Here Today, May Be Gone Tomorrow

There are many reasons to love the Sunshine State, breezy beaches, warm sunny days, cool showers, oranges, palm trees and alligators. Florida not only has unique residents but also is home to many species that are endemic to Florida. This means they are only found here. Which is another reason to love this land. In the United States Florida, Texas and California are where the highest numbers of endemic plant species are found. Supporting roughly 700 species of freshwater and land vertebrates, Florida has extraordinary diversity of animals. Several of these species are found nowhere else in the world. Unfortunately, some of these species are threatened.

Florida Bonnetted Bat myfwc.com

The Florida Bonneted Bat Eumops floridanus is Florida's largest bat and considered the rarest in the world. It is federally endangered and was recognized as a distinct species in 2004. These bats are insectivorous, although their diet is poorly understood, it includes beetles, flies and true bugs (members of the Hemiptera order). It is good to know that one bat can devour a hundred bugs an evening. They typically have only one pup per litter, but can have multiple breeding cycles throughout the year. Loss of natural roosting sites in trees and caves is a major challenge. You can help bats thrive by preserving natural roost sites such as dead fronds on palms trees with cavities and peeling bark or by installing a bat house. Always report unusual bat behavior.

Florida Mouse Podomys floridanus is part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Imperiled Wildlife Plan. They can be found in scrub habitat where they dig burrows with the borrows of other species such as the gopher tortoise.

Florida Scrub Jay Aphelocoma coerulescens

Short-tailed Snake Stilosoma extenautum 

Sources:

http://www.landscope.org/florida/plants-animals/lists/

https://myfwc.com/media/1945/threatened-endangered-species.pdf