Observant visitors can spot bobcat tracks on the beach near the base of the dune. This confuses many visitors who, accustomed to the short "bobtails" on northern bobcats, think they have seen a Florida panther. It is bigger than a housecat, tawny and spotted with black, with short ear tufts and a tail that is longer than its northern cousin, reaching 5 inches in length. If you are fortunate, you may catch a glimpse of a bobcat (Lynx rufus floridanus) darting across the park road. From the last count there are approximately 400 left with the UME’s representing 10% northern right whale mortality. 31 were confirmed dead and 10 confirmed at last visual sighting to be gravely injured. According to NOAA, “ Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, an unusual mortality event (UME) is defined as "a stranding that is unexpected involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population and demands immediate response."įrom 2017 to 2020 41 northern right whales have been counted as unusual mortality events. The 2017 deaths were labeled an unusual mortality event. 2017 marked an in crease in boat strikes and entanglements equaling 17 deaths. Right whales are monitored from Florida up to the Gulf of Maine. Entanglement in fishing gear is also cause of death. Ship strikes are the leading cause of death for the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Since collisions with ships is the greatest threat to the species, large vessels now report when entering whale calving grounds and in turn receive information on any whales in the area. If you do spot one, be sure to inform the park staff so they can alert other visitors. If you visit between December and March, keep an eye on the horizon offshore for one of these special animals. It is the most endangered whale species in the western North Atlantic. The north atlantic right whale (Balaena glacialis) which utilizes the coastal waters of Georgia and northeast Florida in the winter as a calving ground for pregnant females and a foraging area for juveniles. NPS/Photo Fulsom North Atlantic Right Whale (Endangered) Increased public awareness and appreciation are the key to survival for this gentle giant.Ī right whale is spotted breaching the surface off the Atlantic coast. Collisions with boats, flood control structures, entanglement in fishing gear, cold weather and ingestion of red tide are all causes of death. Rates remain high for an animal with such a low reproductive rate. Laws to protect manatees in Florida were enacted as far back as 1893 however, mortality These marks are photographed and used by researchers to identify individual animals. Most manatees have obvious scars from boat propellers. Sometimes only the tip of the snout and the nostrils is visible but at other times the head, tail, back can be clearly seen. If they are present, they will soon surface to breathe - about every four minutes when resting and as little as every 30 seconds when very active. Be patient if you don't see one at first. These areas are not open to the public, but good locations to look for manatees during warmer months (March to mid-November) are the Apollo District Visitor Center dock and the Haulover Canal manatee overlook along State Road 3. However, up to 100 opportunistic individuals remain nearby by taking advantage of warm water discharges at two power plants along the Indian River near Titusville. During colder months, manatees leave the lagoon, seeking warmer water to the south or freshwater springs along the St Johns River. Pockets along the east side are used for resting and foraging. Manatees use the west side of Mosquito Lagoon, along the intercostal Waterway, as a corridor to move north and south. Like other large mammals, manatees reproduce very slowly, bearing one calf at a time and investing considerable time with each offspring. If you are fortunate enough to see one nursing, you will notice that the cow's mammary glands are located at the base of the flippers. Calves can often seen with the cows since they nurse up to one or two years of age. They spend much of their time grazing on seagrass and other plants, consuming up to 10-20 percent of their body weight per day. Also known as the sea cow, adults typically weigh 800 - 1200 pounds and are about 10 feet long. Approximately 5,000-6,000 manatees are estimated to occur in the entire state. One is the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus), a federally endangered species, that can be found in Mosquito Lagoon. Canaveral National Seashore has a number of unusual and interesting aquatic and terrestrial mammals.
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