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2023 Annual report

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Imagine Our Florida, Inc.

Our purpose is to bring people together in a shared vision to preserve and protect Florida's wildlife, habitat, and ecosystems. We accomplish this via science-based education and the development of appreciation and respect for the natural world and our place within it.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.7 hours ago
---Good News Monday---

๐ŸŒŠ An endangered smalltooth sawfish is on the road to recovery after a heroic rescue effort in Florida. ๐Ÿฆˆ

๐Ÿšจ The call came in from a concerned citizen who spotted the sawfish swimming erratically in Cudjoe Bay. Biologists from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Mote Marine Laboratory sprang into action. ๐Ÿ›ฅ๏ธ

๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ”ฌ After a thorough assessment, the decision was made to rescue the distressed sawfish. Loaded onto a vessel and given respiratory assistance, the 11-foot male was transported to Mote Marine Lab's facility for urgent care. ๐Ÿฅ

๐Ÿ‘ "This unprecedented rescue is a crucial step in understanding the mysterious mortality event affecting smalltooth sawfish," said Gil McRae, Director of FWCโ€™s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. ๐ŸŒŸ

๐Ÿ” With the success of this rescue, the team remains vigilant, monitoring the sawfish hotline for more opportunities to save these magnificent creatures. If you spot a sawfish in distress, don't hesitate to call the hotline: (844) 4-SAWFISH or email Sawfish@myfwc.com. Together, we can make a difference! ๐ŸŒŠ

For more information checkout the story here.
https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/rescue-sawfish-412/

#SawfishRescue #Conservation #OceanHeroes #FloridaWildlife ๐Ÿฆˆ๐ŸŒŠ
Photo credit: FWC
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.1 day ago
- Science Sunday -
Orange County Unveils State-of-the-art Floating Solar Panels Making Clean Energy via Water Reflection

Learn about it here: https://www.wesh.com/article/orange-county-floating-solar-panels/60204217?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&fbclid=IwAR2CHiFB5W1AOgmteZOPaPSu7gnd7hghe1Ve17V0O8-KgkubAxlg1hU3dwY#
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.2 days ago
May is American Wetlands Month

Learn about Florida's wetlands in this video created by Imagine Our Florida's volunteer, Gabby Irons.
How can you help Florida's wetlands? Thereโ€™s actually quite a bit you can do.
1) Check your cleaning products to make sure they are phosphate-free. If they are, use them sparingly.
2) Clean up pet waste, and donโ€™t let your pets do their business near streams.
3) Maintain your septic system properly if you have one.
4) Use less water by running only full loads of clothes, taking shorter showers, and installing water-efficient toilets and showerheads.
5) Wash your car at a car wash where they are required to properly dispose of water, or if you insist on doing so at home, wash it on the grass where root systems can filter the water before it reaches ground sources.
6) Abide by fertilizer laws.
7) Plant native plants in your garden since they are more accustomed to Florida's heat and dry seasons.
๐Ÿ˜Ž If you donโ€™t use native plants, use mulch to retain moisture and use rain barrels so you arenโ€™t wasting water that is already filtered.
9) Clean up your garbage no matter where you are. Nanoparticles from old or broken-down plastics can be the worst threats to wildlife.
10) Reduce or eliminate meat consumption. Livestock produces over 1 billion tons of waste per year. That waste must go somewhere; too often, it makes its way to our wetlands and estuaries.

Learn about wetlands here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs7mRJmwjmY&t=55s

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs7mRJmwjmY&t=55s&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1AVVwPzwn67o50XcMWGgtGHVMFTdwUVLUhoDWeeqsDLThFLXtQS0MdE6g_aem_Ab4bLzYnYefiePlvlfqrQXCwuwId5NCXmP3QcmsNLtFZ4W-i8eNZ-sMwOh2MnI8I9WHiWZUiyDhfMkRtu49YiKpH
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida: Learn about Florida's Wetland Ecosystems!
Hello IOF Eco Guardians! Imagine Our Florida volunteer and Clearview Geographic environmental technician, Gabby Irons talks about wetland ecosystems while to...
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.3 days ago
Foto Friday: Please post the pictures you captured of Florida's wildlife, wildflowers, and wild spaces this week in the comments. We can't wait to see them!

๐Ÿฆ Discover the Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)! These stunning birds nest in deciduous forests but may also settle in your backyard. Once they nest, they rarely budge, with both parents diligently caring for their young. They're master hunters, darting swiftly to catch insects on the ground or mid-flight.

Did you know? Great Crested Flycatchers have a quirky habit of bringing snake skins to their nests, sometimes mistaking plastic for the real deal. Males fiercely defend their territory with loud calls and won't hesitate to fight off threats.

Breeding across the U.S. and southern Canada during spring and summer, these birds migrate to Central or South America during fall and winter. ๐ŸŒŽ๐Ÿ‚

๐Ÿ“ธ Photo Credit: Aymee Laurain
#ImagineOurFlorida #GreatCrestedFlycatcher #FLBirds #MigratoryBirds #NaturePhotography #fotofriday ๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿค
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.4 days ago
๐Ÿฆ‡๐ŸŒฟ Get ready for the bat baby boom! From April 16 to Aug. 14, Florida's bat population is set to grow as maternity season approaches. ๐ŸŒž๐ŸŒณ Records show bats are attracted to human-made structures, but it's illegal to block them from roosting during mating season. If you find a bat in your home, use exclusion devices to let them safely exit. ๐Ÿ ๐Ÿšช Did you know nearly 13 species of bats can be found in Florida? ๐Ÿฆ‡๐Ÿ’ซ Contrary to popular belief, bats are harmless to people and help control insect populations. Let's protect these winged wonders by preserving natural roost sites and leaving dead fronds on palm trees for them to roost. ๐ŸŒด๐Ÿ’š #BatConservation #FloridaWildlife #ProtectOurBats ๐Ÿฆ‡๐ŸŒฟ

Checkout some adorable Brazilian Free-tail bats here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfqXFBGm6YQ
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.
Imagine Our Florida, Inc.5 days ago
โ€œToday a reader, tomorrow a leader.โ€ โ€“ Margaret Fuller

You can stop by the Orange County Library in Apopka to learn about Panthers. As we were removing the coyote display, a librarian shared that many of the kids were amazed to learn we have coyotes in Florida. Imagine their surprise when they learned we have panthers, too!

Do you have a library or other venue in your area where IOF can set up an educational display? Message us. #Educate #Empower #MakeaDifference