Sawgrassnaturecenter - Sawgrass Nature Center

Rocky Mountain Golds: © gifs by riverwindphotography, September 2020

Riddles + an Event = Fun!

https://sawgrassnaturecenter.org/2021/09/28/world-animal-day/

It's feeding time for the SNC's resident Great Blue Heron. Their long, sharp beaks are perfect for fishing. And these guys will flip fish vertically in their mouths so they go down easier.

There isn’t a slow season for Nature Centers and Wildlife Hospitals. There is only busy and busier season. Raccoons, squirrels, and opossums are some of the native wildlife in Florida that are most affected by growth in human population and urban expansion. Every time a new building goes up, their homes are disrupted. Every time a new highway is opened, they are the ones that sustain the most injuries. In a normal day, we see a lot of injuries. During baby season, we get many more abandoned babies. 

Injured, sick, or abandoned raccoons legally require the care of a wildlife professional. So if you see one, it is not in their best interest to be raised in your home. The best option is to bring them to a local Wildlife Hospital and Nature Center. 

If you want to learn more about how the SNC takes care of the native wildlife that gets brought to us, or donate to help us keep up with costs of animal care, check out our website here: https://sawgrassnaturecenter.org/

This European Starling is a permanent resident at the Sawgrass Nature Center due to their Exotic status in South Florida. This Starling was surrendered to the SNC after a previous owner was no longer able to care for them. Come visit our starling in our walk-through aviary, located between our Wildlife Hospital and our Admin building.

“ First brought to North America by Shakespeare enthusiasts in the nineteenth century, European Starlings are now among the continent’s most numerous songbirds. They are stocky black birds with short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. Though they’re sometimes resented for their abundance and aggressiveness, they’re still dazzling birds when you get a good look. Covered in white spots during winter, they turn dark and glossy in summer. For much of the year, they wheel through the sky and mob lawns in big, noisy flocks. “ -The Cornell Lab https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/overview

March is Women’s History Month and therefore the perfect time to share the accomplishments of amazing women like Nzambi Matee from Nairobi, Kenya. Nzambi is one of seven winners of The Young Champions of the Earth prize.  Announced in December 2020, this United Nations Environment Program initiative engages youth in tackling the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

Tired of seeing plastic waste littering the streets of Nairobi, Nzambi was determined to make a difference. She developed a mix of sand and plastic that when heated and compressed could produce bricks that are harder than cement. The building applications are enormous but as of the filming of this video she is currently only producing pavers. She hopes to scale the production and expand the use of her bricks.

Plastic waste is an environmental concern the world over. Our reliance on petrochemicals, single use plastics and cheap manufacturing materials has made plastics an increasingly dangerous threat to our biosphere.

You can read more about her work here: Building Blocks for a Greener Nairobi

References:

Roland Geyer, Jenna R. Jambeck and Kara Lavender,’Production, use and fate of all plastics ever made’,(Science Advances  19 Jul 2017: Vol. 3, no. 7, e1700782)

Hayden K. Webb, Jaimys Arnott, Russell J. Crawford and Elena P. Ivanova, ‘Plastic Degradation and Its Environmental Implications with Special Reference to Poly(ethylene terephthalate),’, (Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, 28 December 2012)

A Eurasian Collared Dove built a nest in our yard

Women In STEM

To all the women out there that need some inspiration today: here is a page on historical women in STEM. Starting with Puerto Rican Scientist and Educator, Ana Roqué de Duprey

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/women-in-stem

Today the SNC donated dish and appliance sets to FLITE Center. FLITE’s mission is to “guide those aging out of foster care and other vulnerable youth for a successful transition to independence.” 

The SNC is very happy we got the opportunity to give back to our community this way. Kids that have grown up through the foster care system are more vulnerable as they start their adult life and many of them do not have support systems to help them get started on the right foot.

Remember, as a community, there is no issue we can’t tackle together. 

Wow I found an avocado just laying on the ground!

Whoops! Never mind, looks like it was a shy little friend from the order Testudines!