Service Position on Florida Manatee Out-of-State Stranding and Rescue Efforts
In recent years greater numbers of Florida manatees are being sighted outside of their historic range during fall and winter when the animals would normally be congregating in warm waters of the Florida peninsula. Such sightings are necessitating more decisions about if and when to capture wayward animals and return them to Florida.
Unfortunately, there is no blueprint for how to make these decisions.
Many HUD loan projects in North Florida given clearance to proceed
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service's North Florida Ecological Services Office (NFESO) in Jacksonville has issued a letter authorizing many of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) loan projects in to move forward without the need for additional ESA consultations. The clearance to proceed letter essentially applies to those loan projects where the scope is a replacement or rehabilitation of an existing structure.
Service Position Regarding Release of Naïve Manatees into the Wild
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) continues to endorse the release of naïve captive manatees on an individual case-by-case basis. Naïve animals are those manatees with little or no wild experience (captive born or rescued orphans) or animals that have been held in captivity for long periods of time (greater than 10 years).
Revision to Florida Manatee Critical Habitat Designation Merits Further Review
The critical habitat designation for the Florida manatee may warrant revision, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today, following an initial review of a petition seeking a revision to the 1976 critical habitat designation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Service is initiating a review of the current critical habitat designation for the subspecies to determine how it intends to proceed with the requested revision.
Improved Eagle Management Program Helps to Incorporate Scientific Data, Identify Information Gaps
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced two new permits designed to protect public safety and manage activities or projects that may disturb or otherwise incidentally “take” bald or golden eagles or their nests, while maintaining stable or increasing populations. Permits will only be granted when they are compatible with this goal.
Gopher Tortoise Status in the Eastern Portion of its Range Merits Further Review
The Gopher tortoise may warrant federal protection as a threatened or endangered species, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today, following an initial review of a petition seeking to protect the gopher tortoise in the eastern portion of its range under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
Florida Wildlife Conservation Guide
Developed in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and others, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Florida Wildlife Conservation Guide (Guide) offers users at any experience level a compendium of guidance and reference materials related to wildlife, land use planning and conservation. Private landowners have information about various programs available including incentive-based mitigation programs.
