13 Bald Eagle Chicks Fledged this Nesting Season | |
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Thirteen bald eagle chicks fledged from the 11 bald eagle nests SCCF monitored this year on Sanibel, Captiva, North Captiva, and just off-island, surpassing last year’s total! With the help of partners and volunteers, SCCF monitors bald eagle nests during the nesting season (Oct. 1 to May 15) and reports data to the Audubon Society’s EagleWatch program.
Find out which island nest surprised monitors most this year!
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Today Marks First Official Day of Loggerhead Nesting
May 1 is the first day of loggerhead nesting season, though SCCF staff and volunteers have been monitoring beaches since April 15. In the last five years, 28 loggerhead nests have been laid in April — but none so far this year!
Today also marks the start of our nighttime sea turtle surveys to learn more about their movements and ecology. From turning off lights and flashlights to filling in holes and removing furniture, learn how you can help sea turtles.
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ICYMI: Leatherback Nest Found on April 24!
The first sea turtle nest on Sanibel and Captiva Islands this year was laid by a leatherback — the first leatherback nest in four years!
SCCF has only recorded leatherback nesting in 2009, 2015, and 2020. The 2009 and 2015 seasons each only had one nest, but in 2020, a single individual, identified during night surveys named Juniper, laid six nests across Sanibel and Captiva!
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Giant Cane Toads Making a Comeback on Islands
Hurricane Ian didn't eradicate the islands’ invasive cane toads as some initially hoped. Residents are reporting sightings and expressing concern due to their toxicity to cats and dogs. Find out when they were first discovered on the islands and how to safely remove them.
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Invasive Mayan Cichlids are Back in Sanibel Slough!
When Hurricane Ian inundated Sanibel with salt water, most of the island’s freshwater fish died, including the highly invasive Mayan cichlid. Between their ability to eat almost anything, exist in low-oxygen conditions, and reproduce at 3 months old, this species is proving its resilience.
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Thanks for Making First Annual BioBlitz a Success!
A humongous thank you to everyone who participated in SCCF’s inaugural Earth Week BioBlitz! Over the course of a week, 138 participants logged 1,257 sightings of 562 species of plants and wildlife in Lee County!
Sightings were documented from Boca Grande to Lehigh Acres, making it a county-wide success.
Check out the top species sighted!
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Evans Presents at 'Blue Equals Green' in Naples
SCCF CEO James Evans joined a panel discussion this morning exploring the connection between water quality and our local economies, held by the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.
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Sign Up Now for Marsh Madness!
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and lend a hand in restoring SCCF’s Gulf Ridge Preserve's historical marsh! Join Coastal Watch at 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on May 14, May 16, May 21, and May 23 for four days of planting to help revive vital Sanibel salt marsh habitat.
We need volunteers to help us plant this marsh before the rainy season!
With several thousands of plants waiting to find their new home in the ground, we need all the help we can get. Gather your family, friends, and neighbors to help us restore this crucial habitat before we run out of time this year.
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Everglades Restoration Updates | |
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SCCF Joins in Celebration of Water Seepage Barrier Wall
Everglades stakeholders gathered last week for a ribbon cutting for the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) new Water Seepage Barrier Wall. Completed eight months ahead of schedule, the 7.3-mile-long underground wall keeps the water in the Everglades and ensures rehydration of the park, protecting vital tree islands and wading bird populations.
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DePaolis Urges Task Force to Use Best Science
State, federal, Tribal, and local government partners joined together April 25 in Miami for a biannual meeting of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, where SCCF Environmental Policy Director Matt DePaolis offered several public comments on Everglades restoration projects affecting our region.
READ MORE & WATCH RECORDING
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SCCF Signs Letter Requesting Federal Funding for Everglades | |
A letter to members of the House and Senate Subcommittees on Energy and Water Development calls for $725 million in federal funding toward Everglades restoration and related projects. SCCF sent the letter last week in partnership with the Audubon Society, Everglades Foundation, National Parks Conservation Association, National Wildlife Federation, and seven other environmental organizations.
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How Healthy is Your Backyard Pond?
Enjoying a small pond or lake in your backyard is one of the joys of Sanibel. Our Marine Lab shares a few steps to improve water quality in your pond, improving the health of the whole system.
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SCCF Honors Amazing Legacy of Bob Graham
Former Florida governor and U.S. Senator Bob Graham was “a true champion for the Everglades,” says SCCF CEO James Evans. Upon Graham’s April 16 passing, SCCF honors the deep conservation legacy Graham instilled in Florida during his eight-year tenure as the state’s first governor from South Florida.
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Want to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden?
SCCF’s Native Landscapes & Garden Center has created a helpful guide to get you started! Butterflies are not only beautiful to look at, but they also serve an important ecological role. Butterflies pollinate our native plants and provide an important food source for many of our native wildlife species.
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Educating Youth on Land & Water
SCCF is dedicated to providing nature-based education to our region's youth. Last week, educators led kindergartners on a biodiversity scavenger hunt around SCCF’s Pick Preserve and got on the water with middle schoolers from Cape Coral to discuss water quality as part of a No Child Left on Shore field trip.
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Islands Night 2024 was a Homerun!
Our staff had a blast at Islands Night at Hammond Stadium on April 17 — we represented Sanibel Sea School in style during the parade! Huge shoutout to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and our island community for an incredible night.
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Sanibel School Teacher Presents Mangrove Project
Michele Mitnitsky, a Middle School Science Teacher at The Sanibel School, recently attended the National Science Teaching Association’s conference to present on a mangrove growth study project. SCCF’s Coastal Watch and Environmental Educator Richard Finkel provided red mangrove propagules for the class to grow and monitor over the school year and will guide them through restoration plantings on May 10 and May 17!
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CEPD Invites Public Input
The Captiva Erosion Prevention District (CEPD) is developing a plan to support erosion control along the bayside shorelines of Captiva.
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Dive into a Career at Sanibel Sea School
as a Marine Science Educator (Full Time)
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Sanibel Sea School is on the lookout for a dedicated individual to join our team as a full-time Marine Science Educator. As a Marine Science Educator, you'll have the incredible opportunity to inspire the next generation of ocean stewards through immersive, hands-on educational programs.
We're seeking someone dynamic, enthusiastic, and committed to making a difference in the world of ocean education. If you're ready to dive in headfirst and join a team of passionate individuals dedicated to marine conservation, then this is the opportunity for you!
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SCCF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded
in 1967 on Sanibel Island, Florida
EIN 59-1205087
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