Interested In Recognizing Some Signs Of Florida Wildlife? Here Are Some Pictures Of Animal Tracks! 

Sometimes humans are just the best! A very good (and brave) Samaritan brought this eastern diamondback rattlesnake into the hospital after it was hit by a car. Look at this beautiful angry serpent!

That head wound looked pretty concerning so this baby went for a CT scan to assess the damage to its skull and soft tissue.

It might seem crazy that this wild snake could survive a tire to the head, but rattlesnakes are incredibly tough critters. Their heads are so muscular that when they’re struck by a car they can often survive with minimal damage to the bony structures of the head. In this case, the trauma from the tire forced those impressive facial muscles through the skin without breaking any cranial bones. Fortunately, an incredibly skilled exotics veterinarian was able to surgically repair the damage. Here it is after surgery!

This baby did great after the procedure and recovered beautifully. After several weeks in a wildlife rehabilitation facility, this rattlesnake was well enough to be released into the wild. You gotta love a happy ending! I know venomous snakes can get a bad rap, but just because they’re a little scary doesn’t mean they don’t deserve our love and respect.

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Social Distancing

This little guy is an Eastern Screech Owl. Although small, he is considered fully grown. An eye injury sustained from a car collision keeps him from thriving in the wild on his own, so he will remain with the SNC as a permanent resident and educational ambassador. 

The Eastern Screech Owl is considered a bird of prey. So its sharp talons and curved beak have adapted to ripping and tearing prey as opposed to the straight and long beak of something like a heron that has been adapted for fishing. 

Alika the Laysan albatross with today’s reminder that birds are dinosaurs—sound on!

Thanks to Staffer and Aviculturist Extraordinaire Susan for sending along this video of rescued Alika playing with her aviary-mate Makana!

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: WILDLIFE REHABBERS ROCK! This nestling hawk was found on the ground at my work, we scooped him/her up, and got him to a rehabber in about an hour. The dedication to wild critters is remarkable, and it’s pretty impressive how people make themselves immediately available for the sake of animals.

This ultra-black fish has evolved to be practically invisible in the darkest depths of the ocean, and the way it sucks in light could be useful for engineers.

We’re seeing so many Palm Warblers right now!

NASA, NOAA to Discuss Solar Cycle Prediction During Media Teleconference

NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will discuss predictions for the upcoming solar cycle during a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 15. Tracking the solar cycle is a key part of better understanding the Sun and mitigating its impacts on human technology and infrastructure. from NASA Breaking News http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-noaa-to-discuss-solar-cycle-prediction-during-media-teleconference

Our volunteers loved adding this to their background study noise! 

The Landscape of Capitol Reef National Park. Gently dipping sedimentary rocks of the Waterpocket fold.

Florida box turtles have a typical lifespan of 30-40 years, but some can live to 100 years old! Despite being called a turtle, these guys prefer to stay on land, similar to tortoises. But they can be found in damp, swampy areas. Our resident box turtle is a surrendered pet and because it is too domesticated, it wouldn't be able to survive out in the wild.