Panther Island Adventures!

Panther Island is 2,800 acres of restored wetland and upland habitats situated in the northwest corner of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary's 13,000 acres. It is home to numerous plants and animals including the Florida panther and the iconic wood stork.
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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Critter of the Week May 30: Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) aka Red Rat Snake





This beautiful snake is a relatively common snake; however their wild numbers are possibly being negatively impacted by illegal collection for the pet trade (BOO! on this illegal activity!). If you are looking to buy a snake as a pet and choose this species, please ask the pet store or distributor you purchase the snake from where the animal came from!

Corn snakes can be found throughout Florida and range to the Mississippi River and then nrothward to southern New Jersey. They can be found in a variety of habitats including pinelands, swamps, agricultural areas, residential areas, and hardwood hammocks. Frogs, rodents, lizards, and birds and bird eggs are their primary prey. From April to June, they breed and females will 3-40 eggs during the summer months. From July to September these eggs hatch and the young cornsnakes try to repeat the cycle of life.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Apologies!

I am having trouble getting the pictures up! Sorry...hopefully this gets corrected soon.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Critter of the Week May 2: Florida Softshell Turtle




 One of my favorite turtles is the Florida softshell. Not only do I see them out on Panther Island, but they are frequently seen in my neighborhood. While I writing, I came across a great write-up by a researcher who works with softshells. So click the link for more info!  Florida Softshell