Nature and Animals

JUNE ON THE WATER June begins the slowdown in Southwest Florida as many people have left the area for the summer. This is good for fishing as there are far less boats on the water and less fishing competition. As always when fishing, there will be good and slow days. With the summer heat the […]

GLORIOSA LILY IS A NON-NATIVE, VIGOROUS VINE THAT GROWS FROM A CORM. Mina Edison loved lilies – European Madonna lilies in the Moonlight Garden, waterlilies in her specially constructed lily pond adjacent to the Caloosahatchee River, a host of crinums outside her winter home, to lilies-of-the-valley and trout lilies scattered throughout her Glenmont gardens. Despite […]

When many people think of Gulf Coast Humane Society, they think of adoptable dogs and cats waiting for new homes. Adoption is certainly a big part of what we do, but it is only one part of the larger picture. Every day, Gulf Coast Humane Society works to support pets and the people who love […]

COWNOSE RAYS IN STINGRAY BAY Peaceful, in their natural beauty and gracefulness, Cownose Rays glide through the swirling, flowing water, gently undulating, winging first to the right, now to the left circling round, gently floating, hovering above the sandy bottom, rising to the surface, flapping their wings and splishing the surface, now splashing salty droplets […]

South Florida’s waters come alive this June with the highly anticipated PBA Dolphin Shootout & Fishing Village—a one-day offshore Mahi tournament paired with a vibrant, family-friendly waterfront experience at Homestead Bayfront Park. Anglers will take to the open ocean at sunrise, competing for a $10,000 grand prize for the heaviest Mahi, while spectators gather shoreside […]

MAY ON THE WATER  May is a month that ranks high for anglers fishing in the coastal waters of southwest Florida. It could be our best time of the year for chasing big fish.  Tarpon season is at its peak. If you want to hook into a big tarpon, this is the time to do it. Large schools […]

S. ARBORICOLA CAN BE USED AS A NATURAL LOOKING HEDGE. When contemplating a plant genus to write about, I tour the gardens at Edison and Ford Winter Estates with open eyes, looking for that specimen that does one of two things – catches your breath or blends into the landscape, hardly noticed. To me, the […]

In Southwest Florida, spring arrives with longer days, warmer breezes, and blooming landscapes. For local animal shelters, however, the season signals something else entirely: the start of kitten season. Each year, as temperatures rise, so does the number of newborn kittens and puppies entering shelters. At Gulf Coast Humane Society in Fort Myers, this seasonal […]

PERCY, THE AFRICAN SULCATA TORTOISE At the IMAG History and Science Center, guests are often excited to visit The Living Lab. It’s an interesting, fun, and inspiring environment for learning about the many different animals that call IMAG “their home” including reptiles, amphibians, and fish. There are, for example, different species of turtles and tortoises, […]

As we move toward Tarpon Season 2026, early patterns are already beginning to line upacross Southwest Florida. From April through July, migrating Tarpon will push through thewaters of Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, and into areas like Boca Grande Pass,following bait, temperature shifts, and tidal movement. For those familiar with Tarpon fishing, this is […]