I will never forget the first time I saw a glimpse or a flash of the famed indigo bunting. It was foraging underneath a sideyard butterfly bush in full bloom, and this bunting was in bright blue …

Mary Toro, Environmental Supervisor for the Collier County Sea Turtle Monitoring Program, confirmed that a Leatherback sea turtle came ashore on Vanderbilt Beach on Friday, April 25th, and nested! It …

On April 25, 2025, a bridalveil tree (Caesalpinia granadillo) was planted at Calusa Park to honor National Arbor Day, recognizing the importance of trees. Members of Marco’s Beautification Advisory …

Burrowing owl nesting season is in full swing with chicks popping out all over Marco Island. This set the stage for an amazing event we held at the Wesley United Methodist Church, thanks to the help …

An Amazon delivery landed in the Everglades on Saturday, and it wasn’t from an online shopping spree. Instead, Arassari Pataxó, a member of a bird clan who lives in the Amazon forest of Brazil, …

From May 1st to October 31st, female loggerhead sea turtles are heading to their favorite nesting spots on the sandy beaches of Marco Island, looking for that soft sand to deposit their eggs. So, any …

Last week, on April 16, 2025, residents and wildlife enthusiasts gathered at the Sea Turtle Open House hosted at 51 Bald Eagle Drive on Marco Island. This educational event was held in anticipation …

In celebration of Earth Day, Big Cypress National Preserve is calling on the public to roll up their sleeves and take part in a community cleanup effort aimed at protecting one of Florida’s most …

Florida’s natural beauty is increasingly under threat by invasive species - nonnative organisms that are introduced by humans and cause ecosystem disruption, negative health implications, and/or …

Rabbit rescue organization leaders are cautious about adoptions during the Easter holiday as Florida neighborhoods are still hopping with pets of yesteryear gone wild. “We do not adopt out for …

We celebrated our fifth annual Burrow Buddies Day event to celebrate two important and state-threatened species living on Marco Island - Gopher Tortoises and Burrowing Owls! This year, we …

The Hideaway Beach Tax District Board met on March 20, and among the items on the agenda was an update on the Tigertail Lagoon/Sand Dollar Island Restoration.  The board took time to recognize …

Have plans to get out on the water this spring? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds boaters to go slow and keep an eye out for manatees as the slow-moving mammals …

The von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida has been busy with 101 wildlife admissions and 21 releases in just two weeks. Some wildlife patients that are currently in our …

Friends of Tigertail hosted their second "Breakfast and Birds" presentation of the season on Saturday, March 15 and participants were delighted to learn about our feathered beach friends. Fran …

Nesting season has begun for sea turtles along Florida’s beaches, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is sharing the reminder that both residents and visitors alike can …

On Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Marco Island Library, the Marco Island Shell Club welcomed Dr. Jeffrey Schmid, an Environmental Research Monitor at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to talk about …

In October of 2023, Ross Boucek, Director of the Florida Keys Initiative with Bonefish Tarpon Trust (BTT), started receiving calls about strange fish behavior from his fishing partners and friends. …

Beach volunteers and sponsors gathered at Marco’s South Beach at 8:00 AM on March 15 for a two-hour beach cleanup. The cleanup is organized by the Beach and Coastal Resources Advisory Committee and …

Welcome to Florida, home of beautiful birds, tropical fish, aquatic mammals, reptiles and land-dwelling animals. What a unique variety of wildlife we have in our state and it draws thousands of …