Biologists released 3-thousand juvenile snook into several Sarasota creeks this week, each carrying its own tiny tag allowing scientists to track its progress. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more.

Nile monitor lizard and iguana eradication is underway on Sanibel. Trappers have been commissioned to remove exotic Green Iguanas and Nile Monitor Lizards. WGCU’s Luis Hernandez reports.

Elephant vasectomies.

Now that’s a phrase you probably thought you’d never hear – on public radio, or anywhere else for that matter. For one reason, that’s because nobody’d done one until last year – that’s when a team of scientists led by the chief veterinarian at Disney’s Animal Kingdom successfully pioneered the surgery.

The same team recently returned from South Africa where members performed five more of the operations and started teaching vets there how to do the procedure themselves. But as Judith Smelser reports, elephant sterilization is costly, challenging … and even controversial.

The presence of exotic, voracious Nile Monitor Lizards has been confirmed on Sanibel Island. The omnivorous reptiles can grow up to seven feet long. They have a high reproductive rate, and in South Florida no predators to keep them in check. Biologists say they’re a major threat to small mammals and birds, and that this poses a major problem on Sanibel Island, which is home to Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge – known around the world as a major birding hot spot. Rob Jess is the refuge manger.

A Lee County Sheriff’s Deputy working with the Division of Natural Resources is now one of the only local law enforcement officers in the country to receive Federal Deputy Game Warden status.

Sheriff’s Deputy, Joe Ragen works as a marine officer with the Lee County Division of Natural Resources enforcing manatee speed zone laws, investigating abandoned and derelict boats and protecting the county’s artificial reefs. But now he’ll also act as a Deputy U.S. Game Warden with the authority to enforce federal laws. The agency’s Senior Environmental Specialist, Justin McBride, says the authority to enforce federal regulations will not dramatically change Ragen’s day to day tasks and responsibilities.

“If he stops someone in a manatee zone, he will have the ability to write either a federal citation or a state citation, so from that aspect he’s going to learn the different burden of proof necessary to write a federal citation. Federal citations carry more weight in certain situations so it’s just a newer tool in his tool box for resource protection.”

Until now, only U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers had the authority to enforce federal marine protection laws.

The National Audubon Society has released a report documenting the major decline of many common birds. The report uses data collected by volunteers taking part in Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count over the last forty years. The decline is especially marked in the Sunshine State. Julie Wraithmell is Wildlife Policy Coordinator for Audubon of Florida.

The National Audubon Society has released a report documenting the major decline of many common birds.

The report uses data collected by volunteers taking part in Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count over the last forty years. The decline is especially marked in the Sunshine State, but is not necessarily irreversible. Julie Wraithmell is Wildlife Policy Coordinator for Audubon of Florida.

“Individuals can consider their personal use of fertilizers which we know has a direct impact on the quality of wetlands in their communities, they can consider their use of exotic plants in their landscapes – we understand exotic invasives cause significant challenges to our public wildlands, things like keeping cats indoors – they can be a significant source of mortality to native wildlife.”

Here’s some numbers – Florida’s Bobwhite population has dropped 96 percent in the last forty years – black skimmers are down 73 percent – Clapper Rails have declined by 81 percent – 53 percent fewer American Bitterns inhabit the sunshine state’s marshes – and Kestral’s – our smallest falcon – have declined 60 percent.
The state’s land acquisition program – Florida Forever – is about to Sunset. Wraithmell says another way to help struggling bird populations is to let lawmakers know they want Florida Forever replaced or extended.

Biologists still don’t know why the calf born last week to a deaf dolphin at a marine research facility in the Florida Keys died after only four days. But researchers say its brief life will open new doors in the field of dolphin communication. WGCU’s Mike Kiniry has more.

Starting Tuesday hunters across Florida can submit their applications for one of the 45-hundred permits available for the 2007 alligator hunting season.

Permits are issued on a first come, first serve basis for the 11 week alligator harvest…which begins August 15th and runs through the 1st of November.

Permits cost about 270 dollars and allow hunters to kill two alligators. Non-residents are eligible, but at nearly 4 times the cost.

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman – Gary Morris – says there are 2 different kinds of permits…

“One is for an alligator harvest unit that’s a specific body of water. We only allow a certain number of alligators be taken out of certain bodies of water, and that has to do with managing the population. There’s also countywide harvest permits that allow you to go into public lakes, NOT in incorporated municipalities and cities and harvest gators from those public water bodies.”

First declared an endangered species in 1967 because of demand for their hides…the large reptiles made a comeback and were de-listed in 1987.

More than 64-hundred alligators were killed during the 2006 season…up from about 34-hundred the year before. Once on the brink of extinction, there are now more than a million ‘gators in Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Georgia.

-----

The state began accepting applications yesterday for alligator hunting permits for the 2007 season. The 270-dollar permits are issued in the order they were received. They allow hunters to kill 2 alligators…but only in specific bodies of water chosen during the application process.

And Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman – Gary Morris – says these permits have nothing to do with nuisance alligators.

“The nuisance alligator program is entirely different from the public waters hunt program. It deals with nuisance alligators you’d find in your swimming pools, your backyard, or ones that are threatening your pets, people or property. And generally that occurs in urban and suburban areas where the public waters alligator hunt does not occur.”

Morris says the FWC receives nearly 20-thousand calls on its nuisance alligator hotline each year. Killing an alligator in Florida without a permit is a third degree felony. The nuisance gator hotline is 866-FWC-GATOR.

Mosquito control efforts are being ramped up following rains. Regular spraying to control the disease carrying pests is just one of the many services paid for by ad valorem taxes – that may impacted by this special legislative session. WGCU’s Valerie Alker reports.

The Lee County Mosquito Control District has about a 15 million dollar budget. It has more the hundred personnel who do everything from helicopter maintenance to answering phones calls from people complaining about the stinging pests. Mosquitoes also carry life threatening diseases says communication director Shelly Retovin.

“the ones that are common to lee county are west nile virus, st.louis encephalitis and occasionally eastern equine encephalistis but we’re always on the look out for malaria yellow fever and those – they’re not as common…”

So what’s mosquito control worth? Retovin says the cost is noted as a line item on homeowner’s ad valorem tax bills.

“we’re kind of looking at if you have a 200 thousand dollar house you’re probably paying something like 50 dollars a year for our services.”

Retovin says a tax cut of ten percent could cut into mosquito controls ability to provide the same level of service. Lawmakers are considering much deeper cuts. Some sources credit mosquito control, along with air-conditioning, with the creation of modern day Florida. The special runs through the end of next week.

-----

Recent rains mean mosquitoes are back. Mosquito control, along with air conditioning, is credited with helping create modern day Florida. In most Florida counties ad-valorem taxes pay for mosquito control services. And by the end of the special legislative that got underway in Tallahassee today, those taxes will most likely be cut. Lee County Mosquito Control Communication Director Shelly Retovin – says a funding cut would most likely mean more stinging pests.

“it would be very difficult, 10 percent cut you’re starting to talk – there would have to be some changes, government can always try to do things a little bit differently and try to be creative on saving money – but it would be very hard.”

Lawmakers are talking about a tax cut of nearly 20 percent tax cut. Retovin says in Lee County the cost of mosquito control for home valued at about 200 thousand dollars is about fifty dollars of the total annual tax bill.