News & Public Affairs

Researchers witness spawning of male and female pillar coral for the first time in Florida listen

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Tags: environment, ocean, coral, Pillar Coral, FWC, coral spawning, Key Largo

On a recent dive near Key Largo, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation researchers witnessed a rare species of coral in the process of reproduction. This discovery marked the first documented sighting of male and female pillar coral spawning in the state of Florida.

Pillar coral are listed as threatened within the state of Florida. Kate Lunz, Associate Research Scientist for the Corals Program at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute says this finding confirms the presence of m...

Grand jury recommends beefed-up anti-corruption laws, but will the state legislature actually listen? listen

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Tags: State legislature, ethics, grand jury, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, FWC, Fish and Wildlife, Mike Fasano

A state grand jury has affirmed something that Carl Hiaasen fans already know: Florida politics is rife with corruption. Yesterday the Florida Attorney General’s Office issued a report from the Nineteenth Statewide Grand Jury on Corruption. The panel said corruption is rampant at all levels of government.

When it comes to corruption convictions, Florida was number one in the nation between 1998 and 2007. The Sunshine State saw 800 in that time. New York State was a runner-up at 700. That’s...

Sperm whale necropsy at Ft. DeSoto Beach listen

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Tags: Ft. DeSoto, whales, FWC, NOAA

An aging sperm whale found floating in shallow waters off Pinellas County was euthanized yesterday. The body of the 15-ton whale was dragged ashore at Ft. DeSoto Park where biologists performed a necropsy.

This afternoon, WMNF spoke with one of the participants in the necropsy, Alex Costidis, who is a marine mammal biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and a student at the University of Florida.