3rin's View…

Manatee Manure, Treasure Island, Florida July 2020

I occasionally glimpse Florida Manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) in the shallows as I stroll along my beach. Even if I don’t get a good visual I know they are nearby since I often find their feces on the sand. Fun fact: their poop floats!

If you have ever been out on a nature walk with me, you know I find animal excrement fascinating. There’s a whole story packed into fecal material, just waiting to be “read”.

So, I was thrilled to find this video about Manatee dung. As a self-professed “scatologist” I think Betsy Stoner and I would get along really well!

It was incredibly hot and humid that afternoon, in other words, it was a typical summer day in Florida. I pulled into a convenience store to purchase a refreshing iced beverage and, strangely enough, parked next to a Sandhill Crane.

Smartly standing in the shade of a small tree, the bird had no interest in leaving so I was able to snap a few photos. In lieu of sweating, the crane was gular fluttering (like panting) in an effort to cool down.

A bit of research and I learned that this is actually a subspecies, known as the Florida Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis pratensis). If it had been during the winter I would not have been able to differentiate this crane from the migratory Greater Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis tabida).

I spent a few moments with this Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) at Little Manatee River State Park last week. I felt fortunate to have that opportunity since this terrapin is considered threatened in Florida.

Consummate diggers, Gopher Tortoises are considered a keystone species as their extensive holes are often appropriated by others. Biologists have noted at least 360 other species (burrowing owls, mice, snakes, rabbits, frogs, etc) seeking shelter in their burrows.

Last note, of the five tortoises in North America, four of them live west of the Mississippi River.

I am still weirdly fascinated by these armored mammals. This evening at the park I had my first close encounter with a Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) since moving to Florida.

It was a similar interaction to one I had in Texas last summer. In both instances the animals were entirely too focused on foraging to even notice me. They are known for having poor eyesight, relying instead on their keen sense of smell. This one stood up to have a “sniff” around before returning to digging. Speaking of which, note the length of those claws on the forelimbs.

Based on the diminutive size of this one, it’s safe to say it was a juvenile. It certainly was energetic in its search for food! I am particularly taken with the almost floral pattern on this one’s forehead.

First noted in the state in the 1920s, armadillos are now considered naturalized here (and other parts of the south).

Sadly, my photos don’t do this handsome male Six-lined Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineatus) justice. In my defense, he definitely lived up to his name! I followed him along the trail at Little Manatee State Park for about ten minutes before he finally paused long enough for me to snap a few photos.

To be honest, it seemed that we were equally curious about each other. I think he stopped to look at me – probably wondering what the heck I was doing out there in the middle of a hot, humid afternoon. I’m pretty sure he’s giving me the side-eye in that second photo!

Turns out racerunners are exceptional, unlike other species that take shelter during the hottest part of the day, this is their preferred time for activity. I suppose there is a lot less competition and even less chance of predation if everyone else is sweltering in place.