03-11-2008, 09:10 PM
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are again asking boaters on Lake Toho in Osceola County to keep their distance from the snail kites nesting on parts of the lake.
The snail kite is listed as an endangered species by both the state and federal governments. These unique birds feed almost entirely on the freshwater apple snail and are found only in South America and limited areas of South and Central Florida. Biologists believe fewer than 2,000 snail kites exist in the world today.
The snail kites already have started nesting in a number of grassy areas of Lake Toho. To help boaters know where the nesting birds are and thus avoid them, FWC and FWS biologists are posting signs at the edge of 500-foot buffer zones near the nest sites. The signs are white with red and black print, and say, "STAY BACK, Endangered Snail Kites Nesting." Signs also display an image of a snail kite. The message is for all vessels - airboats, motor boats, canoes and kayaks.
"Disturbance to nesting snail kites can result in nest collapse or nest abandonment," said Alex Kropp, an FWC nongame biologist. "And with so few snail kites nesting to begin with, that can have a real negative impact on the population of this endangered raptor."
When conditions are right, snail kites nest in the expansive marshes of southern Florida. However, when it's dry down there, like it was last year, during the drought of 2001, and like it is now, the kites move around until they find suitable nesting and foraging sites.
This year, by late February, biologists had counted eight active nests throughout the kites' nesting range in Florida; five of the nests were in Lake Toho. Because of the continued drought and low water conditions farther south, biologists predict the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, in particular Lake Toho, will be the top choice for nesting kites again this year.
In mid-February biologists began to post Lake Toho but plan to put up more signs as needed at nesting areas which so far include Little Grassy Island, Cypress Cove, Toho's west shoreline between Shingle Creek and Lanier Point, and Big Grassy Island.
Anyone boating on Lake Toho should keep an eye out for these signs and stay out of the indicated areas.
"We are in the early nesting period right now, but as we move into spring, the number of nests should increase and the birds could continue to nest until August or later," Kropp said. "We intend to keep the nesting areas posted as long as there are active nests as a way to help boaters help the birds."
Anyone who sees or knows of a nest that has not been posted should avoid the area and call Cindy Schulz at the FWS at 772-562-3909, ext. 305 or to the FWC's Kissimmee office at 407-846-5300 to report it so biologists can get a sign up.
It is against federal and state laws to kill, harm or harass an endangered species or its nest, eggs or young. Anyone disturbing nesting or foraging kites should be reported to the FWC's Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922, 24 hours a day. Callers may be eligible for a reward if their information leads to a conviction.
The snail kite is listed as an endangered species by both the state and federal governments. These unique birds feed almost entirely on the freshwater apple snail and are found only in South America and limited areas of South and Central Florida. Biologists believe fewer than 2,000 snail kites exist in the world today.
The snail kites already have started nesting in a number of grassy areas of Lake Toho. To help boaters know where the nesting birds are and thus avoid them, FWC and FWS biologists are posting signs at the edge of 500-foot buffer zones near the nest sites. The signs are white with red and black print, and say, "STAY BACK, Endangered Snail Kites Nesting." Signs also display an image of a snail kite. The message is for all vessels - airboats, motor boats, canoes and kayaks.
"Disturbance to nesting snail kites can result in nest collapse or nest abandonment," said Alex Kropp, an FWC nongame biologist. "And with so few snail kites nesting to begin with, that can have a real negative impact on the population of this endangered raptor."
When conditions are right, snail kites nest in the expansive marshes of southern Florida. However, when it's dry down there, like it was last year, during the drought of 2001, and like it is now, the kites move around until they find suitable nesting and foraging sites.
This year, by late February, biologists had counted eight active nests throughout the kites' nesting range in Florida; five of the nests were in Lake Toho. Because of the continued drought and low water conditions farther south, biologists predict the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, in particular Lake Toho, will be the top choice for nesting kites again this year.
In mid-February biologists began to post Lake Toho but plan to put up more signs as needed at nesting areas which so far include Little Grassy Island, Cypress Cove, Toho's west shoreline between Shingle Creek and Lanier Point, and Big Grassy Island.
Anyone boating on Lake Toho should keep an eye out for these signs and stay out of the indicated areas.
"We are in the early nesting period right now, but as we move into spring, the number of nests should increase and the birds could continue to nest until August or later," Kropp said. "We intend to keep the nesting areas posted as long as there are active nests as a way to help boaters help the birds."
Anyone who sees or knows of a nest that has not been posted should avoid the area and call Cindy Schulz at the FWS at 772-562-3909, ext. 305 or to the FWC's Kissimmee office at 407-846-5300 to report it so biologists can get a sign up.
It is against federal and state laws to kill, harm or harass an endangered species or its nest, eggs or young. Anyone disturbing nesting or foraging kites should be reported to the FWC's Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922, 24 hours a day. Callers may be eligible for a reward if their information leads to a conviction.