Public News Service

From Alabama to the Everglades, the Florida Wildlife Corridor is a superhighway of interconnected acres of wildlands, working lands and waters. (FAU/FWC aerial view)

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

FL Wildlife Corridor study reveals role in climate resilience, population growth

As the Sunshine State grapples with rising temperatures and escalating weather events such as hurricanes, a new study sheds light on the pivotal role …

The Florida panther is the only mountain lion subspecies remaining in the eastern United States. (Everglades NPS)

Groups push for less pesticide use to save Florida's endangered species

Last month, an environmental group sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, accusing it of failing to protect endangered species from dangerous …

In 2021, scientists determined Rice's whale was a unique species, genetically and morphologically distinct from Bryde's whales. (NOAA Fisheries)

Protecting Rice's whale, others, on 50th anniversary of Endangered Species Act

Wildlife experts are spotlighting the Rice's whale, which was classified as its own species in 2021, as one of many reasons to preserve the …

A mural project celebrates the Endangered Species Act and the smalltooth sawfish. (Kelly Quinn)

Mural raises awareness for FL's smalltooth sawfish

A vibrant installation at today's SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival is designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act …

Florida panthers are the larger of Florida's two native cat species, the other being bobcats. Panthers are listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Wikimedia Commons)

Bipartisan Bill Could Help Save 600+ FL Wildlife Species

Conservation groups in Florida and around the country want Congress to pass bipartisan legislation to help states with wildlife conservation…

Florida Forage Fish Research program fellow Kira Allen, from the University of Central Florida, explains her ecosystem model that explores the effects of climate change on Apalachicola Bay food webs. (Justin Grubich)

FL Research Tracks Impact of Drought, Sea-Level Rise on Forage Fish

Preliminary research shows less fresh water and higher sea levels could be changing the forage fish in Florida's famed Apalachicola Bay and the fisher…

The decades-long project to restore the historic Kissimmee River was completed in 2021. (Screenshot of aerial tour via South Florida Water Management District)

A Call to Prevent Future Mistakes with "Wild and Scenic" Rivers

It took about $1 billion to restore Florida's historic Kissimmee River to its natural state and U.S. Rep. Darren Soto - D- Kissimmee - wants to keep …

The Sentinel Landscape proposed in the Florida panhandle is one of the largest in the country and the second in Florida. (Sentinellandscapes.org)

Conservation, Military Join Forces to Preserve FL Panhandle

A new project in the Florida panhandle is ensuring military readiness while conserving one of the most biodiverse regions in the country. Federal …

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are investigating high numbers of manatee deaths along Florida's Atlantic coast. (Florida Fish and Wildlife/Flickr)

A Christmas Eve Memorial for Florida Manatees

A record number of manatees have died this year, more than a thousand, and conservation groups warn hundreds more will die from starvation and …

Experts estimate the Gulf of Mexico lost between 4 billion and 8 billion oysters due to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and loss of reproduction in ensuing years. Places like Suwannee Sound in Florida and other Gulf states are tapping settlement money to help populations rebound. (macayran/Pixabay)

Settlement Funds from Oil Spill to Help Restore FL Oyster Reefs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Storm damage, pollution and other factors - some related to climate change - are reducing the oyster population. But settlement …

Forage fish are small, nutrient-rich species that serve as food for predators like saltwater fish, sharks, coastal birds and marine mammals. (Pexels/Milada Vigerova)

FL Researchers Study Links Between Prey Fish, Predators and Algal Blooms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- For the most part, if you're a fish, you're either prey or predator, but Florida research is finding the symbiotic relationship …

Florida's Blue-Green Algae Task Force outlined in 2019,

As Toxic Algae, Other Issues Bloom, FL Environmental Secretary Resigns

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Today marks the last day on the job for Florida's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) secretary, who turned in his …

A study by the National Academy of Sciences reveals salt marsh provides an average of $695,000 per square mile a year in protective value to Southeast communities and military installations from storm-surge flooding. (Adobe Stock)

Million-Acre Southeast Salt Marsh Conservation Plan Gets Green Light

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- An initiative to conserve a million acres of salt marsh from Northeast Florida to North Carolina is in motion, following …

Connecticut, Maryland and Vermont all have banned the sale of neonicotinoids, bee-killing pesticide, according to Environment America. Florida has yet to do so, but the group hopes it also will take action in order to save the insect. (Adobe Stock)

On Earth Day, Environmentalists Push to Save Bees

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Today is Earth Day, and environmental advocates are calling on citizens to do their part to save the bees. National …

The most recent manatee population survey by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows 400 Florida manatees died in 2019. But 2021 could set a new mortality record, due to water pollution and loss of food and habitat. (Adobe Stock)

FL Manatees Face Greater Threats to Habitat, Health

TAMPA, Fla. -- Polluted wastewater released into Tampa Bay at Piney Point in the last two weeks is only one threat to Florida manatees, as an …

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act includes protection of birds such as the Florida scrub jay. (VvAndromedavV/Wikimedia)

Conservationists Decry Trump's Rollback of Migratory-Bird Protections

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Conservation groups are expressing outrage over the Trump administration's rollback of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The …

Pensacola's Project Greenshores at sunset. (Photo: � Erika Nortemann/The Nature Conservancy)

Living Shorelines: Natural Defense to Storms

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Back in September, as Hurricane Sally battered Florida's panhandle with a deluge of rain and high winds, some locals said their …

The Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge is the largest blackwater swamp in North America, and one of the

Conservationists: Proposed Mining Project Threatens Wildlife Refuge

LAKE CITY, Fla. -- Conservationists say a proposed mining project near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge poses a real risk for the more than 400…

An octocoral (Metallogorgia sp.) and a commensal brittle star (Ophiocreas sp.) photographed at about 6,000 feet deep during a 2017 NOAA research cruise along the northern West Florida Escarpment in the Gulf of Mexico. (noaa.gov)

New Protections for Deep-Sea Coral Hotspots in Gulf

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The federal government has approved new protections for fragile coral hotspots in the Gulf of Mexico. It's a long-awaited victory …

Josephine Spearman, education coordinator for the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve near Jacksonville, Florida, holds Indy, an eastern indigo snake, while filming an educational video for teachers and students to use during the COVID-19 quarantine. (Guana Tolomato Matanzas NERR)

Visit Virtually: Popular Parks, Attractions Adjust to COVID-19

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- While the coronavirus pandemic has altered many travel plans, a number of attractions are offering an interactive virtual …

Panthers are solitary, elusive animals that are rarely observed in the wild. Fewer than 200 Florida panthers remain in their wild habitat today. (Wikipedia)

Groups Sue to Protect Florida Panther from Deadly Road Projects

TAMPA, Fla. - Conservation groups filed a lawsuit yesterday against state and federal agencies over road-widening projects in the middle of Florida's …

Nearly 12,000 species are at risk of becoming endangered or extinct across the country, including the Florida panther. (Pixabay)

Wildlife Conservation Bill Would Bring Millions to FL

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A bipartisan bill aimed at keeping wildlife populations off the endangered species list is to get a markup by the U.S…

The Roseate Spoonbill (pictured) is among the species listed as endangered. (via flickr/MyFWCmedia)

Study: Endangered Species Sensitive to Climate Change Lack Protection

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A new study shows the federal government charged with protecting endangered species doesn't have enough protections in …

The intent of the 2001 Roadless Rule has been to provide lasting protection for inventoried roadless areas within the National Forest system, including several forests in Florida. (Pixabay)

'Roadless Rule' Sees New Threats to Keeping Wild Places Wild

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Trump administration wants to reverse a nearly two-decade rule in order to allow more logging in Alaska's Tongass National …

A red snapper clipped to a weighted descending device at the surface, returning to the deep. (Adrian Gray)

To Save Millions of Fish, Descending Devices Could Soon be Required

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Fisheries of the deep will now have a better chance of surviving the hooks of fishermen thanks to a new rule requiring …

A least tern in Flight. (Rick Lewis, Audubon Photography Awards)

Conservationists Seek Help to Bring Back 3 Billion Birds

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A new study from the journal Science shows a steady decline of nearly three billion wild birds in North America since 1970…

The Florida panther, along with many species of birds, amphibians, freshwater fish, reptiles and other wildlife, have been determined to be priorities for conservation action in Florida. (Larry W. Richardson/USFWS/Flickr)

New Bill Could Help Protect Florida's At-Risk Wildlife

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Congress is considering a bill that would direct nearly $1.4 billion to fish and wildlife agencies. Introduced in the …

Declining pollinator populations could have alarming consequences for natural ecosystems, as well as food production for people. (cocoparisienne/Pixabay)

Florida Exceeds "Million Pollinator Garden Challenge" Goal

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Thousands of gardens across the state of Florida are playing a part in saving pollinators and the nation's food system…

Roughly 200 million gallons of dirty crude oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico during the 2010 BP oil spill. (Fibonacci Blue/Flickr)

Appeals Court Hears Arguments on Proposed Oil Well in Everglades

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A major South Florida landowner will be back in court on Tuesday asking a judge to override a final order by the Florida …

The Legislature and governor approved legislation that provides more than $1 billion to increase water storage south of Lake Okeechobee as part of an effort to reduce harmful lake discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. (SFWMD)

Lawsuit Threatened Over Lake Okeechobee Discharges

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Environmental groups are concerned that Florida's persistent red tide outbreaks are being fueled by authorized polluted …

The manatee is just one iconic Florida species on the federal endangered species list. (Pixabay)

Conservation Groups Urge More Funding to Fix Wildlife Crisis

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Conservationists are sounding the alarm over a new report showing one-third of species in the U.S. are vulnerable to …

The public comment period on renewing offshore drilling runs through Aug. 17. (doi.gov)

Comment Period Ending for Offshore Drilling

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Just a couple of days are left to comment on a plan by the Trump administration to undo Obama-era protections for the …

A tiny bug newly introduced to Florida from Asia attacks citrus trees and some ornamental plants. (Department of Agriculture)

Florida Homeowners Asked to Help with Citrus Crop

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A tiny insect is placing Florida citrus in jeopardy, but residents can help. Citrus trees in the Sunshine State are under …

The health of the Apalachicola ecosystem is the subject of a lawsuit. (Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

Lawsuit Filed Over Management of Apalachicola River and Bay

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Spanning three states and ending in the Gulf of Mexico, the Apalachicola ecosystem is one of the most significant in the …

Jamaica caper trees are among those being planted as part of an urban canopy to birds, wildlife and people in Broward County. (NatureScape Broward)

A Wildlife Makeover for Broward County School

LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. – Class is for the birds today at Lauderdale Middle School, where students, staff and volunteers will be planting dozens …

Conservation advocates urge Floridians to come together for the sake of the environment. (MGDboston/morguefile)

Conservation: Chance For Bipartisan Action, Healing

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With the dust beginning to settle on election 2016, conservation groups say now is the time to get to work on what should …

Advocates fear the impact of oil testing in the Big Cypress National Preserve. (M. Schwartz)

Advocates Fuming Over Oil Testing Plans in Big Cypress Preserve

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Big Cypress National Preserve is one of the most biologically diverse sites in the state, but many who love it say …

Dedicated funding for Everglades restoration projects has been 16 years in the making. (Fred Ward/Wikimedia Commons)

FL Residents, Wildlife Breathe Easier with Everglades' Cash Injection

MAITLAND, Fla. – Conservation groups are praising the Florida Legislature's $200 million funding for projects in the Everglades. Everglades …

Florida flooding is projected to be worse than expected in a new Antarctic ice melt study. (U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Commons)

Higher Sea-Level Rise Projections: An "Opportunity" for Florida?

MIAMI – A new estimate that sea levels will rise up to 6 feet by the end of this century could be seen as an impending disaster for Florida R…

Scientists say the environmental impact of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and spill was greater than previously thought. Credit: U.S. Navy

Report: Wider Impact from BP Spill

FORT MYERS, Fla. – More than five years after millions of gallons of oil flooded into the Gulf of Mexico following the explosion of the …

Dozens of environmental groups say they're thankful protections for Florida streams and wetlands remain in place. Credit: Bandini/morguefile.com

Florida Groups Thankful for Clean Water Protections

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Clean water plays a vital role in Florida's environment and economy from the Everglades to the Panhandle. Dozens of environmental …

Environmental and animal-rights advocates are questioning why Gov. Rick Scott was selected to receive a conservation honor. Courtesy: fl.gov

Gov. Scott a Conservationist? Advocates to Protest Ceremony

MIAMI - During his five years in office, Gov. Rick Scott hasn't made many friends in the environmental and animal-rights communities, which is why …

Opponents of bear hunting held a vigil near Orlando on Sunday as part of efforts to stop future hunts. Credit: Adam Sugalski

Bear-Hunt Opponents Vow to Fight On

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The fight to save Florida's black bears will go on, as defenders of the bears say after last month's controversial hunt…

A shortage of U.S. Fish and Wildlife inspectors and a lack of public awareness are factors in the ongoing wildlife trafficking crisis, according to a new report. Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

New Report Spotlights Wildlife Trafficking Crisis

MIAMI – Wildlife trafficking is one of the most lucrative forms of illegal activity in the world, and a new report finds Florida caught in the …

Una carencia de inspectores de la oficina

Informe Revela Crítico Tráfico de Vida Silvestre

MIAMI – Es una de las actividades ilegales más lucrativas del mundo, y un informe reciente concluye que la Florida está al centro de …

The environmental group Speak Up Wekiva is going to court today to stop Florida's first bear hunt in 21 years. Credit: John Staton/iStockphoto.

Animal Advocates in Court to Stop Bear Hunt

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Wildlife advocates are going before Florida's 2nd Judicial Circuit in Tallahassee today to ask Judge George Reynolds to …

The public can weigh in this week on proposed restrictions on tourists swimming with endangered manatees at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in Citrus County. Credit: Durden Images/iStockphoto.com.

Even Manatees Need Their Space: Proposal to Restrict Public Contact

CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. – The public can weigh in this week on strict new rules to limit the number of people who can swim with manatees at Three …

Emissions from power plants continue to contribute to hazy skies and the effects of climate change. Being a sea level wetland, the Everglades stands to enjoy the most immediate benefits of the president's new Clean Power Plan. Credit: David Parsons/iStockphoto.com

Clean Power Plan Likely to Improve Everglades Air Quality

FLORIDA CITY, Fla. – Environmentalists say Florida's national parks will enjoy considerable benefits from President Obama's new Clean Power …

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Public News Service (podcast)"
	"Hey Google, play the Public News Service podcast"
	"Alexa, play Public News Service podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the 2024 Talks podcast"
	"Alexa, play 2000 24 Talks podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

Audio Activation
	"Siri, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Hey Google, play the Yonder Report podcast"
	"Alexa, play the Yonder Report podcast" or "Alexa, what's my news flash?" once you set it up in the Alexa app
	Embed this Newscast

PNS Daily Newscast - April 18, 2024

2024Talks - April 18, 2024

The Yonder Report - April 18, 2024

FL: Endangered Species & Wildlife