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Home My WebLink AboutApril 08, 2004 - Flusing out Florida's wildlife The Suffolk Times • April 8, 2004 0 � r � � � � `� m � o � � < � � �o • � � cna � us ln �� ou orl a s � ° � � � o � �o � � � � o � � � 0 . . � � wl 1 E r � o o �, cQ m s� � ��—, � o , -� , � � � � � ;.�u , Q � w � • � �'�» ��' � � � � � ��w"q� , ��u,�� r m ,' � � / � � � :� � (� . N �; �'iwr � r�., n�„ � � ; �.�' � � C�/J u ' :U� a �' O � i�am��w � �,�re� 'l,�r � e�,��x ,�y� �(D r " � �r ��'r� �� " '4�' C� � CD ; r�� (4 ,� �� ,�h��' i l�n "� �p i w i � ��l �r i � � � r ��r �� i�t � � � i H p� �'x�r � �'4r i� � ��u� ��"� �. �' C� , , � �� ;u � �°'�" �� A� � O � � � n �/ � �� ri�i�;; ; n�, , � �- , �'�' 1�Yu �� .�.� � I ., � �� l'r�� i"�r��« �,t � � "�i%l O � i ' � , + ry �� A"w � � / � P " � 4�'�,� F M �� N 1 �I �� w�: � CD -O � � N �� ,�� in°� '-� ��+��%�4 �"",�'� � � � �' cxi m ° ;yt"' '�„NFrvI�kn �u ;� ,MV�y-'�"p, �.��N��6 �. ��w �' . ,. ... , r r�y�,.,. � 7. Cn n„ � p i � � � �� - �,,x . .,�� .� �w ,�.., c� � o " _ ��'�, , „� �•. . , . � �, � , Q — � � u � � `N �^ ""'r��r� � ,,,�,, o � �u wti, rr�N �,, ` � � `< p� +..� � �y �, , r � �u ur , � � � �� .�F'..' �� 4 rif� �" �i , ��,i.� � � � „ �r Y , ,�ry r„�- �, „ p fi � � .. �1�, r—. �' � nr�� ,, ..k, �� . I '�'�� Mi ��,.. � �.ad � `"�" � "' "�" � i�� " �r,'�, " U�i p A� �'�u�'' �� Nl�. o "t � 7 (� � O � �� YEaxs A�o wE srEtvT our wmters to keep track of where the manatees �' � w camping in F lori da a t t he Or tona go,when they move and other valu- �' � � Locks on the Caloosahatchee River. able information,all helping them to � o� We worked as volunteers for the do a better job of protecting these � � ° researchers who were studying man- rare mammals. � � atees.Our assignment was It was a Motorboats account for a high per- �- � to photograph these endan- �ndoff as �entage of manatee deaths.Today � � gered ammals as they made there are only 2,000 or so manatees �. �, their wa throu h the Barbara and Q y g left in Florida.Manatees grow to � locks.Some of the photo- the bobeat about 13 feet long.Their bodies are � `D graphs showed scars that �red at cylindrical and tapered;their color is � � were made by propellers of grayish black.The head is small and �' �� motorboats.Then there eaeh other. rounded on a thick,short neck.The � o were scars on flippers or lips are thick and fleshy,with bristles � Q marks on their tails—all features that help the manatee when it's feed- � � the researchers used to identify the ing.They graze only on water plants, �D o individual manatees.With these pho- eating 60 to 100 pounds of greenery a � �- to ra hs,the researchers were able day.The have no exter ears and � a � � m m � `< � — �� m CD o � � m � �"'�..a .. ,.'�..¢ � N i . n.� d :. ti,�. `I wA4 �� ?. p^�� r i y" Y .��! ��, :'f F,r�- �t��V'�.) � � ^� . �i � '� er �,, 5 �ry��'NU r� V ,,, �w�""�� t,� �n�� '�rk"�r�; , ��, � The armadillo feeds mam y on an s � „ a�u,� �' h;��H� �;,� ��,�� , � �� r��'�� Y gg g g , , , ,, ,�� w � ��„ �, , and other insects b di in and usin ' � �'��^ " ' w � �"� �°"' +'��"��,,�; �!"� its lon sticky tongue.It also eats ,"��'�'" ' � , w � �M� �� " „ g� l hi�"• �� a� � d� � ` '�y n1�r�6� 4i,i��pi r�„„ , �v ; ' ' M ��,"" �� , �n� , cra fish,fro s,snakes,bird e s and '�,,. � '� ,°�r"„� � , �' � ��r��ru��G Y g gg �,„; , � ; � fi�� , ,��„�� , carrion.It can run rather rapidly and � � �°"�,�� r+ �` " � � ��' ��'% can burrow easily in most soils where ,��%, �i,ri '� � �'�, i�, ^ � �� ,i,'�� ,n��' u�R`�ti I ��r��,M�� IT �1VeS.It W8S fUTl t0 W3tC}1 3II �, ,��w"'�m y� „��,�' ' a��;,, � �� i�?�i ^� armadillo doing its thing. µ � , � � ry�> ' While on our three-hour watches at ,�, ��r�u�n : ��N�' the Ortona Lock,we often saw spe- � � , � ,/ % r�",!'� � '�� cially designed cruise ships go by. �y,�h� ��,, � i ��, They were built small enough to � ''�,�„, , "",� ", �� ,,; N� �' '� maneuver in the inland waterway. ;'�°" � � � � � �.�� ' Some of these small ships cruise the ��r�� ' �' Erie Canal up here in the summer ��, ,p ,��s , � u months and then move south to We found ourselves creeping slowly Florida for cruises there. and quietly along the fence stalking a We talked with some of the people dog-size bobcat.It was as if we were enjoying these cruises and always watching a TV special.As we followe thought it would be fun to join one it,we began to see a change in its gait. and travel through this interesting Finally it slowed down to a deliberate Waterway.We had seen pictures of t eir eycs are tiny. c front limbs are one-foot-at-a-time stalk.Then it these unique ships that carry large,almost paddle-like,while their stopped for a few seconds.Then it fewer than 100 people.They tail acts like a large,broad paddle. pounced on something,probably a can get into places the bigger They never come out of the water mouse,and 5at down and commenced cruise ships can't.They draw and the swim slowly.When the tem- to eat it. little water,so they can pull perature drops below 40 We slowly moved through the park, right up to a swimming degrees,the manatee seeks constantly keeping our eyes on the beach and the people can warmer water.Docile and bobcat.Then Barbara came to a small walk down the bow gang- defenseless,they suffer from wooden bridge and the bobcat pro- plank,off the ship.When a wide range of devastating ceeded to walk up the other side of thcy come up to a bridge,the ship's problems.Many die from the bridge.They were now facing each I��thouse drops down so it can go blooms of microscopic red other.Later,she told me the bobcat «��er it. tide organisms.They can live came so close that she could actually It all sounded pretty good to us,so in fresh to brackish waters catch the strong smell of this wild ani- �'c said what the heck,let's try it. and also in the shallow saltwater areas mal.It was a standoff as they stared at W�'11 take you along with us as we of the ocean. each other.It was then she decided to cruise down from Jacksonville, Part of our job was to photograph be the one to step back.(But through the inland waterway and up the wildlife in the area and create a only after she had gotten a to St.Petersburg.Of course,we'll collection of photographs and slides few pictures.) travel with camera and binoculars for park rangers to use.We also gave She had followed the cat in and see some of the wildlife along the talks on the plants,birds and animals her bare feet over blue way.It seems like a good idea to do it of the area.This proved most interest- stones that were unbearable. now so we can be back to enjoy ing to us because we were not very To add to this discomfort,fire spring when it arrives here.So pack familiar with a lot of the Florida ants had found her out and your bags,cameras and binoculars wildlife—such as the manatee,alliga- promptly took action.The and come along with us. tor,bobcat and armadillo—as well as stalking was fun while it lasted and,to a wide array of wildflowers. this day,people don't believe we actu- One evening when I was sitting out- ally stalked a bobcat in Florida,but side our camper watching the evening w,e have the pictures to prove it. take over,Barbara called,"There's a Armadillos are certainly something bobcat out there!"I was probably we here on the island are unfamiliar F'OGLj$ quick to say,"Oh,yeah!"She didn't with.Seeing an animal with a hard waste any time with a reply.The next shell(exoskeleton) is not unusual N thing I knew,she was heading out the down South.They often were seen ]ypTU RE door,barefoot and camera in hand— around the park,sometimes eating she was right! the oranges that fell from the trees. by PBUI They paid little attention to anyone. Stoutenburgh We photographed one as it came out of its burrow one day.Once again the red fire ants got to Barbara,this time inside her shoes and socks!