www.fnai.org/FieldGuide/pdf/Mycteria_americana.PDF.

Rodgers, J.A., Jr. 1990. Breeding chronology and clutch information for the wood stork from museum collections. Journal of Field Ornithology 61(1):47-53.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 1996. Revised recovery plan for the U.S. breeding population of the wood stork. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Atlanta, Georgia. 41p.

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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (n.d.). Wood stork. Retrieved August 23, 2011, from Multi-Species Recovery Plan for South Florida: http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/Woodstork.pdf.

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