The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be meeting on Wednesday and will be voting on the removal of sixteen species from the state’s endangered species list, including four birds – Snowy Egret, Brown Pelican, Limpkin, and White Ibis. There is not much controversy around the delisting of the four birds, all of which have recovered substantially from their population nadirs. Far more controversial is the likely delisting of the Black Bear, especially around concerns that a hunting season will follow soon after a delisting.
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy, their son, Desmond Shearwater, and their indoor cat, B.B. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.
This is just the beginning. Since the last election steps are being taken in Tallahassee to stop or reverse any number of environmental protection activities. Although we are in the midst of a monumental drought, wild lands remain well-lubricated by the drool of salivating developers. Florida has a new “most dangerous” occupation. It’s called “being a tree”.