A 25- to 30-foot sperm whale that has been stuck in shallow water near the mouth of Tampa Bay likely will have to be euthanized, officials said Monday. ...more

December 31, 2007

Her name is Pseudemys floridana floridana. At 13 inches long, 7 inches tall and 10 inches wide, she's regarded as a mature female, wise in the ways of her world. She's beautiful and today, she's bone tired. ...more

December 8, 2007

For many years I have enjoyed the column on wild birds authored by Hank and Ruth Kowalski. I have missed it in recent weeks and now I understand that it is being discontinued. I urge the editor to reconsider this decision. We are blessed to live in an area of unsurpassed natural beauty and biological diversity. Unfortunately, I think this fact often is under-appreciated as our county steams forward toward further development. Ultimately, the voices that will be heard urging protection for these natural resources will come from those that have learned about and grown to value these treasures. Learning requires education and that is exactly the service provided by Hank and Ruth's column. Neither Hank nor Ruth are biologists, but they are ardent naturalists and even more enthusiastic researchers. They spent vast hours learning about the subjects of their columns, ensuring that their facts were correct. They demonstrated how the natural history of birds was relevant to their conservation. ...more

October 27, 2007