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Dolphins
& Manatees |
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Dolphins
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There are three
species of
Dolphins one is
likely to
encounter in
Florida's waters
- the
Bottle-Nosed
Dolphin
(pictured),
Striped Dolphin
and the
Atlantic Spotted
Dolphin.
The latter two
are found in
warm ocean
waters, while
the Bottle-Nosed
is found in
rivers (such as
the St. Johns
River), shallow
brackish
in-shore waters,
and the ocean.
These species
generally range
from 7 to 10
feet in length
and all three
ride or jump in
ships' bow
waves. |
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Manatees
 Although
a mammal, manatees are entirely
aquatic; they are entirely unable to
move on land. They graze only on
water plants; eating 60-110 pounds
per day.
Manatee populations are on the
decline - as a result, there is high
awareness to protect them, but their
recovery will be difficult. Manatees
suffer during cold spells when water
temperatures fall below 46F, fall
victim to motorboat propellers, and
die from blooms of red tide toxins
when in salt water. They only give
birth to 1 young every 2-3 years. |
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Carnivores
& Rodents |
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Carnivores |
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Carnivores - bears, coyote, foxes, weasels,
raccoons, and cats - have long canine teeth for
stabbing prey, and most have sharp cheek teeth
for slicing meat.
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Black Bear:
Found in the woods, swamps, and dumps. They are
mainly nocturnal, but can be active by day in
protected areas. They are powerful swimmers and
climbers, and can run at speeds up to 30 mph! |
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Coyote:
Found in woods, brush, and fields. They are
mainly nocturnal and can be found year-round in
north and central Florida. Coyotes run up to 30
mph.
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Foxes: The
Common Gray Fox and
Red Fox are our two
Florida species of fox. They can be found any
time of day or night, but they are very
secretive and make for a challenging
observation.
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Weasels:
Species in the weasel family include Mink,
skunks, and otters. The
Long-Tailed Weasel,
Mink, and Northern
River Otter are all excellent swimmers,
while the Striped Skunk
and Eastern Spotted Skunk
prefer dry land. All these species can be found
in Northeast Florida. |
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Raccoons:
The Common
Raccoon can be found in woods and scrub
near water, as well as in towns. They swim well
and can run up to 15 mph. Mainly nocturnal. |
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Cats: The
Florida Panther and
Bobcat are our
native feline species. While the Florida
Panther's range covers SW Florida; the Bobcat
can be found locally in NE Florida.
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Rodents: |
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Information coming soon! |
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Bats
&
Others |
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Bats
are the only mammals that truly fly.
The bones and muscles in the
forelimbs of bats are elongated;
thin usually black wing membranes
are attached to four extremely long
fingers. Small insectivorous
bats
beat their wings 6 to 8 times per
second!
Bats
are mainly nocturnal, though some
species are occasionally active in
the early morning and late
afternoon. Their eyesight, while not
excellent, is quite adequate to
detect predators and general
landscape features. Most use
echolocation (sonar) to locate
flying insects and avoid obstacles.
Most Florida
bats
are insect-eaters. Watch for
bats
overhead on warm
evenings, especially around water,
where insects are abundant and where
bats
may skim the water surface to drink.
There are basically four species
of bats native to Florida:
Northern
Yellow Bat,
Seminole Bat,
Evening Bat, and
Rafinesque's
Big-Eared Bat.
...And
the Others
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Information for this page was
gathered from the
National Audubon Society Field Guide
to Florida |
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