Conservation Retail: Conservation rules Roost
By Kristen Hampshire, Seaside Retailer
At Hobe Sound Nature center, the Owl’s Roost gift shop sources native animal themed products and aims to engage, much like the programs guests experience.
Wild Trouble: Florida’s Struggle with Invasive Species
Growing up in South Florida, most reptile encounters were limited to the occasional sighting of a green anole or hearing the funky calls of the tokay gecko in the wee hours of the night. These days, every landscape is crawling with a vibrant diversity of odd, husky-looking lizards that defy the imagination.
The Gopher Tortoise is a Good Neighbor
Take a walk along the scrub trails at the Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, and you’re sure to spot one of nature’s most ancient creatures – the state-threatened gopher tortoise. You may be wondering how a reptile was named after a mammal that, well, resembles a furry potato.
Seahorse Serenade: The Dance of Underwater Love
Picture a creature so mythical, it seems to have emerged from an underwater fairy tale, drifting elegantly through the ocean, and you’ve just conjured up a seahorse. These tiny marine wonders have captured the human imagination for centuries, symbolizing good luck, persistence, and peace.
A Mother Whale’s Pilgrimage to the Treasure Coast
If you live in Hobe Sound or were visiting our beautiful town in January of this year, you may remember the media buzz surrounding a North Atlantic right whale and her calf lolling about in the warm tropical waters of the Treasure Coast. There’s nothing quite like being at the beach and spotting a 48-foot, 50-ton behemoth moving slowly through crystal blue waters, and this mama did not disappoint!
Save the Floaty Potatoes
Florida manatees are endearingly called “floaty potatoes” due to their plump physique and generally unhurried nature. In fact, there are many memes honoring this gentle giant’s playful moniker, typically encouraging humans to slow down, both literally and metaphorically. These inquisitive, herbivorous mammals have been around for millions of years, with all remaining species considered vulnerable to extinction.