Conservancy of Southwest Florida

One of 21 gray squirrel "kittens" is being fed at the von arx Wildlife Hospital in Naples while being nursed back to health after falling from its nest

Baby gray squirrels who fell from nests being nursed back to health at Naples wildlife hospital

Tom Bayles

Nearly two dozen newborn gray squirrels are healing at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida after being found dazed on the ground after tree trimmers and high storm winds forced them from their nests

A brown pelican that had fishing line wrapped around a wing being treated at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. The facility has treated several similar situations involving pelicans over the years.

Environment

Hurricane Ian offered silver lining involving pelicans and shorebirds

Tom Bayles

The number of pelicans and other shorebirds with hooks in their pouches or stomachs, or fishing line wrapped tight around their legs or beaks dropped by 58 percent across the region after Hurricane Ian in 2022.

A black skimmer protects its chick in a nest in the sand, which is usually a mere depression

Environment

Sunbathers, shorebirds must share the beach Memorial Day weekend

Tom Bayles

Two groups will occupy the sandy real estate in Southwest Florida this Memorial Day weekend: people and shorebirds. Beneath many of the people will be towels or blankets; underneath many shorebirds will be their next generation. That’s why holiday beachgoers will have a good chance of seeing an Audubon Florida volunteer shooing people away from nesting areas

Restoring the Kissimmee River, which drains much of Orlando and fills Lake Okeechobee, back to its original winding path and allowing for nutrients to be sifted out along the way was one of the first major wins for the environmental nonprofits, who are meeting this weekend in Bonita Springs to coordinate their efforts to keep their successes coming. The Kissimmee River had been straightened into a canal by the Army Corps of Engineers, which is the same agency that restored it to the way it was.

Environment

Environmentalists committed to the Everglades restoration meet in Bonita Springs

Tom Bayles

More than 50 nonprofits formed the Everglades Coalition whose goal, simply put, is to ensure the health and recovery of the Everglades

Environment

SWFL environmental groups say economic damage from next major algae bloom will total billions

Tom Bayles

Southwest Florida's most influential environmentalists share a report warning the next massive red tide or blue-green algae outbreak will be a multi-billion-dollar disaster.

Florida Panthers: the good, the bad, and the ugly

John Davis

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Act is helping create new opportunities to help the endangered Florida panther, but the species is facing some new and emerging threats including a neurological disorder called feline leukomyelopathy and a number of proposed new developments in Lee and Collier counties. We take a closer look in a conversation with Amber Crooks from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

Storm surge on the the Isles of Capris near Marco Island left behind flooded streets after Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022

Environment

Fishing tourney not yet held hauls in $70,000 for Isles of Capri hurricane recovery

Tom Bayles

A fund-raising fishing tournament for Hurricane Ian recovery and rebuilding efforts raised funds in the tens of thousands of dollars even though nobody’s gone fishing in the tournament yet.The recent kick-off party for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s “RedSnook” Catch & Release Charity Fishing Tournament raised more than $70,000 to benefit Isle of Capri hurricane victims.The party brought in more than $45,000 in less than 10 minutes. The Community Foundation of Collier County added $25,000,

von Arx Wildlife Hospital remains open during Nature Center temporary closure in September

The nature center will be closed for maintenance on buildings and grounds from Sept. 4 to 27

The largest Burmese python discovered in Florida was humanely euthansized by the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to conduct research on the invasive species in Naples, June 22, 2022.

You, too, can help rid Florida of the invasive Burmese python

Tom Bayles

Let’s say that, for fun, you wanted to go into alligator-infested area, hip-deep in water where you can’t see the bottom, standing in mushy marl, in the middle of the night, and try to capture a huge snake that in turn may want to capture you. Then, the Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “2022 Florida Python Challenge®” is for you.

Measuring the loggerhead sea turtle "Emily" during a nesting event on Keewaydin Island

Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s Sea Turtle Research Program in its 40th consecutive year

John Davis

The Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s Sea Turtle Monitoring Project is now in its 40th year, making it one of the longest continuously running sea turtle monitoring programs of its kind in the country. We’ll explore the history of this sea turtle monitoring project and its challenges, successes and findings with the Conservancy’s Director of Environmental Science Kathy Worley.