Florida Wildlife Archives

What Killed The Dolphins? There May Finally Be An Answer

By Charles Boyer FMN April 8, 2025Florida News, Florida Wildlife

In 2013, Florida’s Indian River Lagoon witnessed a significant and alarming increase in bottlenose dolphin deaths, with 77 individual dolphins—approximately 8% of the local population—succumbing to what was classified as an Unusual Mortality Event (UME). The Indian River Lagoon is a shallow-water estuary located along Florida’s east coast, stretching approximately 156 miles from Ponce de Leon Inlet near New Smyrna Beach southward through Brevard County, and on to Jupiter Inlet in Palm Beach County.

Florida’s Biggest Airshow Kicks Off Next Week

By Mark Stone FMN March 27, 2025Aviation, Entertainment, Florida Wildlife, Things to Do and See in Florida, Vacation In Florida

As the calendar flips to April, aviation enthusiasts of all ages are gearing up for a week at the second largest airshow in the United States. The SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo 2025 is set to kick off on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in Lakeland, Florida.

An F-35 Lightning II makes a high-speed pass, appearing to take the control tower with it. Photo: Mark Stone/FMN

Mystery Animal Caught On South Florida Trailcam

By Mark Stone FMN March 24, 2025Florida Wildlife

A recent trail camera photograph taken on public lands in Southwest Florida has sparked widespread curiosity and debate among Florida wildlife enthusiasts and experts. The image, shared by the South Florida Wildlands Association (SFWA) on Facebook, features a nocturnal creature with a long tail, dark fur, and glowing eyes, prompting a flurry of online speculation regarding its identity.

This image of a large-eared animal was captured recently on public lands in South Florida. The internet is abuzz with speculation about what it is. Photo: South Florida Wildlands Assoc. trail cam / Facebook.

SS United States Finally Heads To Florida

By Mark Stone FMN February 21, 2025Florida News, Florida Wildlife, Things to Do and See in Florida

The SS United States has finally left port on it's final journey. Photo: SS United States Conservancy — The SS United States has finally left port on it’s last journey. Photo: SS United States Conservancy

After months of costly delays, the legendary SS United States, once the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic, finally left its longtime home in Philadelphia on February 19, 2025. Its ultimate destination? The warm waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Swim With Manatees in Crystal River

By Charles Boyer FMN February 19, 2025Florida Travel, Florida Wildlife, Things to Do and See in Florida

Snorkeling with Florida or West Indian manatee, Crystal River, Florida

From the “Things to Do in Florida” department – Crystal River, Florida, is known as one of the best places in the world to experience an up-close encounter with the gentle giants of the sea—manatees. Every year, thousands of visitors flock to this charming coastal town to witness the slow-moving, curious creatures that have captured the hearts of nature enthusiasts and marine conservationists alike. As the only place in the United States where it is legal to interact with manatees in the water, Crystal River offers a unique and unforgettable wildlife experience, and one suited for the whole family.

Cape Canaveral’s Newest Visitors: Tracking Great Whites

By Mark Stone FMN February 11, 2025Florida News, Florida Wildlife

The OCEARCH team tags a 1600 pound Great White Shark off the southeast coast on January 27th. Photo: OCEARCH/Facebook

Bob, Breton, and Contender. What do these three names have in common? They are all Great White Sharks that have been identified as hanging out off of Cape Canaveral during the last couple of weeks!

Researchers Tag Massive 14-Foot Great White Shark Off Florida Coast

By Mark Stone FMN February 7, 2025Florida News, Florida Wildlife

The OCEARCH team tags A 1600 pond Great White Shark on January 27th. Photo: OCEARCH/Facebook — The OCEARCH team tags a 1600 pound Great White Shark off the southeast coast on January 27th. Photo: OCEARCH/Facebook

Marine researchers from OCEARCH have recently tagged their largest male great white shark yet, Contender, off the Florida-Georgia border. According to OCEARCH, Contender Measures nearly 14 feet in length and weighs approximately 1,653 pounds.

The Bardin Booger: Florida’s Own Bigfoot

By Charles Boyer FMN January 20, 2025Another Roadside Attraction, Florida Travel, Florida Wildlife, Things to Do and See in Florida

A depiction of the “Bardin Booger” via Jaxlore.com

Florida, known for its sunny beaches, theme parks, vibrant wildlife, and nightlife, has a rich tradition of eccentric lore of ghostly legends and even cryptids — animals that resemble humans but often have ape-like characteristics as well.

“Thar Be Whales Here!”

By Mark Stone FMN January 6, 2025Florida Travel, Florida Wildlife

A North American right Whale breeches off of the Atlantic coast. Photo: Nick Hawkins / ifaw.org — A North American Right Whale breeches off of the Atlantic coast. Photo: Nick Hawkins / ifaw.org

“Thar Be Whales Here” is more than just a movie line made famous by Engineer Montgomery Scott in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – it’s a fact that many Floridians are not aware of. For few months each year, the majestic creatures do indeed swim just off of Florida’s east coast.

Great White Shark Caught at Fernandina Beach

By Mark Stone FMN December 12, 2024Florida News, Florida Wildlife

Men pull Great White Shark back into surf. Credit: Alberto Vanegas — Credit: Alberto Vanegas

This week, a routine fishing trip turned extraordinary for Yulee resident Alberto Vanegas when he reeled in a 9- to 10-foot great white shark from the shore of Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island.

Florida Surfer Suffers Second Shark Bite in Same Location after 11 Years

By FMN Staff November 1, 2024Florida News, Florida Wildlife

Cole Taschman recovers in a Martin County hospital after undergoing two surgeries and receiving 93 stitches for his injuries. Photo: Cole Taschman

Stuart, FL — Local surfer and fishing charter operator Cole Taschman, 28, is recovering at home after a frightening encounter with a shark while surfing at Martin County’s Bathtub Beach in Stuart. This is the second time Taschman has survived a shark bite at the same beach, his first occurring over a decade ago in 2013.

SS United States Bound for Florida: It’s a “Done Deal”

By Mark Stone FMN October 17, 2024Florida News, Florida Wildlife

Workers prepare the iconic SS United States for its final journey from Pennsylvania to Florida. Photo: SSUSC

Iconic Ocean Liner to Become World’s Largest Artificial Reef

In September, FMN reported on an ambitious plan to bring the SS United States to Florida as an artificial reef. At the time, the move seemed almost a certainty, and after one final legal challenge, it has become a reality. The SS United States, a symbol of maritime innovation and American excellence since its 1951 launch, is set to begin its final journey—not across the Atlantic, but toward an extraordinary new life beneath the waves. In a quiet ceremony on October 12, 2024, the SS United States Conservancy transferred ownership of the ship to Okaloosa County, Florida, marking the end of a long and contentious legal battle over the vessel’s future.