The South Florida Water Management District (District) is the steward for more than one million acres of public land that provides important habitat for native plants and animals, including many endangered and protected species.
DID YOU KNOW: The Endangered Species Act protects about 90 faunal species in Florida, and approximately one-third of those species can be found within the District’s 16-county region.
AN IMPORTANT TOOL: The Endangered Species Act was first established in 1973 to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development, untempered by adequate concern and conservation." This has been a critical tool for species conservation.
PROTECTING NATIVE WILDLIFE: Some of the native, endangered or threatened species you might encounter on District lands include Florida panthers, Everglade snail kites, wood storks, eastern indigo snakes, American crocodiles, West Indian manatees, crested caracaras, and Florida scrub jays.
It is important to follow these steps if you encounter an endangered species on District lands:
- Allow the animal to move on without stressing it or pursuing it.
- Take a photo if you can (without following the animal to do so) and share your encounter with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). They set up a website for reporting sightings of some species, like the rarely-seen Florida panther.
- If you encounter a deceased animal that is listed under the Endangered Species Act, then photograph the animal, leave the remains, and report it as soon as you can to the FWC’s hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
REAL RESULTS: Two iconic Florida species have that benefitted from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) are the American bald eagle and the American alligator. Although still protected under the Golden and Bald Eagle Protection Act, bald eagle populations have rebounded and they have been delisted under the Endangered Species Act. Alligators have also rebounded, but remain listed under the ESA as a species of similar appearance to American crocodiles, which are currently a federally threatened species.
We encourage you to learn more about Florida's endangered and threatened species and the District’s work to protect and restore native ecosystems.