This is a beach resident too. It's a sleeping wild hog. I was moving slow and quiet, trying to get close to a hummingbird and I walked right up on this lazy feral hog. The click of the camera woke him up and off he went.
What a fantastic series of photographs. You have such an abundance of wildlife there. From stinging man ' o war to feral hogs -- all in one place-- how lucky you are. That tern chick is adorable, and that cutie pie seal has a smile that just doesn't quit! Just wonderful-- all of it!
Are feral pigs a problem in Florida? In Missouri the are getting to be a concern. Also, feral house cats have been blamed for the declining quail population, at least in part.
Pablo, Feral hogs are popular game animals here, but they are very destructive. This beach hog is a nesting seaturtle's worst nightmare. Their population is huge and dates all the way back to the 1500's and the Hernando DeSoto. As for cats...personally I think there is nothing more destructive to birds and small wildlife than the house cat. Tame or feral, they are programmed to kill. I have no use for them. Sorry cat lovers, I know that's harsh.
Speaking of feral hogs as popular game animals, I was telling someone the story of the hog you took in Guana that we cleaned in your backyard. That was a nice hog, to this day I keep my knives sharp just in case...
I'm with you on the cats. We have one that my daughter, very similar to your Cutie Pie seal, thinks is the greatest thing on four legs. Talk about a trained-killer, I didn't know there was that many types of animals in my yard until it started hunting. We've had squirrels, rabbits, birds, too many lizards and frogs to count, and even a snake brought into the house. When it was young, I teased my daughter about it going out to play with the owls that live in the neighborhood. She didn't think it was funny.
I agree, nice pics! I haven't been to FL in a while but I don't remember seeing most of these things. They might not hang out at Daytona beach though. :)
Zanne, I love visiting other places, but I have a hard time living far from salt water.
Rurality, Actually most of these pics were taken about 36 miles north of Daytona in a mix of parks. They are all beach creatures, but were not all taken on the same day.I have a couple decades worth of slides to digitize for use here.
Kevin, Yeah, I am getting spammed and it's bringing out the dark side in me. I noticed it yesterday at some of my favorite blogs and when I got back to PureFlorida I had my own spam. Not sure how to prevent it right now.
Swamp, Cats are cute and funny, just soooo darn efficient. They are hard-wired to hunt and it takes a responsible cat owner to short circuit that behavior. I suppose my dogs were once hard-wired to hunt, but I think they have been reprogrammed to dig up my flower beds and lie on the porch.
16 comments:
What a fantastic series of photographs. You have such an abundance of wildlife there. From stinging man ' o war to feral hogs -- all in one place-- how lucky you are. That tern chick is adorable, and that cutie pie seal has a smile that just doesn't quit! Just wonderful-- all of it!
RD,
Thanks! I'm kind of partial to that cutie pie seal smile too!
Are feral pigs a problem in Florida? In Missouri the are getting to be a concern. Also, feral house cats have been blamed for the declining quail population, at least in part.
Pablo,
Feral hogs are popular game animals here, but they are very destructive. This beach hog is a nesting seaturtle's worst nightmare. Their population is huge and dates all the way back to the 1500's and the Hernando DeSoto.
As for cats...personally I think there is nothing more destructive to birds and small wildlife than the house cat. Tame or feral, they are programmed to kill. I have no use for them. Sorry cat lovers, I know that's harsh.
Speaking of feral hogs as popular game animals, I was telling someone the story of the hog you took in Guana that we cleaned in your backyard. That was a nice hog, to this day I keep my knives sharp just in case...
I'm with you on the cats. We have one that my daughter, very similar to your Cutie Pie seal, thinks is the greatest thing on four legs. Talk about a trained-killer, I didn't know there was that many types of animals in my yard until it started hunting. We've had squirrels, rabbits, birds, too many lizards and frogs to count, and even a snake brought into the house. When it was young, I teased my daughter about it going out to play with the owls that live in the neighborhood. She didn't think it was funny.
Great photo series. I wish we lived near the ocean. The feral hog would scare the heck out of me. Oh yeah, the snake also.
I agree, nice pics! I haven't been to FL in a while but I don't remember seeing most of these things. They might not hang out at Daytona beach though. :)
Yum! Nice change from seafood.
This dieting is killin' me.
Zanne,
I love visiting other places, but I have a hard time living far from salt water.
Rurality,
Actually most of these pics were taken about 36 miles north of Daytona in a mix of parks. They are all beach creatures, but were not all taken on the same day.I have a couple decades worth of slides to digitize for use here.
Thanks for stopping by:)
Hick,
Seafood is healthy...should be on your diet. Just skip the tartar sauce!
nice pictures..! here we call 'JAVALÍ' that animal..
bye from Uruguay
I see you are getting spammed. Is there any way to block anonymous posters? And keep up the gook work!
Dany,
Thank you for stopping by.
Kevin,
Yeah, I am getting spammed and it's bringing out the dark side in me. I noticed it yesterday at some of my favorite blogs and when I got back to PureFlorida I had my own spam. Not sure how to prevent it right now.
I happen to agree with you about cats -- and I am a cat lover. Mine never go outside and are quite healthy and happy.
Swamp,
Cats are cute and funny, just soooo darn efficient. They are hard-wired to hunt and it takes a responsible cat owner to short circuit that behavior.
I suppose my dogs were once hard-wired to hunt, but I think they have been reprogrammed to dig up my flower beds and lie on the porch.
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