UF IFAS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

05/23/2026

🐢 Happy World Turtle Day! 🐢

WEC Ph.D. student Jaren Serano, advised by Dr. Nia Morales, is continuing his dissertation research in Belize focused on freshwater conservation, community stewardship, and river health in the Lower Belize River Valley.

A key part of his work supports conservation efforts for the critically endangered Central American River Turtle, locally known as the Hicatee (Dermatemys mawii). Through community workshops, participatory mapping, and collaboration with local fishers and residents, Jaren’s research highlights the importance of connecting local knowledge, healthy river systems, and conservation action.

His work reflects the collaborative effort needed to protect freshwater ecosystems and the species and communities that depend on them.

05/22/2026

🎉 Congratulations Juan Restrepo!

Juan received the Tropical Research Scholarship and was recognized as the WEC Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year, advised by Dr. Vanessa Hull. He also received the Chocó Bioregion Summer Program Scholarship from the Center for Latin American Studies and TCD, the Jimmy G. Cheek Student Medal of Excellence, and became a member of the prestigious Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.

“The Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Award is very special as it recognizes teaching, research, service, and engagement in extension/outreach,” Juan shared.

Juan plans to use the Tropical Research Scholarship to conduct a species-focused planning workshop in the Ecuadorian Andes, bringing together diverse stakeholders to promote Andean condor conservation and human-condor coexistence.

Congratulations, Juan, on these well-deserved achievements and your continued dedication to conservation, collaboration, and outreach! 👏

05/18/2026

It was fledge day for this young Red-bellied Woodpecker!

This video was captured by WEC Ph.D. candidate Rob Meyer, who studies how woodpecker species interact and overlap in their behaviors when they co-occur. A part of this research involves nest searching to better understand woodpecker breeding ecology and habitat use.

This little fledgling fell out of its nest before it could fully fly, which is actually common during this stage of development. Fortunately, the parents will continue to feed and care for it until it can feed on its own.

🎥 Video by Rob Meyer

04/27/2026

Ron Magill Conservation Scholarship 🎉

Congratulations to Aleida Iriarte (advised by Dr. Blackburn) on receiving the Ron Magill Conservation Scholarship! 👏🌿

This prestigious award supports graduate students in the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation who are conducting research on vertebrate wildlife in Central and South America, including the Caribbean. Funded through the generous, long-term commitment of Ron Magill (Zoo Miami Communications Director and Zoo Goodwill Ambassador), the scholarship advances impactful conservation research.

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition!

04/24/2026

Congratulations to the winners of the WEC Photo Contest 2026 📸🏆

A big round of applause to Alex Nelson (Popular Vote) and Lameace Hussain (Panel Choice) for their outstanding submissions!

Thank you to everyone who participated and shared your unique perspectives on wildlife and conservation. The creativity and talent across all entries made this an incredibly difficult decision. We also appreciate everyone who took the time to vote and support their favorite photos!

The winning photographs will be displayed in the WEC front office—be sure to stop by and check them out! 🌿🐾

04/24/2026

🌿📸 City Nature Challenge 2026 – Alachua County 📸🌿

The City Nature Challenge 2026 has started in Alachua County! Anyone can participate.

🌎 Goal: 10,000 observations in just 4 days

Starts: April 24 at 12:01 AM
Ends: April 27 at midnight

📱 Head outdoors, snap photos of plants, animals, fungi—any wildlife—and upload them to iNaturalist. Every observation counts toward showcasing local biodiversity!

🔗 Track progress and join the challenge here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2026-alachua-county

🌱 Let’s highlight the incredible biodiversity of Alachua County!

Be part of the worldwide City Nature Challenge April 24 (midnight) - April 27 (midnight). Upload photos of plants and animals into the iNaturalist platform during these dates on your next nature walk or even in the comfort of your own yard or neighborhood. Wondering what that plant or animal is? The...

04/22/2026

🌎 Earth Day Reminder: Nature’s Design Endures

Some species don’t just survive—they persist for hundreds of millions of years, quietly supporting ecosystems and even human life. Horseshoe crabs are one of those remarkable examples, reminding us how deeply connected we are to the natural world.

📸 Photo by Emily Riewestahl

Photographer's caption: This photograph captures the quiet symmetry of nature. Horseshoe Crabs, unchanged for millions of years, embody a design so effective it has outlasted continents. Their blue blood is essential for ensuring the safety of human medical treatments and reminds us that nature always provides. I have always found the aesthetic patterns and unexpected utilities of nature to be evidence of intention, an everyday reminder that the our world is by design.

On this Earth Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate—and protect—the species that sustain both ecosystems and human well-being.

04/18/2026

📸 WEC Wildlife Photo Contest – Finalist #10

Category: Ecological resilience
Photo by: Daniel Nunez (Graduate student)

Photographer’s caption – Under the first light of a Florida sunrise, a European honey bee seeks nectar from the vibrant blooms of a native Ohio spiderwort. The deep, shadowed background isolates this delicate exchange, transforming a routine act of pollination into a poignant moment of connection. While the perfect morning glow highlights the bee’s vital work, the surrounding darkness serves as a silent question: how much longer will these essential rhythms endure in an increasingly uncertain world?

🗳️ To vote: comment on this post
👉 You can share why you like it or say it’s your favorite

📢 Like & share to support this photo!

⏳ Voting closes April 21 at 11:55 PM
🏆 One overall winner will be selected (public votes + panel)

04/18/2026

📸 WEC Wildlife Photo Contest – Finalist #9

Category: Ecological resilience
Photo by: Jose Alberto Torres (Graduate student)

Photographer’s caption – This image captures a dense layer of deceased monarch butterflies, a striking reminder of both fragility and resilience within one of nature’s most remarkable migrations. Taken in the overwintering grounds of central Mexico, these butterflies represent a generation that has traveled thousands of miles to reach this site. While many perish due to predation, weather, and the sheer demands of migration, their journey is not in vain. The individuals that survive will soon begin the return northward, laying eggs that give rise to the next generation and continuing a cycle that spans continents and seasons. The accumulation of loss seen here is part of a larger ecological process, where mortality and renewal are deeply intertwined. Despite the stillness of this scene, it reflects an enduring resilience, one where even in death, these butterflies contribute to the persistence of their species and the continuation of an extraordinary migratory phenomenon.

🗳️ To vote: comment on this post
👉 You can share why you like it or say it’s your favorite
📢 Like & share to support this photo!
⏳ Voting closes April 21 at 11:55 PM
🏆 One overall winner will be selected (public votes + panel)