Swimming with Dolphins in Florida

                                                                                Photo Fiona Sunquist ©

One of the most popular things to do on vacation in Florida, along with going the beach and visiting theme parks, is swimming with dolphins. But it is expensive – a morning with a dolphin can cost nearly $300.

It is also controversial. Most of the swim-with-dolphins attractions rely on animals captured from the wild, and the main controversy centers on the ethical question: should these highly intelligent animals be kept in captivity solely for people’s entertainment?

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Sheepshead - A fish with human teeth.

                                                                             Photo Claire Sunquist ©

Looking into the mouth of a sheepshead is a bit like looking into the mouth of a person. This fish has human-like incisors and strange looking molar teeth on the roof and bottom of its mouth.  Sheepshead use these heavy-duty teeth to grind up blue crabs, oysters, and small fish.

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Swallow-tailed kites are back in Florida.

                                                                               Photo Fiona Sunquist ©

Swallow-tailed kites are back in Florida for the summer. These distinctive looking, graceful birds return to Florida in February and March to breed. In early spring you may see the adults flying with sticks or clumps of Spanish moss as they build their nests – usually in tall trees near water. Both parents feed the chicks with frogs, lizards, and insects which they pluck from the treetops.

The U.S. population of Swallow-tailed kites is thought to be about 3,500 to 5,000 birds, and Florida is home to about two-thirds of them. If you see one of these distinctive birds, make a note of where you saw it and go to this web site and record your observation. The data will be of great help to biologists studying Swallow-tailed kite distribution and habitat use.

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What is the largest animal an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake can swallow?

                                                                                 Photo James Perry ©

This five and a half-foot long diamondback rattlesnake was having trouble trying to down an adult cottontail rabbit. The snake managed to swallow the meal eventually, but it took some time.

Eastern Diamondbacks are the largest venomous snakes in North America, and their broad head, thick, bulky body and generally powerful appearance make them a truly impressive snake to meet in the woods. However, they have been referred to as ‘the gentlemen of snakes’ because of their mild temperament - they often lie quietly even when discovered.

Rattlesnakes hunt from ambush. When a rabbit or rat comes close enough, they strike, delivering their venom through long, hinged fangs. Only the largest rattlesnakes attempt to kill rabbits, most content themselves with rats and mice.

A snake the size of the one in the photo above does not need to eat very often. Three or four meals the size of this rabbit would be sufficient for a year.

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Wild Monkeys in Florida?

                                                                               Photo Fiona Sunquist ©

With Florida’s exotic tropical vegetation and ubiquitous palm trees, it seems as if monkeys should be listed among the state’s native wildlife.  Well there are monkeys in Florida, but there shouldn’t be. 

Monkeys don’t naturally occur in the United States. The closest they get is Mexico, where you might see spider monkeys and howler monkeys in and around the Yucatan. 

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