Scientists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have uncovered a new species of black bass in the southeastern United States. Scientists have proposed naming the new species the Choctaw bass and recommended the scientific name ofMicropterus haiaka. They revealed their discovery at a meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society earlier this year.

FWC scientists first noted a DNA profile that did not belong to any recognized species while testing a bass specimen from the Chipola River in 2007, as part of a broader genetic study of bass.

“We didn’t set out to find a new species,” said Mike Tringali, who heads the genetics laboratory at the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “It found us.”

After confirming the initial discovery, scientists searched for the DNA profile in bass caught in nearby rivers to determine the species’ range. They found that the Choctaw bass inhabits coastal river systems in Alabama and along the western Florida panhandle, including the Choctawhatchee River.

“We chose the name ‘Choctaw bass’ because the species’ range overlaps the historic range of the Choctaw Indians,” said Tringali. “As for our recommended scientific name,Micropterus haiaka,‘haiaka’ is a Choctaw word that means ‘revealed.’”

The American Fisheries Society must approve the suggested scientific name for it to take effect.

The Choctaw bass is very similar in appearance to its relative, the spotted bass. The physical differences between the two species are not easily seen with the naked eye, one reason they had never before been distinguished despite decades of bass studies in the region.

For more information about how FWC scientists discovered the new bass species, visit MyFWC.com/Research, click on “Freshwater,” and select “Black basses” under “Freshwater Sport Fishes.”

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) released a male Florida panther Wednesday night at the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area. The release site is along the borders of Palm Beach, Broward and Hendry counties.

“We chose this location because it is part of the species’ known range, and it should provide ample undeveloped area for the panther to acclimate into the wild,” said Darrell Land, FWC panther team leader.

The FWC rescued the panther and its sister as 5-month-old kittens in September 2011 in northern Collier County after their mother was found dead. The animals were then taken to the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, where they were subsequently raised. The panther siblings are now nearly 2 years old.

“These panthers most likely would not have survived without our intervention and the subsequent support of White Oak staff,” said Land.

The female panther was successfully released in February in Collier County. Through post-release monitoring, biologists have observed her adapting well and behaving as typical wild female panthers do.

FWC biologists have determined the male panther is healthy and has grown to a size that should prepare him for life in the wild. However, young male panthers must be on their guard to avoid adult male panthers.

“We are pleased with the progress of the female since her release,” said Land. “Young males face the additional survival challenge of potential confrontations with older males, but we believe our choice of a release site will minimize the risk of such encounters.”

Both releases were coordinated in consultation with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

An estimated 100 to 160 adult and subadult endangered panthers remain in south Florida.

Florida residents can support conservation efforts like the rescue and rehabilitation of these panthers by purchasing a panther license plate. Fees from license plate sales are the primary funding source for the FWC’s research and management of Florida panthers.

“The rescue, rehabilitation and release of these panthers were made possible by these license plate funds,” said Land.

To report dead or injured panthers, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a cell phone.

For more information on Florida panthers, including a guide to living with panthers, go to www.floridapanthernet.org.

“The pelicans are emaciated and have heavy parasite counts, and, to our knowledge, other bird species have not been affected,” said Dan Wolf, an FWC researcher.

FWC researchers are assessing specimens and the environment for information that can help identify a potential cause.

Two weeks ago, they sent samples to the National Wildlife Health Center for testing but, so far, there are no definitive answers. Researchers are awaiting results from additional samples sent this week that may determine whether botulism, which is sometimes the cause of die-offs like this, played a role. However, according to Wolf, botulism generally kills its victims quickly, leaving little time for the bird to become emaciated. Citizens should continue to report any dead pelicans online at MyFWC.com/Bird or by calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

For sick or injured birds, contact a local wildlife rehabilitative facility for assistance or call your local FWC office for names of rehabilitators in your area.

Remember to protect yourself when picking up dead birds or other animals by always wearing rubber gloves or inserting your hands in plastic bags. Place the bird in a plastic bag, tie the bag closed and then place it inside a second bag and tie it shut. If you take the dead bird to the landfill, be sure to let employees there know you are disposing of an animal carcass. In some landfills, carcasses are buried immediately to prevent vultures, eagles and other scavengers from feeding on a possibly diseased carcass. 

A ritual dating back millions of years takes place again this spring on Florida beaches. Spring marks horseshoe crabs’ mating season, and biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) want the public’s help identifying spawning sites.

Beachgoers will likely have the best luck spotting mating horseshoe crabs around high tide, just before, during or after a new or full moon. The conditions around the new moon tonight and the full moon on March 27 will create ideal opportunities to view the spawning behavior of horseshoe crabs.

Mating crabs “pair up,” with the smaller male on top of the larger female. Other male crabs may also be present around the couple. Beachgoers lucky enough to spot horseshoe crabs are asked to note how many they see and whether the horseshoe crabs are mating. If possible, the observer should also count how many horseshoe crabs are mating adults and how many are juveniles (4 inches wide or smaller).

In addition, biologists ask observers to provide the date, time, location, habitat type and environmental conditions – such as tides and moon phase – when a sighting occurs.

The FWC asks the public to report sightings through one of several options. Go to MyFWC.com/Contact and click on the “Submit a Horseshoe Crab Survey” link, then “Florida Horseshoe Crab Spawning Beach Survey.” You can also report findings via email at horseshoe@MyFWC.com or by phone at 866-252-9326.

Through December 2012, the FWC has received 2,607 reports from across Florida since the survey program began in April 2002.

Horseshoe crabs, often called “living fossils,” are an important part of the marine ecosystem. Their eggs are a food source for animals. Birds, such as red knots, rely on horseshoe crab eggs to fuel their long migrations to nesting grounds.

Horseshoe crabs have also proved valuable to human medicine. Pharmaceutical companies use horseshoe crab blood to ensure intravenous drugs and vaccine injections are bacteria-free and sterile. Scientists are also using horseshoe crabs in cancer research.

State and federal scientists are monitoring and responding to manatees affected by the ongoing red tide bloom along the southwest Florida coast.

To help with these efforts, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) ask the public to be on the lookout for manatees affected by red tide. Signs that a manatee is affected by red tide include a lack of coordination and stability in the water, muscle twitches or seizures and difficulty lifting its head to breathe.

With help from citizens in the area, the FWC and partners have rescued 12 manatees suffering from the effects of red tide so far this year.  The public is asked to report manatees showing the effects of red tide, and any other distressed or dead manatees, to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

State and federal scientists are collecting and analyzing data aimed at better understanding the long-term impacts of this ongoing event on the manatee population and the impacts of other events including extreme cold snaps from 2009-2011. Manatees are listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Decades of conservation efforts by many partners have led to population increases, as shown in population models. The growth of the population, and the many conservation measures implemented by the state of Florida, led the Service to begin work on a proposed rule that would reclassify the manatee from Endangered to Threatened, which reflects the overall improved status.  

“We are working with the FWC along with other researchers and state partners to assess what is needed immediately in response to this event, as well as what this and other recent events may or may not mean for manatee recovery,” said Leopoldo Miranda, assistant regional director for Ecological Services in the USFWS’s Southeast Regional Office. “Our priority remains the animals, not the process.”

Since first detecting the red tide bloom in late September, the FWC has worked with partners to monitor the bloom and provide up-to-date information to the public about its status.

The latest statewide red tide status report is available at MyFWC.com/Research, under “Red Tide Current Status.”

To view manatee mortality data, go to MyFWC.com/Research.

To learn more about manatee conservation, go to MyFWC.com/Manatee.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) urges boaters in Lee County to be on the lookout for manatees. As manatees are on the move in and around the Caloosahatchee River, and with a red tide bloom continuing in southwest Florida this week, boaters are asked to slow down and strictly obey posted speed restrictions in manatee protection zones.

“Manatees have been on the move as of late, and with mild temperatures leading to increased boat traffic, we want to remind boaters to be vigilant,” said Capt. Guy Carpenter, FWC law enforcement supervisor for Lee and Charlotte counties. “We ask that boaters scan the water around their vessels for signs of manatees and proceed with caution in areas where manatees may be present.”

Boaters are also urged to wear polarized sunglasses. Signs of manatees in the water include repetitive swirl patterns called a manatee footprint, a mud trail or a snout or fluke (tail) breaking the water’s surface.

The ongoing red tide bloom in the area can affect the health and behavior of some manatees and may make them more vulnerable to being struck by watercraft. Signs that a manatee is affected by red tide include a lack of coordination and stability in the water, muscle twitches or seizures and difficulty lifting its head to breathe.

The public is asked to report manatees exhibiting these symptoms, and any distressed or dead manatees, through the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) released a female Florida panther Thursday night at the Picayune Strand State Forest in Collier County.

The panther and its brother had been raised at the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee since they were 5 months old. The FWC rescued the two panthers as kittens in September 2011 near the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed in northern Collier County after their mother was found dead.

“This panther is healthy and has grown to a size that should prepare her for life in the wild,” said Darrell Land, FWC panther team leader. “The goal in any panther rescue is to be able to release the animal back into the wild to aid in the recovery of this endangered species.”

The release was coordinated in consultation with partners from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Five other kittens of similar ages – three females and two males – have been raised at White Oak and released in south Florida.

“We are grateful for the work the staff at White Oak has done to prepare this panther and others for release,” said Land.

Biologists chose the Picayune Strand State Forest for the release of this panther after they evaluated the home ranges of other females in the region and found available space between them.

An estimated 100 to 160 adult and subadult panthers remain in south Florida.

Florida residents can support conservation efforts like the rescue and rehabilitation of this panther through the purchase of a panther license plate. Fees from license plate sales are the primary funding source for the FWC’s research and management of Florida panthers.

To report dead or injured panthers, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or #FWC or *FWC on a cell phone.

For more information on Florida panthers, go to www.floridapanthernet.org.

Researchers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) documented fewer manatee deaths in 2012 than in the previous three years, as milder winter temperatures led to significantly less cold-related mortality. The FWC recorded 392 manatee carcasses in state waters last year, of which a quarter were determined to be from human-related causes.

FWC researchers, managers and law enforcement staff work closely together to evaluate mortality data and identify necessary actions. Actions may include steps to protect vital habitat or special patrols to ensure compliance with manatee speed zones.

The FWC is committed to conservation actions that reduce human-caused manatee deaths, including those related to watercraft. The FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement, in cooperation with partner agencies, uses knowledge of local boating conditions and habits, well-posted speed regulatory zones and up-to-date manatee information as part of its on-the-water enforcement operations.

Researchers documented 81 watercraft-related deaths in 2012, slightly below the yearly average of the past five years.

“Protecting manatees is a priority,” said Maj. Jack Daugherty, FWC’s Boating and Waterways section leader. “Our officers take time to patrol manatee zones, identify areas that have presented problems, and generally work with the public to educate them on how to boat safely and in a way that doesn’t harm the environment.”

To help prevent cold-related deaths, the FWC continues to work with partners to enhance availability of warm-water sites important to manatee survival. Among recent efforts was the restoration of Fanning Springs by the FWC and partners, which improves manatee access to a natural warm-water habitat off the Suwannee River.

To view preliminary 2012 manatee mortality data, visit MyFWC.com/Research/Manatee and click on “Manatee Mortality Statistics.”

To learn more about manatee conservation, go to MyFWC.com/Manatee.

As part of its conservation efforts, the FWC rescues distressed manatees throughout the state. The FWC and partners rescued 81 manatees in 2012, in many cases as a result of citizens contacting the agency. To report a dead or distressed manatee, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).

Florida residents can also help manatees by purchasing the manatee specialty license plate, available at county tax collectors’ offices. The funds collected for these plates go directly to manatee research and conservation.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) welcomes the public to the 18^th annual MarineQuest open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, October 27. At this free event, visitors of all ages can experience the fascinating world of science at FWRI headquarters, 100 8^th Ave. S.E., in downtown St. Petersburg.

Held in conjunction with the second annual St. Petersburg Science Festival, MarineQuest offers more than 60 exhibits from FWRI and other government agencies and conservation groups.

MarineQuest 2012 features live fish and wildlife, including alligators, sharks and rays, and an alligator snapping turtle weighing in at over 100 pounds. FWRI biologists demonstrate how they rescue distressed manatees, tag fish and monitor red tide. Visitors can even catch a glimpse of the world-renowned “mystery eyeball,” found last week in Pompano Beach.

Several touch tanks provide up-close and personal interactions with critters from the Tampa Bay area as well as the Florida Keys. Visitors can try their hand at archery, courtesy of the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network. Children can create wildlife origami and marine magnets and take part in the Japanese art of “gyotaku” – fish printing. MarineQuest also offers face painting and marine tattoos.

Informative presentations include a journey into Florida’s backyards to find carnivorous plants, a look at the effects of this summer’s Tropical Storm Debby on manatees and a glimpse at tarpon, the “silver kings” of the ocean. Visitors can also talk one-on-one with some of Florida’s top scientists and law enforcement officers throughout the event.

Free event parking is available at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg parking garage at the corner of 5^th Ave. S. and 3^rd St. S.

Sponsors include the Tampa Bay Times, the city of St. Petersburg and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

For more information about MarineQuest 2012, visit MyFWC.com/Research.

Loggerhead sea turtle nesting was near a 24-year high along Florida beaches this year, according to data compiled by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) researchers. The loggerhead is listed federally as a threatened species.

Trained surveyors from partners across the state count nests on nearly 250 miles of beaches as part of the Index Beach Nesting Survey. Surveyors follow firm counting guidelines, making it possible for FWC researchers to use the data from these beaches to identify trends.

In 2012, index beach surveyors counted 58,172 loggerhead nests, one of the highest counts since monitoring began in 1989. Nesting on these beaches peaked at 59,918 nests in 1998, and hit a low of 28,074 in 2007.

“After a steep decline in Florida loggerhead nesting between 1998 and 2007, nesting has risen over the past five years,” said Dr. Blair Witherington, FWC research scientist. “We’re pleased to see this increase, but we recognize that loggerheads, and other sea turtle species, still face many challenges.”

As hatchlings will continue to emerge from nests through November, people are asked to stay at a distance if they spot sea turtles on the beach. People are also asked to remove beach furniture and other objects from the beach at night so there is a clear path for hatchlings to make it to the water.

In the U.S., 90 percent of all loggerhead nesting occurs in Florida, the majority of which takes place along the state’s east coast. The loggerhead is the most common sea turtle species to nest in Florida.

Green turtles and leatherbacks, federally endangered species, also nest on Florida beaches, primarily on the east coast, and their nesting numbers have been increasing over time.

Since tracking began in 1989, green turtle nesting in Florida has increased about tenfold. This year, surveyors found 6,054 green turtle nests on index beaches, down from last year, but consistent with normal variation.

Leatherback nesting in Florida also has been on the rise since monitoring began. For the 2012 season, surveyors counted 515 leatherback nests on index beaches. Only 45 leatherback nests were counted on the same beaches in 1989.

The extensive data collection is made possible with the help of hundreds of surveyors from conservation organizations, universities and federal, state and local governments along with private volunteers. These and other partners also provide data to FWC researchers through the Statewide Nesting Beach Survey, which documents all sea turtle nesting in Florida.

The FWC's role in coordinating Florida’s sea turtle nest counts, training surveyors and compiling data is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and sales of the state's sea turtle license plate.

For more information about trends in sea turtle nest counts, visit MyFWC.com/Research, click on "Wildlife," then click on "Nesting" under the "Sea Turtle" heading.

Report sick or injured sea turtles to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).