The Head Stabilization Of An American Kestrel   

Florida box turtles have a typical lifespan of 30-40 years, but some can live to 100 years old! Despite being called a turtle, these guys prefer to stay on land, similar to tortoises. But they can be found in damp, swampy areas. Our resident box turtle is a surrendered pet and because it is too domesticated, it wouldn't be able to survive out in the wild.

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Alika the Laysan albatross with today’s reminder that birds are dinosaurs—sound on!

Thanks to Staffer and Aviculturist Extraordinaire Susan for sending along this video of rescued Alika playing with her aviary-mate Makana!

Chip, the Florida Box Turtle, is aptly named due to the chip in his shell. Florida Box Turtles are known for their unique ability to fold the bottom plate of their shell up to the top part of their shell to turn their shell into a protective box from predators. This is probably what saved Chip’s life from the predator that took a chunk out of his shell. 

Chip was brought to the SNC by a Florida resident that found him injured in a park. We do not know what caused this injury, but because it prevents him from living safely out in the wild, the SNC provides him permanent sanctuary. It doesn’t hurt that he is also a total sweetie. 

With Easter closing in, the Sawgrass Nature Center and Wildlife Hospital feels it’s important to put out a reminder to not buy a bunny as a gift for your families. A majority of the bunnies bought as gifts around Easter time are abandoned shortly after the Holiday passes.

Bunnies are adorable animals and they can be charming companions, but most people do not realize the amount of love and care that goes into these guys. Bunnies are long-time commitments. They can live longer than dogs and cats if given the right amount of care. Bunny vets can also be very expensive because they are not considered a “common” pet. It is also important to know that their nails and teeth are growing constantly. That means their nails are going to need trimmings, which is not a fun experience for any animal, especially an animal that is used to being prey.

Because bunny teeth are constantly growing, they are going to need a healthy stream of hay in a day in addition to their regular diet. This means their cost of food can get pretty expensive for those who weren’t expecting to need a bunny budget. Bunnies are commonly mistaken as low-cost, beginner pets. The truth is that they are not. Like all animals, bunnies require research and forethought prior to committing to one.

Luckily there was a quack in the ice

Beautiful pictures 

butterfly

Anybody else spend like two hours a day thinking about how baby possum ears look like a half moon cookie? It can’t be just me

Here's one for the reptile lovers out there. Our Bearded Dragon, Leonidas, eating his Valentines Day box of worms! Thank you to everyone who donated, we surpassed our goal!

NASA Science to Host Public Town Hall Meeting

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate will hold a community town hall meeting with Associate Administrator for Science Thomas Zurbuchen and his leadership team at 12 p.m. EDT Thursday, Sept. 10, to discuss updates to NASA’s science program and the current status of NASA activities. from NASA Breaking News http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-science-to-host-public-town-hall-meeting