Can an Animal’s Diet Affect Its Coloring?

Between all of the birds, fish, and reptiles that can be found within the Florida Everglades, it is certainly a very colorful place. But have you ever wondered why some species are more colorful than others, or why there is so much variation within species sometimes? For instance, have you ever wondered why some flamingoes are a pale, soothing shade of pink while others are bright and in-your-face magenta? While genetics and certain hereditary factors certainly come into play within species, surprisingly, so can something as simple as an animal’s diet.

While flamingoes might be the most notable creature that gets coloring from its diet, certain fish, like salmon and koi, are also affected. What causes this phenomenon in certain animals is the presence of something called carotenoids, which are pigments found in plants and other photosynthetic organisms. When certain birds and fish eat plants and algae that contain these carotenoids, although the plant matter itself is blue-green, it is broken down into orange and pink pigments inside of the animal’s liver, thus giving the animal a bold and pink hue as the more carotenoids it consumes.

Along with the carotenoids, animals tend to absorb the coloring of whatever foods are consumed along with the algae – flamingoes turn such a vibrant pink because they eat shrimp and other crustaceans, for example. This can actually occur in humans as well. You may have seen people who develop a slight orange tint to their skin after consuming large amounts of carrots and sweet potatoes for long periods of time – this is especially common in newborns and young babies as their skin is lighter and thinner. Some people even swear that eating certain foods can, over time, change their eye color or make their current eye color stand out more brightly.

Unlike plants, animals do not photosynthesize and do not produce carotenoids and must instead obtain them strictly from their diets. Because vibrantly colored animals and food products are more appealing to consumers, some animals, such as koi fish on display or flamingoes kept in zoos, are actually given carotenoid supplements in order to enhance their coloring. You’ll find the same processes performed with farm-raised salmon, in order to get the fish colorful and pink so that they can compete with their wild-caught counterparts in the seafood markets.

Can you imagine a flamingo that was perfectly white instead of a beautiful pink? It’s difficult to picture, but this would be the case if flamingoes simply had different diets or lived in different habitats that had limited access to food high in carotenoids. One thing is for sure – the Florida Everglades would certainly be a different place without all the beautiful and colorful creatures that live there.

To experience the beauty of an Everglades swamp tour for yourself, take an airboat ride through the mangroves with the original airboat tour family. You’ll see animals and plants that you’ll never forget and in every color of the rainbow!

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The King and Queen of the Everglades

The Florida Everglades remained unexplored for quite some time, and was even considered impenetrable by some of the original natives to the surrounding land. Because of the elusive and hidden nature of the Everglades, it should come as no surprise then that it provided sanctuary to some of America’s most notorious criminals during the early 1900′s. One such bandit, John Ashley, along with his girlfriend, Laura Upthegrove, were so active in southern Florida between 1915 and 1924 that collectively they became known as the “King and Queen of the Everglades.”

John Ashley, who also occasionally went by the nickname of “Swamp Bandit,” was a bank robber, bootlegger, occasional pirate, and overall American outlaw, who was raised in the backwoods of the Caloosahatchee River near what is today considered Fort Myers. His father was a railroad worker and otter trapper who made a living out of fishing and hunting, and John followed in his footsteps, becoming a skilled trapper and alligator hunter by a very young age.

John Ashley’s first reported crime was the suspected murder of fellow otter trapper Desoto Tiger in 1911, though due to the intervention of one of his brothers, authorities were unable to arrest him for the crime. Afterwards, John spent a few years on the run in nearby states with his brothers, eventually forming a gang with his brothers and other outlaws they had met in their travels. This gang of robbers and murderers were estimated to have collected more than $1 million from over forty banks in the southern United States during the time that they were active, and became known simply as the Ashley Gang.

Prior to an arrest in 1915 during an attempted break-out for one of his jailed brothers, John began a relationship with Laura Upthegrove. Laura immediately took an active role in the gang, marrying John and acting as both a look-out and getaway driver during robberies, and earning herself the nickname of “Queen of the Everglades.” During John’s incarceration, the Ashley Gang remained active in South Florida, even adding moonshining and rum running to their repertoire, and Laura took on a central role in the business during John’s absence, keeping her role even after his death.

Though a skilled criminal, eventually able to escape from prison after only a few short years, John’s thirst for revenge turned out to be his downfall. Through the course of his legal troubles, John developed a feud with a local authority, Sheriff Baker, a feud which lasted for thirteen years. After remaining safe in California for a couple of years, John returned to Florida in 1924 to make an attempt on the Sheriff’s life. Things took a turn for the worse when the Sheriff received an anonymous tip on John’s location, and an intense police shoot-out ensued. John and three of his gang partners were killed in the event.

During his time as an outlaw, John Ashley became somewhat of a hero among the poor Florida “crackers” in the area. While his name might not be as well known as other gangsters from his era, at one point in time he and his gang were believed to be responsible for every major crime that happened in the state of Florida, and one state official even referred to John and his gang as the greatest threat to Florida “since the Seminole wars.” One thing is for sure, the so-called “King of the Everglades” certainly made his mark on South Florida’s history, and will never be forgotten.

To see some of the Everglades mangrove forests once utilized by John and his gang for hiding, take the family on an Everglades swamp tour. Many of these areas can only be accessed and experienced by boat, and an airboat ride is the perfect way to get up close and personal while safely enjoying some of Florida’s history.

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What is Restoration Ecology?

Restoration ecology is a special field of science, having been first classified in the 1980′s, which has become an integral part of the conservation and restoration efforts in such places as the Florida Everglades. But what is restoration ecology?

The official definition of restoration ecology as defined by the Society for Ecological Restoration is the “intentional activity that initiates or accelerates the recovery of an ecosystem with respect to its health, integrity and sustainability.” While this definition might seem somewhat vague or ambiguous, it’s much easier to understand when you consider specific examples of restoration ecology: erosion control, reforestation, removal of invasive species, reintroduction of native species, revegetation of damaged areas, and habitat restoration for endangered species. Essentially, restoration ecology is any action taken with the intention of restoring an ecological system to its original and most adequate form, providing the best possible environment for native species that is possible given the current circumstances.

The practice of restoration ecology has actually been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, practiced by laypeople who had no specialization or expertise in the field, but who simply loved the land around them and believed they were doing the right thing in trying to preserve it. The term “restoration ecology” was officially coined in the 1980′s by two professors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, John Aber and William Jordan, who also organized and held the first official meetings on the topic at the same University. Restoration ecology has greatly expanded as a field in the few decades since, becoming its own scientific discipline and inspiring one renowned biologist, E.O. Wells, to make a bold statement explaining that he feels the next century will “be the era of restoration in ecology.”

If Wells is right, then it means big things for many of the ecosystems around the world that are currently suffering, including the Florida Everglades. However, even amongst supporters of restoration ecology, there are generally two types. There are those people who have the belief that humans have a responsibility to all other living things, both plants and animals, and that we have an obligation to protect all species and their habitats independent of the effects that it has on us as a species. On the other hand, there are those who support restoration ecology but look at it from the viewpoint of what benefits are offered to us – such people look at healthy ecosystems instead as the food, fuel, water, and lumber they provide to humans. However one chooses to look at it, it’s clear that restoration ecology is a field that looks upon improving the environments that it studies, which could hardly be considered a bad thing in anyone’s book.

To truly understand why the field of restoration ecology is so important, it’s vital to visit places like South Florida and experience an Everglades tour firsthand. From an airboat tour, you’ll observe areas of the Everglades that not every average Florida tourist gets to see, and who knows – after a trip through the Florida Everglades, you may just be inspired to dive into the field of restoration ecology yourself.

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The Florida Panther is the Everglades’ Single Most Endangered Animal

While the Florida Everglades are home to thirty-six federally protected species, none is in more danger of extinction than the Florida panther. A species once prevalent throughout Southern Florida, the Florida panther was once hunted to near extinction, and, during a particularly low point in the 1970′s, there were estimated to be less than twenty individuals left in the wild. Recent conservation efforts over the last few decades have resulted in an increased population of between 100 and 160, but the Florida panther still has a long way to go before the species is considered out of the red zone.

Because the only natural predators of Florida panthers are American alligators and American crocodiles, the drastic decline in Florida panther populations can be blamed almost entirely on human encroachment. Southwest Florida is one of the fastest developing areas in all of the United States, and the addition of major roads and housing communities within prime panther habitats has been an issue of controversy in the area for some time. When you consider that one of the leading causes of death amongst Florida panthers is automobile collisions, it is obvious that this construction is having a major impact. What is less obvious is the fact that roadways also separate male and female panthers from each other and prevent breeding. Recent studies have shown that the great majority of panthers hit on the road are male and that females tend to be more reluctant about crossing roads in general, offering them protection from accidents but unfortunately also separating them from the males and inhibiting the future growth of their species.

In addition to roadside collisions, the other leading cause of death amongst Florida panthers is territorial disputes between panthers. While this aggression has always naturally existed between panthers, it becomes much more of a danger when panthers are limited to smaller areas, a natural result as more and more of their prime habitats are destroyed to make way for more humans. In addition to the territorial disputes that arise in such close quarters, Florida panthers are also heavily prone to inbreeding. In fact, of all puma species, the Florida panther has the lowest genetic diversity, and inbreeding leads to such complications in individuals as cardiac defects and weakened immune systems, further lowering the survival chances of those who manage to pass infancy.

Furthermore, in addition to the threats previously mentioned, because of their weakened immune systems Florida panthers are also more susceptible to certain diseases, such as feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukemia virus. Pollution in and around their environments has also exposed Florida panthers to harmful chemicals, chemicals which further inhibit their reproduction. In some cases, tests have even shown that male Florida panthers have the ability to become feminized after certain levels of chemical exposure. Unfortunately, what you end up with is a feminized male, who because he thinks of himself as female, is highly unlikely to then reproduce with the true females around him.

Despite the rareness of an encounter with a Florida panther, these beautiful and large cats can still be occasionally observed in South Florida, though more and more instances of sightings are occurring around homes or public parks, places where it is more than likely that a lost panther just happened to wander into a zone inhabited by humans. To take your chances of spotting a Florida panther for yourself in the wild, you can always try a trip on a local airboat tour, where much of the local Everglades wildlife can be viewed from a safe distance. Everglades tours are a great opportunity to not only observe an abundance of animals and plants unique to the area, but you will also step off the boat with a newfound appreciation for the native species that call this area home and a greater understanding of why exactly these animals need to be saved and protected.

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