Read more here Iguana Flu

I previously wrote about this problem here Why does Florida allow Burying Gopher Tortoises Alive???
 

Finally, faced with mounting public outrage, (I don't know if my blogging helped but it couldn't hurt) the state wildlife agency is considering changes to its long-standing policy of allowing developers to bury gopher tortoises alive when they build new houses, roads and schools.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has set up a team to look for ways to save tortoises from the bulldozers, as animal advocates press to end a practice that condemns thousands of them to lingering deaths.

The FWC has been making a number of REASONABLE decisions in the past couple of years. What's up with that? Rarely do any government agencies decisions make sense. Maybe we will have to have an investigation to find out how this as happened.

You can read this complete article here

and a related article here Biologists want to reclassify and protect gopher tortoise.

William Mohler III blogged about finding a 9' Boa in the Everglades. He has several good photos including one of the bite wound on his arm.  His final statement "Be careful she bites. I guess if someone took me away from my personal heaven, full of all the food I could eat, all the sun I could soak up, and all the water I could drink I would be mad too." makes me wonder if he released the Boa. Else why would I need to be careful? Hope not.

Some of my previous posts about exotic snakes in the Everglades and South Florida can be found here and here and here

Many thanks to Doug Bennett of This week on the Island for this tip on a new bill working it's way through the Florida House of Representatives.

A bill, approved by a House committee Wednesday, would create a three-year test program to allow restaurants, with outdoor dining, to allo w dogs to accompany their humans. Rep. Sheri McInvale, an Orlando Republican, filed the bill after some restaurant owners were threatened with fines for allowing doggy dining.

This conjures up countless mishaps and exciting events. Has anyone seen my hotdog? Will the establishment be serving human and canine food. My chili tastes funny, is it a new recipe? Will the dogs be at the table or confined to terra firma? Madam your child just licked me! The excitment starts when the waitress drops some food. Did that Rottie just eat my Yorkie? New dating dialog, Is that your dog under the table or are you glad to see me? They will never agree to stay home again.  Will there be a new special table for Thanksgiving dinner? If I have to wear a jacket...

This could bring a whole new meaning to Doggie Bag. I can already hear my parrot yelling Discrimination!

 Do you want to eat next to strange dogs?

A dead turtle caused quite a scare when a resident spotted it in a SW Miami-Dade County canal Tuesday Feb. 14,  morning. Not exactly the Valentine's Day suprise expected. The animal was initially reported to be a bear because of its size and large claws.

     More Images (Warning: Contains Graphic Images)

However, officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the animal was a freshwater Alligator Snapping Turtle. It was estimated to be about 4 feet long and well over 200 pounds. Officials believe the turtle died a few days ago because it was very swollen. It was found floating on its back in a canal along Southwest 102nd Avenue.

Lt. Pat Reynolds, of the FWC, said a resident had seen the turtle a few days ago and thought it was sick. "She took a stick and pushed it away and thought maybe it would eat the little ducks," Reynolds said. "Maybe it was sick or it just died of old age or something."

Residents were relived that the animal was a turtle. "I think a lot of neighbors are at ease that there are no bears in the back yard," Reynolds said.