(I will continue to update!)
A foster dog tucking in his owner
A tiger getting hugs
A puppy riding a chicken
A cat drinking water very loudly
A turtle with walking music
A cat wants a headbutt
An owl napping
A bunny and dog are friends
A cat and its catnip
A gaggle of ducklings in a sink
A puppy...that’s it
Cats in a box
Bird bath
Pig playing with a ball
Bird getting pet
Excited Puppy
Puppy on a swing
Big tortoise little tortoise
2 cats drinking water
Kitten eating whipped cream
Hamsters in yogurt cups
Deer Zoomies
Baby seal
CUTENESS 🐿OVERLOAD 💘😍❤
Ewok, the eastern screech owl, is a permanent resident at the SNC due to an eye injury that would prevent him from thriving in the wild. He is a fully grown eastern screech owl, even though their small size leads many to believe that they are juveniles.
The interesting coloring of their feathers is camouflage adapted to blend in with the base of trees.
And yes, we name all of the Eastern Screech Owls we care for after Star Wars.
While cute and small now, adult American Alligators can grow up to fifteen feet long! Their massive size is not only a deterrent to predators, but also helps them accomplish a very important role in the environment.
American Alligators are known as Keystone Species. That fun vocab term means they are a species capable of establishing a new ecosystem for a bunch of other animals in addition to themselves. They dig for water to create Gator Holes. These gator holes become homes for fish, amphibians, and water birds. Without gators, the Florida Everglades would be a much drier place.
Raccoons are a familiar sight for many environments because they eat just about anything. The raccoon’s scientific name, Procyon lotor translates to “before-dog washer.”
Raccoons are one of the many wild animals the SNC takes in regularly. If you find abandoned baby raccoons in the wild, please contact your local nature center or wildlife rehabber. We do not encourage keeping them as there is a lot that can go wrong in early development and they do NOT make good pets.
Our Great Blue Heron was doing some feather cleaning this morning. Look at how long that neck is! The long neck and beak of the Heron was adapted to fishing for prey. This tall birds are excellent at wading through the water and make quite an impressive sight in flight.
“ Great Blue Herons aren’t likely to visit a typical backyard. However, they are sometimes unwelcome visitors to yards that include fish ponds. A length of drain pipe placed in the pond can provide fish with a place to hide from feeding herons. Herons, like most of our birds, are legally protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.” -The Cornell Lab https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/overview
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
This juvenile red tailed hawk was brought to the SNC a few weeks ago after being found injured on a golf course. On Sep. 27 the hawk was successfully released back into the wild!
Red tailed hawks are native to Florida and, like all hawks, considered a bird of prey. Their large talons and sharp beaks are perfect for ripping and tearing their prey. It also makes them difficult patients. Luckily, our experienced rehabber was able to get the hawk all patched up and back into the wild in record time!
The Sawgrass Nature Center is home to an aviary of recovering and permanent winged residents. This blue jay is one of the many that are to be soon as you walk through the surrounding enclosure.
This Wildlife Wednesday we are featuring our resident Red Rat Snake. This guy in particular has a permanent stay at the Nature Center due to a degenerative nerve disease that causes him to twitch.
Rat Snakes are non-venomous, constrictor snakes. They also happen to be very skilled climbers, to the point where they have been known to scale brick walls! This helps them catch prey like lizards, small mammals, and hatchlings.
Rat Snakes are popular in the pet trade and have been bred in many different colors and patterns.
It is Turtle Tuesday at the SNC with our Loggerhead Musk Turtle, Molly. Molly is a resident freshwater turtle that is used for many of our educational programs.
Loggerhead Musk Turtles (Sternotherus minor) are mostly carnivorous, but have also been known to munch on plants. Their jaws are strong enough to crack the shells of small snails, crayfish, insects, and mollusks.
They are found throughout the Southeast United States in a variety of clear, freshwater wetland areas.
Fun Fact: When threatened, musk turtles will release a foul smelling musk and bite with their powerful jaws.
This African Spur Thigh Tortoise is named Bubba and he is a permanent resident at the Sawgrass Nature Center. He was previously kept as a pet, but his owners did not realize that he would get this large. And since he is an exotic species to Florida, he is non-releasable.
The African Spur-Thigh is a native species of tortoise to Northern Africa, specifically along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. They dig burrows in the ground to spend the hottest parts of the day in. This is known as aestivation.
Fun fact: The African Spur Thigh Tortoise is the third largest tortoise in the world. Surpassed only by the Galapagos Tortoise and the Aldabra Giant Tortoise.
This is one of our resident parrots, Fred. Fred and his partner in crime, Alice, were surrendered upon the death of their owner to the Sawgrass Nature Center. In captivity, this particular species of parrot can live up to 80 years.
Learn about Florida Box Turtles and rehabilitation of wildlife at the Sawgrass Nature Center!
Learn more about exotic and non-native animals from the Sawgrass Nature Center!
Our resident turkey vulture is a little cheeky. Notice how he poops whenever he sees our caretakers. It’s almost like he knows we’re coming to clean up the place!