--- Tuesday Trivia ---

There are 50 species of snakes in Florida. Only six are venomous. These include Copperheads (pictured and only found in a very small area in the panhandle of Florida), Water Moccasins, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes, Timber Rattlesnakes, Pigmy Rattlers, and Eastern Coral Snakes.

Florida snakes are not aggressive and most will retreat when left alone. Of course, they may give you a defensive posture such as rattling their tails or opening their mouths wide. They are just saying, "Back up. You are in my territory."

For more information: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl-snakes/venomous-snakes/

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--- Tuesday Trivia ---
There are 50 species of snakes in Florida.
How many are venomous?
A. 4
B. 6
C. 8
D. 10

Please post your answer in the comments.

Answer revealed tonight at 6:00 pm

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--- Florida Wildlife Black Market ---

The illegal wildlife trade is the 4th largest black market trade. The United States has experienced the highest number of detected imports over the past 11 years. During that time, Miami was the city with the fifth-highest number of seizures. Among those cases, one was the import of illegal marine species, six were illegal bird imports, and two were illegal reptile imports.

If you know anyone who is attempting or who has trafficked, contact 1-844-FWS-TIPS (1-844-397-8477) to report the incident. Don't forget to share this information.

Source: ROUTES Dashboard

#blackmarket #illegaltrade #wildlifetrade #import #export #Miami #Florida #UnitedStates #IOF #ImagineOurFlorida

Treat Yourself!

Are you walking, hiking, or working in your garden? Get one of our hats to help shade your face.

Are you staying in? Enjoy your favorite beverage in an IOF mug or play a game of cards while learning bear facts.

Add a new IOF Tshirt to your wardrobe just because.

IOF has everything you need for summer gifts for your family, friends, and you!

https://imagineourflorida.org/our-products/

----- Saturday Saunter -----
-- Ocala National Forest --

There are plenty of wild spaces to explore in the 387,000 acres that make up Ocala National Forest. Its more than 600 lakes, springs, and rivers make it a water lover's paradise. As the southernmost forest in the continental United States, it is home to the world's largest contiguous sand pine scrub forest.

Middens left behind by the earliest inhabitants of the Ocala National Forest are proof of the Timucuan making their homes in the forest. From 1890 - 1920, timber and turpentine from the Ocala forest supported the local communities. However, the land was not managed well, and deforestation, overburning, and other practices led to the demise of the industry and loss of property values.

President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the Ocala Forest as the first National Forest east of the Mississippi in 1908. In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps was created as part of the New Deal. People happy to get back to work constructed a dining hall, campgrounds, a mill, cabins, swimming areas, and monuments. These structures still exist today.

When the sea retreated 25 million years ago, it left behind Big Scrub. The plants and animals who live in the sand pine scrub depend on fire to thrive. Look for gopher tortoises and scrub jays. Backpackers will enjoy the 72-mile section of the Florida Trail complete with designated campsites along the way. There are multiple shorter trails throughout the forest as well as equestrian trails. Watch for wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, alligators, and bald eagles. Many iconic Florida Black Bears live in the Ocala National Forest, along with threatened Eastern Indigo Snakes and endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers.

Cool off when you take a dip in one of the four springs that have a year-round temperature of 72*. Bring your snorkel to see what lies beneath the water. For a closer look, dive in one of three magnitude springs. Explore the wilderness by kayaking or canoeing through a waterway. Hike, or bike through the scrub and discover the wildlife who make their homes there. Spend a night or a day or a week when you camp at a primitive or developed campsite, in your RV, or in one of the cabins.

Plan your trip to the Ocala National Forest. For more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ocala/home

Photo Credit: Aymee Laurain

#IOF #ImagineOurFlorida #OcalaNationaForest
#GetOutside #ConnectRespectCoexist

--- Ruby-throated Hummingbird ---

Ruby-throated hummingbirds, (Archilochus colubris), are the most common hummingbirds found in Florida. Black-chinned and rufous hummingbirds occasionally visit Florida in the winter. You can observe Ruby-throated hummingbirds at the edges of woods and in city parks. They are common in flower gardens where they seek out their favorite tubular flowers. With their long bills and tongues, hummingbirds are equipped to reach the delicious nectar that lies deep within the flower.

Females produce 1-2 broods each year. Ater the male courtship, the female builds a nest surrounded by a leafy cover. Be sure to look for these tiny nests before trimming your shrubs. The incubation of two eggs takes 11-16 days. The busy mother hummingbird may begin to build a second nest while continuing to feed her young ones in the first nest. The babies take flight at 20-22 days old.

Take a few minutes to watch a Ruby-throated Hummingbird sip nectar from a flower in your garden. Their tiny wings beat more than 50 times per second as they hover while feeding. Can you spot a hummingbird snatching a tiny insect from the air or a leaf for dessert?

Source: Audubon, UF
Photo credit: Andy Waldo

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#ConnectRespectCoexist
#RubyThroatedHummingbird #Hummingbird