The Everglades Mink

June 16, 2016 by

minkThe Everglades is home to the Everglades Mink, hence the name! This small member of the weasel family is one of three types of minks found in Florida. The Everglades Mink happens to be the only one that lives in south Florida. They are semi-aquatic, carnivorous and also related to otters, ferrets, badgers, and martens.

An Everglades Mink has chocolate brown fur, a small head and tiny black eyes and ears. Its legs are short, it has a pointed muzzle, five partially webbed toes on each food but it has a long bushy tail. A mink’s feet help them swim easily in water while they search for food. A mink also releases an unpleasant-smelling liquid, similar to a skunks; it does this as a warning and also a marker for other minks to know of its presence. It doesn’t spray this liquid, unlike s skunk, but does release it out of fear. The mix will also squeal, snarl, and hiss if it is frightened. This mink can grow up to 25 inches long.

Like stated before, its home is in the Everglades, also including shallow freshwater marshes and swamps of the Fakahatchee Strand, Big Cypress Swamp.

Despite their small size, Everglade minks are known to grab prey larger than themselves. They are nocturnal and hunt for food on land and in the water; they enjoy eating small mammals, snakes, fish, and insects.

Usually, a mink will be found by itself; unless, it’s a mother raising its young. A female mink can give birth to three to six kits during the spring time. The kits are born hairless, but open their eyes and start growing hair around three weeks. These babies usually stay around the mother until the fall. Females stay close to the den, while male roam twice as far and visit other dens. Dens are usually found in a hollow log, or under tree roots.

The Everglades mink is a threatened special by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In recent years, this mink has only been spotted in shallow freshwater marshes and swamps of the Everglades Park.

Spot the Mink
Although it usually comes out at night, there’s a chance you may still see an Everglades mink while exploring the Everglades as it heads home to its den. The best way to see the variety of wildlife and vegetation in the Everglades is a ride through the Everglades on an airboat with Captain Mitch. Airboat tours in Everglades give visitors an up-close-and-personal view of the mink’s habitat. Call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 239-695-3377 or click here to book a trip today!

 

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The Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow

May 27, 2016 by

Cape Sable seaside sparrowThis winter has not been good for many birds in the Everglades, including the Cape Sable seaside sparrow. Its habitat has been threatened by substantial rain and water that was drained from Lake Okeechobee. For the sparrow’s nesting area, water levels were too high. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Everglades Program knew what would happen once the water was released, but they never anticipated it being as bad as it turned out. Now, officials and biologists are concerned about this bird and its future.

Maintaining an ideal water level for this bird, and many other birds, is no easy task. Between April and July, the sparrow builds its nests a mere six inches off the ground, so it needs a water level high enough to keep it away from predators and low enough so the nest doesn’t wash away. It is believed more water could be moved into the Everglades if it wasn’t for the sparrow. This bird is actually nicknamed the “Goldilocks bird” because its habitat conditions have to be “just right” for it to survive. In 1981, there were an estimated 6,656 Cape Sable seaside sparrows in the Everglades, but by 2002 there were only around 2,624 of the birds around.

The sparrow lives in six different locations of the Everglades, usually rocky grass prairies with muhly grass; the Everglades is the only ecosystem the bird exists in.  In these short-hyrdoperiod prairies, there is somewhat dense, clumped grasses with open space for the sparrows to move around. The sparrows’ nests are cup-shaped, and the bird itself is only 5 inches long. The sparrow is a dark olive gray in color with a brown back and light gray with dark olive color lines on the sides; there are small patches of yellow feathers around the eyes and the bend of the wings. These birds feed on grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, spiders, and seeds from the grass. They are known to have short-range movements and do travel far away from their nesting areas outside of the breeding season. A sparrow usually only lives to the age of four.

According to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the condition of the sparrow is so dire and they’re trying to do anything they can to save them, even if this means giving one pair of sparrows the opportunity to breed. They believe this year will be the worst breed year they’ve seen for the sparrow in decades.

Spot the Sparrow

The Capble Sable seaside sparrow is disappearing. A change in a mere couple of centimeters of water in the sparrow’s habitat can determine whether or not the birds can or will breed. Scientists and officals are continuing to work on plans that will protect the bird and its environment without causing too many problems elsewhere. If you’d like an opportunity to see a sparrow fly by, an airboat tour may be your only chance. Airboats can bring you all around the Everglades to places you cannot get to by foot. To explore the Everglades, contact Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours here.

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Trails of the Everglades

May 19, 2016 by

trailsThe Everglades is a beautifully mysterious place to visit. So, why not experience it up-close-and-personal? The Everglades National Park allows visitors to explore their surroundings with several hiking and bike trails winding throughout the wetlands.

The Park asks that visitors bring plenty of water with them and to pay attention to the weather forecast. If visitors hear thunder, the Park suggests people take cover in a building or vehicle. Being such a warm climate, there will be lots of insects around and visitors should prepare themselves. Pets are not allowed on any of the Park’s trails.

Below is a list of a few trails within the Park that allows people to explore the flora and fauna of the area. These trails can be walked through but there may be some vegetation on the trail.

The following trails are currently not being maintained because there are endangered species nearby.

Coastal Prairie Trail – This trail is 11.2 miles long. This trail isn’t recommended due to its exposure to mosquitos and sun. The marl prairie is a breeding ground for the mosquitos and can be very muddy. It can be a very tiring walk. This trail is a critical habitat for the Cape Sable thoroughwort.

Snake Bight – Snake Bite is a 7.6-mile loop. This moderately-difficult trail leads from the forest to the shoreline of the Florida Bay. Visitors may spot crocodiles, flamingos (in December), mosquitos, and pythons and anacondas. People can walk and/or bike this trail. This trail is very buggy. This trail is considered a critical habitat for the Cable Sable thoroughwort.

Christian Point Trail – This trail is considered challenging; it leads people deep into a mangrove forest along the Florida Bay. After the forest, the trail will lead people to a small prairie and opens up later into a large mark prairie. This trail is a critical habitat for Cape Sable thoroughwort. It is 4.2 miles round trip. It can be very buggy on this specific trail being surrounded by heavy vegetation.

Other Non-Maintained Trails:
Rowdy Bend
Bear Lake
LPK Bike Trail

These trails are maintained:

Anhinga Trail – This trail is an easy trip and is .8 of a mile long. It’s close to the Park entrance, which is why most visitors travel on this trail. Wildlife is easily spotted along this trail, especially alligators and birds. People can look into the vegetation and see much of the wildlife on several observation decks throughout the trail.

Bayshore Loop – Bayshore Loop is an easy to moderate level trail that is 1.3 miles long. This trail is known to be aggressively buggy. This loop brings visitors along the edge of the Florida Bay through the coastal prairie habitat. It passes through the original fishing village of Flamingo, a relic stands where this place used to be. It’s a great bird-watching trail.

Pa-Hay-Okee Boardwalk – The Boardwalk is an easy .2 loop that leads visitors through the “River of Grass” (Pa-Hay-Okee) within the Park for a close look at the area. It leads people to an observation tower.

Other Maintained Trails:
Bear Lake Trail
Bobcat Boardwalk
Gumbo Limbo Trail
Guy Bradley Trail
Mahogany Hammock Trail
Old Ingraham Highway
Otter Cave Hammock Trail
Pinelands Ecotone
West Lake Mangrove Trail

Explore The Everglades Further

These trails offer beautiful views to those within while fully immersing them in the mystical wetlands. For a different look at the Everglades, an airboat tour can bring you around areas of the Everglades that these trails do not reach. Airboats are great especially when your feet get tired from all the walking! To schedule an airboat trip when you’re visiting the Everglades, call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 239-695-3377 or click here.

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Documentaries on the Everglades

April 27, 2016 by

documentariesThe beauty, vastness, and mystical nature of the Everglades is something that should be experienced by everyone in real life. Beautiful flowers. Mangrove forests. Endangered creatures. Even if you’re lucky enough to visit this special place, you can’t take it home with you. However, thanks to talented directors, people can bring the Everglades into their home. Several documentaries have been made throughout the years about the Everglades to shed light on environmental issues, showcase the beauty and importance of the area, and profile plant life, wildlife, and marine life within. No matter where someone lives, he or she can have an up-close-and-personal look into he Everglades from the comfort of his or her own living room.

Here are a few documentaries that highlight the Everglades:

National Parks Adventure
This film was released in February 2016 and is a MacGillivray Freeman Film. It is narrated by Robert Redford. This film doesn’t solely focus on the Everglades, but it is still featured one of the “awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping places that belong to us all.” This film runs at 40 minutes.

Water’s Journey: Everglades
This is a PBS film split into two episodes: Restoring Hope and Currents of Change. Restoring Hope talks about the endless draining and development in the Everglades that have almost caused the entire ecosystem there to collapse. This episode speaks of a massive restoration plan that’s has been initiated to protect the wetland. In both episodes, a team of scientists and explorers discuss what has happened to the Everglades, the importance of this wetland, and discuss whether the largest restoration plan ever attempted will succeed. This film was produced by Karst Productions.

The Unseen Everglades: Inside A Legendary Wilderness
This is a one-hour film produced by Tropic Moon Media. This film examines the complex ecosystem of the Everglades, it’s role in Florida’s history, and challenges the wetland faces today. Charles J. Kropke,
a South Florida author and adventurer, narrates the film. He has spent many years exploring and researching the Everglades. In the film, he takes viewers through the entire ecosystem, and introduces them to all the people whose lives have been affected by the wetland.

Exploring the Everglades

If you just finished watching one of these films, there’s a good chance you’d like to see this beautiful wetland for yourself.  The best way to experience the Everglades is on an airboat ride; these rides will give you a once-in-a-lifetime personal experience of seeing this fragile ecosystem. To schedule your airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat tours at 239-695-3377.

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Laurel Wilt Disease

April 7, 2016 by

The Everglades is a distressed ecosystem. Usually, climate change, pollution, and human development come to mind when the topic of a hurting wetland comes up. Sadly, the Everglades are currently facing another threat to its future: a fungus.  This fungus goes by the name Laurel Wilt, and it is a tree disease that showed up in the Everglades in 2011.

Laurel Wilt is one of the most invasive tree diseases in North America. According to a conference on the disease held at the University of Florida, the disease has killed hundreds of millions of trees, which in turn has affected and damaged the surrounding ecosystems. Once infected, a tree can die within a couple of weeks; in that same forest, any tree less than three inches in diameter will be dead in under four years.

The fungus is introduced to the trees through an Asian insect called the redbay ambrosia beetle. The trees cannot handle this nonnative fungus. These beetles are extremely small, measuring at only 1/16 of an inch. The fungus this beetle carries is pathogenic. After they burrow into the tree, the fungus enters the wood. A female beetle can reproduce on the tree without needing the male; the offspring leave the tree to attack surrounding trees. Trees will have wilted stems and leaves and have a dark stained color underneath their bark. It only takes one female beetle to kill a tree. Since 2011, the disease has killed swamp bay trees across more than 330,000 acres of the Everglades.

Only plants in the Laurel family are affected by the disease. One of the biggest plants affect by the Laurel Wilt are avocados. In 2015, nearly, 9000 avocado trees were killed by the disease. Farmers have been spraying pesticides to control the beetle; however, these sprays cannot be used in the Everglades or other wild areas. Redbay trees across Florida, and five other states, have also been affected.

When a tree and surrounding trees die, a space opens within the canopy. With dead trees and open canopies, the ecosystem is now vulnerable to invasive plants that have caused a drop in mammal populations in the Everglades. Such invasive plants include: melaleuca fern, Australian pine, and Brazilian pepper.

Fighting Laurel Wilt Disease
There is currently no effective way to control or stop these beetles and disease. Chemicals can be used to kill ambrosia beetles once they’re confirmed living on a farm, but this isn’t the case for the Everglades. The South Florida Water Management District oversees restoration in the Everglades and is improving its monitoring and maintenance of any affected areas in the wetland. Invasive plants and insects are a big problem in the Everglades, and officials are trying to find the best ways to fight them.

Visit the Everglades
The Everglades are a fragile ecosystem; this wetland has been up against years of damage from climate change, rising sea levels, and development from humans. With other invasive threats, the Everglades are continuing to be in a battle for its own survival. By being educated on the topic and taking preventative measures, there are ways to preserve the Everglades.

The best way to experience the Everglades, while its still around, is by airboat. Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours take you all around the beautiful wetland. To schedule your airboat tour, click here or call 239-695-3377.

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Poisonous Snakes of the Everglades

April 1, 2016 by

Twenty three snake species live in the Everglades. Of these 23, only four are venomous. Many people have a fear of snakes, and with several being poisonous, it makes sense why people prefer to stay away from these slithering creatures. However, these reptiles are an important part of the ecosystem of the Everglades. They control and prey on the number of rodents, invertebrates and other snakes. These snakes are also a food source for birds and alligators.

Types of Poisonous Snakes

The four venomous species of snacks found within the Everglades are: The Eastern coral snake, the Florida cottonmouth, the dusky pigmy rattlesnake, and the eastern diamondback rattlesnake.

Eastern Coral Snake – This snake is beautiful in color with red, yellow, and black bands running down its body. It prefers a wooded habitat and is considered to be very elusive in nature, since it spends a lot of time under ground or beneath foliage. Coral snakes are not confrontational and account for less than one percent of all bites that occur in North America every year; however, their bite is the most venomous of all the snakes on the continent. Its bite isn’t overly painful, but can cause death within a few hours.

Florida Cottonmouth – This snake is common and is also known as the “water moccasin.” It is a type of pit viper, and is the only semiaquatic viper species in the world. In the Everglades, this snake can be found around shallow waters like streams and marshes; they are strong swimmers. The cottonmouth is usually all black, brown, tan or olive; it also has a very thick body and can be up to six feet long. Its bite is painful and can lead to death.

Dusky Pigmy Rattlesnake—The dusky pigmy rattlesnake is a small snake (between two to three feet) that can be found in both wet and dry areas. Its coloring is gray with black/brown dorsal spots across its back with white flecks on the stomach. This snake is known to be aggressive and quick to bite with no warning. Since its fangs are small, it only releases a small amount of venom with a bite. Its bite is rarely fatal, but can post to be a greater risk to a child or pet.

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake – This snake is the biggest of the venomous snake in both mass and length; it has been known to grow up to eight feet.  This snake is a great swimmer, often found by water; it is known to live underground sometimes. The diamondback rattlesnake has dark diamonds across its body, each separated by a whiteish color. Although extremely venomous, diamondbacks are not aggressive and try to warn a potential threat by rattling their tails.

How to Spot /Handle a Poisonous Snake

It’s not always easy to spot a poisonous snake because they can look similar to many non-venomous snakes. However, there are some general guidelines of differentiating a venomous snake from a non-venomous one.

  1. Most snakes with a triangular head are venomous.
  2. Snakes with length-wise stripes are non-venomous.

You also want to do your best to avoid interaction with one of these. Do not approach or touch the snake if you’re unsure of what species the snake is. If you want snakes to stay away from you, it’s a good idea to make a lot of noise while walking, so the snakes are aware you’re around. It’s best to keep your hands out of potential snake hiding spots (logs, brush, leaves, rock piles), as well. Also, keep on the trails; you’re less likely to run into a snake on a cleared path.

Sail by the Snakes
Snakes, although not the friendliest creatures, can still be quite the sight to see. But, you may not want to run into them, especially the venomous kind. An airboat tour is a great way to stay safe in the Everglades without running the risk of encountering a snake. The ride will also give you chance to see the habitat of these snakes. To check out the beautiful ecosystem that the snakes contribute to, book an airboat ride with Captain Mitch through the Everglades today!

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Paurotis Pond

March 25, 2016 by

paurotis pondThe Everglades needs water to survive; it’s a water-based ecosystem made up of sawgrass marshes, waterways, prairies, forested uplands, and ponds, including Paurotis Pond. One reason the area needs water so badly is because it’s home to an abundance of plants, animals, and marine life. Not only does water give the plants and animals sustenance, it gives them a home.

One of these “homes” is Paurotis Pond. The pond is a well-known nesting site of a variety of birds. The pond is situated 24 miles from the main Everglades park entrance in Homestead, Fl. The pond gets its name from the Paurotis Palms, a plant with green fan-shapes leaves that is native to the Everglades.

The National Park Service’s mission is to protect and preserve the landscape of the Everglades, so each year, the park

Every year, the Park closes the Pond area to protect nesting birds, including the Wood Storks, from any human disturbances. For instance, in January 2015, the Park closed Paurotis Pond for the Roseate Spoonbills’ nesting season. Pond closures vary in dates and times every year. The closures are dependent on birds’ behaviors.  The Wood Stork was once an endangered species, but thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the species’ status was downgraded to “threatened.” This success is attributed to nearly 30 years of conversation and preservation efforts. In the last few years, Paurotis Pond has been a nesting site for about 400 pairs of Wood Storks.

Bird species that nest at Paurotis Pond, include: Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets, Tri-colored Herons, Black-Crowned Night Herons, Anhinga, and Little Blue Herons.

Just like people who flock to Florida for the winter, these birds fly down to Paurotis Pond during the dry season to prepare their nest-building sites. The birds form nesting colonies comprised of hundreds to thousands of birds. In this season, birds gather around permanent bodies of water, like Paurotis Pond, which makes bird-watching easy. The best birding season in the Everglades is from December to March. January and February are the best months to check out the birds at Paurotis Pond, if it has not been closed off for nesting. However, bird watching from the Pond’s parking area usually remains open. Not only is the pond a popular bird-watching site, but visitors can access the area to fish and canoe, as well.

Explore the Everglades

The Everglades is full of beautiful birds and waters for your viewing pleasure. Since it’s the winter season, now is the best time to catch birds nesting in the area’s waters. To make the most of your Everglades visit, take an airboat ride with Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours. To schedule your ride, call Captain Mitch’s at 239-695-3377.

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The Mangroves of the Everglades

March 9, 2016 by

MangroveHave you ever seen a mangrove forest? They’re enchanting.  Branches and roots all intertwined, lining waterways – they look like something out of a fantasy. Across the entire state of Florida, there are 469,000 acres of mangrove forests.

All About Mangroves

There are around 50 different species of mangroves, and three species can be found in Florida. The Everglades also happens to house the largest mangrove forest in North America. The forests can only thrive in tropical and subtropical climates, which is why they’re so abundant and native to southern Florida. These trees produce seeds that drop to the ground and get carried away by water or winds, and the seeds can pretty much grow wherever they land.

Types of Mangroves

Florida is home to three species of mangroves: the red mangrove, the black mangrove, and the white mangrove.

The most well-known, and easily seen in the Everglades, is the red mangrove. It’s a salt-tolerant tree that grows in areas with low-oxygen soil. They can take freshwater from the saltwater to survive. These mangroves have prop roots that make them look like they’re standing on the water. With these roots, the forests can handle rising tides in-and-out of the Everglades. The roots are reddish in color.

The black mangrove sits at a higher elevation than the red mangrove. This mangrove has finger-like projections that protrude from the soil around the trunk of the tree.

The white mangrove can be found at the highest elevations of these three species. This mangrove’s roots do not show; it has light, yellow-green leaves.

Benefits of Mangroves to the Ecosystem

The Florida coastline and the Everglades benefit from mangroves. They stabilize the coastline and higher lands by reducing erosion with their roots. The mangroves block winds, waves, floods, tides, and storm surges from damaging the land. The bigger, wider, and thicker a mangrove forest, the more protection to the environment it can provide. These mangroves can also filter water and keep water quality high. When leaves and other parts of the mangroves fall into the water below, it is decomposed by bacteria and protozoans, breaking it down into organic compounds, minerals, carbon dioxide, and nitrogenous wastes, which benefits the entire ecosystem.

Not only do they help the environment, mangroves also provide a habitat for a variety of birds and marine life. Many fish and animals use the forests as protection, shelter, or a place to find food.

Protecting Mangroves

According to American Forests, the oldest national conservation organization in the country, almost half of the world’s old-growth mangrove forest have disappeared in the past 50 years. They said the world continues to lose 578 square miles of mangroves per year. Humans are a major cause to the loss of the mangrove forests. Industrial shrimp farming and coastal development are the big contributors to the number of trees dwindling.

In Florida, protected areas have thriving mangrove forests. State and city laws have been established to protect these plants, which are a key role in Florida’s ecosystem. But it isn’t just humans, climate change has impacted the mangroves’ environment with rising temperatures and water levels.

Cruise Through the Mangroves

Do you want to see these Florida natives up close? There’s plenty of them to see in the Everglades, and a ride in an airboat can take you all around them. To schedule your airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours at 239-695-3377.

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Everglades Flooding: how El Nino threatens the ‘Glades

February 25, 2016 by

Heron In The Everglades Park In FloridaSouth Florida’s rainfall last month broke records. In fact, the area saw more rainfall than a typical summer during Florida’s wet season. Meteorologists attribute this excessive rain to this year’s intense El Nino weather patterns. El Nino occurs irregularly every two to seven years, and the force of this year’s anomaly threatens Everglades wildlife. And according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), El Nino isn’t easing off anytime soon. The organization predicts El Nino to last through early spring, which means more complications for the Everglades.

El Nino in South Florida

El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) spans from warm water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. During El Nino periods, Florida sees a wet winter despite its normally dry conditions. For instance, Fort Lauderdale has already seen five inches above the normal rainfall this year. And South Florida’s seeing the highest tides so far in 2016.

How does El Nino affect the Everglades?

Everglades flooding results from extreme El Nino conditions. During the current El Nino weather pattern, South Florida saw a massive increase in water levels. This affects all sorts of Everglades wildlife from shore birds to small mammals that rely on mudflats and higher terrain to thrive.

Saving the Everglades

Though Everglades restoration projects are already in place, much more can be done to preserve this vast, dynamic wilderness. This week, President Obama proposed to add $190 million to the Everglades funding budget in 2017. The budget increase is currently pending Congress approval.

Visit the Everglades before it’s gone

Do you want to experience the Everglades? The sooner you visit, the better. Everglades flooding isn’t the only force threatening this delicate wilderness. Climate change, pollution, development and other factors all endanger the ‘Glades. See the Everglades by airboat before it’s too late. To schedule your private airboat tour, call Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours at 239-695-3377.

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Everglades Coyotes: the songdog of South Florida

February 12, 2016 by

Coyote In A MeadowContrary to popular belief, coyotes are not limited to southwestern states. In fact, coyotes exist throughout the majority of Florida, and the Everglades is no exception. Coyotes are considered a noninvasive species since they found their way to Florida without any human intervention. And the population of coyotes in Florida has steadily increased over the past 15 years. Everglades coyotes are primarily found in marshy habitats otherwise known as marl prairies. These wild dogs share terrain with all sorts of animals from marsh rabbits to armadillos.

Songs of Everglades Coyotes

Coyotes are incredibly social and vocal mammals. Often, they communicate with one another through various barks, yips and howls. They express at least 11 known vocalizations, each meaning something different. Coyotes typically communicate for one of three reasons: to warn of danger, to say hello or to touch base from afar.

If you see a coyote in the Everglades…

Unlike their wolf relatives, coyotes are relatively small in size, ranging from 15 to 45 pounds. Due to their size, coyotes rarely target humans. Though attacks on humans are rare, they do occur. The most common cause of attack happens when humans feed coyotes. The coyotes then become desensitized to humans, associating them with food.

If you come across a coyote in the Everglades, evaluate the animal’s demeanor. Usually, the dog will flee at the sight of a human. But if the coyote remains, use various scare tactics to send it on its way. Without turning your back to it, back away slowly while making noise in an attempt to scare the animal. If the coyote pursues you, raise your voice to it while clapping your hands. When necessary, haze the coyote by throwing small rocks to scare it off. The idea is not to hurt the animal but to frighten it.

Explore the Everglades

The Everglades is full of exquisite wildlife. To make the most of your Everglades visit, take an airboat ride. Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours expose you to a wealth of Everglades wilderness. To schedule your private airboat ride, call Captain Mitch’s at 239-695-3377.

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