Latest news with #WBBH
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Experts stunned by discovery partially buried deep in the Florida Everglades: 'There's only two things that will do that'
Wildlife officials in Collier County have been investigating a mysterious death in the Everglades, and they now say their findings are good news when it comes to managing invasive species. Back in December, biologists were tracking pythons near Naples, in pursuit of a 13-foot-long, 52-pound male Burmese python named Loki. Loki was what the team called a "scout snake," fitted with a transmitter for monitoring. Expecting to find Loki "shacked up with a big fertile female during breeding season," the team intended to "remove and euthanize" female snakes and their egg follicles to keep the invasive snake population under control. What they found was something out of a police procedural, per WBBH. "Very quickly we figured out he's dead, and it turned into a bit of a crime scene to some degree — CSI crime scene, wildlife," quipped biologist Ian Bartoszek. Loki was found with his "head and neck gnawed off" and his "body partially buried," an animal behavior wildlife experts call "caching" — hiding and storing a food source for ongoing use. Bartoszek quickly put two and two together after assessing the scene. "There's only two things that will do that, to my knowledge — a bobcat and a panther," WFLA quoted him as saying. In conjunction with the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, the team placed trail cameras at the site, and soon enough, the culprit — a bobcat — returned to the scene of the crime. According to Bartoszek, the whodunit amounted to a "win" in terms of conservation. As the name suggests, invasive species — whether flora or fauna — throw ecosystems out of whack, to the detriment of native plants and animals. Non-native organisms are not invasive by default; invasive species adapt readily to a new environment, reproduce quickly, and "outcompete" their native neighbors. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "A 25-pound cat killed and cached a 52-pound python? That's a win for the home team," Bartoszek began. "We all tend to like animals that punch above their weight class." "Here was a native animal pushing back against an invasive apex predator," he added. "The Everglades is fighting back. That gives me hope." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Not here': Neighbors push back against proposed Buc-ee's in Southwest Florida
PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (WFLA) — News of a proposed Buc-ee's location in Southwest Florida has some residents dreaming of chowing down on Beaver Nuggets and using 'the cleanest restrooms in America,' but not everyone is excited about the idea. The sprawling gas station and convenience store may be built off Interstate 75 in Charlotte County, pending local government approval. Man survives alligator attack before being fatally shot by Polk County deputies: sheriff Residents of the nearby Harbour Heights community told NBC affiliate WBBH that the proposed development just isn't right for the neighborhood. 'I have nothing against Buc-ee's, but I just, it does not belong there,' Rebecca Scholl said. Neighbor Drema Doolittle concurred, saying, 'This is just not the place for it. It's not the land for it. I'm sure Southwest Florida would welcome a Buc-ee's, it's just not here.' Scholl said the proposed development is within the coastal high hazard area and flood plain. Some neighbors fear that developing the land will make flooding even worse than what they saw from last year's hurricanes. Some worry the construction will encroach on important wildlife habitat. 'This Buc-ee's that's being proposed would be abutting or being right next to an area that the locals call the bayou. It's a nursery for the smalltooth sawfish and other fish,' neighbor Edie Driest told WBBH. The proposed development has sparked concerns from some and excitement from others, but it has a long way to go until it becomes reality. 'Until they're actually breaking ground and we're sitting there eating Beaver Nuggets, it's still just a potential project,' planning and zoning official Shaun Cullinan told WBBH last month. The potential Buc-ee's faces a hurdle on Tuesday, when the county's board of commissioners meets to discuss the proposal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
23-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Man accused of stomping on boy's head for throwing Play-Doh arrested, FL cops say
A man accused of stomping on a 13-year-old boy's head and punching another for throwing Play-Doh in the streets has now been identified and arrested, Florida authorities said. Jorge Garza, 19, was taken into custody on two counts of child abuse May 22, the Lee County Sheriff's Office announced. The search for Garza had been ongoing for nearly a month, when deputies received a report of an unknown man beating up two 13-year-old boys near a Fort Myers apartment complex, McClatchy News reported in April. One teen told WBBH he and his friends were tossing the Play-Doh in the road April 26 when one of his friends threw it and it made contact with a car driving by. The blue Honda made a U-turn and started coming back toward the boys, so they took off running, deputies wrote in an incident report. The person in the car, now identified as Garza, caught up to one teen and punched him in the face, and the boy went down, deputies said. He recounted Garza continued punching him on the ground, then stood up and stomped on his face, according to the report. 'He was asking me like, why did you throw rocks at my car and this and that,' the teen told WBBH. 'I was trying to explain to him but I was getting punched in the face while he was asking me all these questions.' Another 13-year-old told investigators he ran back when he saw his friend was getting attacked. He said the man accused them of throwing rocks and punched him in the face as well before walking away, according to deputies. The second teen said he ran to a clubhouse nearby to get help, the report says. Part of the attack was caught on video and shared by authorities asking for help identifying the man. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno thanked the community for coming forward with tips. 'Physically battering a child out of pure anger is unacceptable behavior and it will NEVER be tolerated,' Marceno said in a news release. 'I am proud of my (detectives') dedicated efforts that led to an arrest and justice for the victims.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump, Vance meet with Pope Leo's Florida brother, 'a major MAGA fan', at White House
President Donald Trump met with Pope Leo XIV's Florida brother Louis Prevost at the White House on May 20, after praising Prevost to reporters at the Capitol earlier in the day, calling him a "major MAGA fan." Trump told reporters he likes the pope and both of his brothers, but spotlighted the eldest brother, Navy veteran and Port Charlotte resident Louis Prevost. "I like the new pope and I like the pope's brother. You know, one of the pope's brothers – actually both of them – but one in particular is a major MAGA fan. Did you know that? He lives in Florida," Trump said. "And I look forward to getting him to the White House. I want to shake his hand, I want to give him a big hug." Later that day, the White House visit happened. Louis Prevost and his wife Deborah met with Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office. "Great meeting between President Trump, Vice President Vance, and @Pontifex's brother, Louis Prevost and his wife Deborah," Special Assistant to the President and Communications Advisor Margo Martin posted on X, along with a photo of the meeting. The Prevost brothers — Louis, John and Robert (Pope Leo XIV) — grew up in Chicago in a traditional Catholic family. Louis Prevost said his youngest brother Robert wanted to "play priest" when he was 6 and set his sights on the priesthood as a freshman in high school. Their parents, neighbors and even strangers told Robert, "You're going to be pope someday," he said. Robert Prevost's election as Pope Leo XIV left Louis Prevost excited, happy, mind blown and a little worried about how the papacy would impact their relationship. 'I just freaked out and said 'It's Rob, OMG.' I was up, dressed, out, just going nuts,' he told WBBH. 'We can only hope that we can maintain that closeness, and we don't do anything to embarrass him,' he said. Louis Prevost attended Pope Leo's inaugural mass at the Vatican on May 18. The brothers shared a hug after the service. Trump told reporters Louis Prevost is a "major MAGA fan." In an interview with Piers Morgan, Louis Prevost said, "I don't want to create waves that don't need to be there because I'm a MAGA type and I have my beliefs,' he said. 'I don't need to create heat for him. He's going to have enough to handle as it is without the press going 'the pope's brother says this.' He doesn't need that.' Asked about his reposts of controversial social media memes, including one calling Nancy Pelosi a drunk (expletive), and how they might affect the pope, Louis Prevost said he will "tone it down." "He knows I am who I am," he said of the pope. "He's well aware of my position. He knows I'm probably not going to change and I don't think I will, other than to, just like you say, tone it down." Contributing: Melissa Pérez-Carrillo, Herald-Tribune, Ashley Ferrer, USA TODAY Network-Florida This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Trump meets Pope Leo's Florida brother Louis Prevost at White House
New York Post
20-05-2025
- New York Post
Headless, tailless alligator carcass mysteriously surfaces in Florida canal, alarming locals
There was no topless bar, but the alligator was definitely headless. Wildlife officials can't make heads or tails of a lone alligator carcass that was missing both its head and tail after it mysteriously surfaced in a southeast Florida canal. The guillotined gator was discovered by Cape Coral resident Gloria Baenen and her friend on May 13 after she noticed a 'strong, fishy odor' near her pontoon boat moored in one of the many canals in the area, WBBH reported. A headless, tailless alligator sparks a mystery in a Florida canal community. WBBH 'Outside here, we see stingrays and dolphins numerous times,' Baenen told the station. 'Never a gator — and never like this.' 'Someone said there was a gator but no head,' she added. 'I found it — belly-up, floating near the boat.' She alerted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which came to inspect the dead animal. The reptile's remains had drifted away, so FWC officials deployed scent dogs to track it down. The canines soon located its body surrounded by a cloud of flies and reduced mostly to bones. The officials then dragged the decapitated gator's remains out of the canal and into deeper water to allow it to further decompose, according to WBBH. 'A FWC officer responded to the scene to investigate the incident. This is currently still an active investigation,' FWC officials said in an email to McClatchy News. 'It is worth noting that it is illegal to harvest or possess an alligator outside of alligator hunting season.' Alligator hunting season in Florida runs from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1 and is only open to permit-holders 18 and older and is limited to specific areas. Hunters are also required to report an alligator kill to the authorities by the end of the season. The permits are notoriously difficult to obtain. 'The Statewide Alligator Hunt is a highly sought after limited entry hunt; there are often more than 15,000 applicants that will apply for approximately 7,000 permits,' according to the Florida wildlife officials. Residents of Cape Coral, Fla,. are shocked by the discovery of a mutilated alligator. murmakova – The discovery of the headless gator has sparked concerns among residents that an illegal hunter or poacher could be lurking in the area. Alligator heads and skulls are considered a coveted trophy for hunters. The reptile noggins are also sold as trinkets on the internet, while alligator tails are often used in culinary dishes and are known for their tender meat, according to the Miami Herald. Last week's finding was also similar to a disturbing discovery of mangled alligators missing their heads and limbs in Fort Myers Shores – about 20 miles away from Cape Coral – in 2024. State officials were stumped by those carcasses as well. 'I don't understand how a headless alligator could be so newsworthy,' Baenen wondered, 'but it's kind of cool.'
