Love on the Wild Side

Arguably, the most important survival technique employed by the animal residents of Hillsborough County’s Conservation and Environmental Lands is reproduction, but romance can look quite different for wild animals. Here’s the top five wild love affairs in our area, from the most dedicated, to the most bizarre!

1. Adrenaline Junkies: The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Cartwheel Courtship

The Bald Eagle thrives in the nature preserves and conservation parks of Hillsborough County, with active, monogamous pairs fishing and nest building in properties such as Upper Tampa Bay, Eureka Springs, and Morris Bridge Conservation Parks. Visit in the fall as nesting season approaches, and you may see something alarming!

Two juvenile bald eagles practicing the "Cartwheel" courtship behavior. Photo by Paul VanDerWerf; CC BY-2.0

Bald eagles linking claws in midair. Photo copyright ChristiLaLiberte.

The Bald Eagle's courtship ritual looks more like mortal combat as pairs perform a “cartwheel display.” This involves a pair of eagles flying to a high altitude, locking talons, and then spinning or cartwheeling down towards the earth, breaking apart just before reaching the ground. This behavior is not only a mating ritual but also a test of strength and compatibility between the eagles.

Photo by Joshua Doby; CC BY-2.0

2. Please Don’t Call 911, Those Manatees (Trichechus manatus) Are NOT in Distress

In the warm waters of Tampa Bay, an odd occurrence involving the Manatee has prompted concerned citizens to call 911 and report manatee strandings, with large groups apparently writhing in the shallows of Tampa Bay’s beaches. Last year, these calls became so frequent that Pinellas County Sheriff's Office had to issue a statement: “If you see this, no you didn’t.”

Manatee engaging in unexpected behavior courtesy of FWC.

Wait, what? Turns out what people kept reporting as manatees in trouble is a “mating herd.” This phenomenon occurs when a receptive female is pursued by multiple males, often right onto the shallow water of the beach. This shoreline frenzy, while alarming to some beachgoers, is just manatees being, well, manatees.

3. Romantic Recyclers: Dung Beetle (Onthophagus tuberculifrons)

Nothing says "I love you" in the insect world quite like a ball of dung. The industrious Onthophagus tuberculifrons, a native species of dung beetle, operates a bit different than you might expect. These beetles, known as “tunnelers” (or Paracoprids), dig a burrow beneath a dung pile.

Photo by Joshua Doby; CC BY-NC

The beetle then uses their strong front legs to shape the dung into manageable pieces and rolls them down into its tunnel system. There, within special brood chambers, a female beetle will lay an egg in each of these dung balls. The dung serves as a food source for the larva when it hatches.

By removing dung from the surface and burying it underground, Onthophagus tuberculifrons helps in controlling flies and diseases in the ecosystem. Handy and ecologically responsible, quite the catch!

4. Intensely loyal... Or Else: Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

Photo by  Jean-Paul Boerekamps

In the world of Black Vultures, monogamy isn't just a choice; it's a lifestyle. These birds, commonly seen soaring above Hillsborough County, are known for their lifelong partnerships. They share parenting duties and maintain a strict one-partner rule to such a degree that, unlike many other bird species, genetic research in Black Vultures has shown little to no evidence of extrapair fertilizations.

Photo by Dario Taraborelli

However, there might be more to the picture than just pure devotion. There is a long-standing anecdote that Black Vultures will mob and attack any disloyal individuals. There have even been cases of individuals needing to be captured and rehomed by conservation organizations after a particularly bad hazing.

5. Beach Date, And Everybody’s Invited: Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus)

During the spring and fall full moons, Hillsborough County witnesses an ancient mating ritual. E.G. Simmons Conservation Park and Apollo Beach Nature Preserve see female horseshoe crabs come ashore, dragging a male behind her like a trailer, followed by a conga line of additional hopefuls.

Photo by Breese Greg

The females lay thousands of eggs in the sand, which are then fertilized by the attached male. Additional males (called satellite males) crowd the area, trying their best to fertilize some of the eggs. These prehistoric displays were so impressive to Spanish explorers that they called the area “Bahía de las Cucarachas,” the namesake of Cockroach Bay Nature Preserve.

Photo by P. Fugglestein

Although horseshoe crabs may not be the most graceful creatures on this list, their beach gatherings play a crucial role in the ecosystem. The eggs laid during these events serve as an important food source for various seabirds. Additionally, horseshoe crabs are valuable to the biomedical industry, particularly in vaccine safety testing. 

Experience the wonder of nature by visiting our Hillsborough County Nature Preserves and Conservation Parks, where you can witness these and other remarkable wildlife firsthand!