Page 10 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - March '20

Page 10, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens

Northern Notes

Living With The Endangered what that bird is though. It
Snail Kite is an Everglades snail kite
(Rostrhamus sociabilis
plumbeus) a crow-sized
By Katie Roundtree, hawk, which is easily
Finance Director, identified by the white
Northern Palm Beach patch at the base of
County Improvement its tail. It has a unique
District curved bill designed to
Our logo at Northern quickly pluck snails from
Palm Beach County their shells. Adult males
Improvement District are slate-gray, while females are
consists of a picture of brown with varying amounts of white streaks on the face,
a bird within a circle chest and neck. A unique trait of both sexes is that they
surrounded by our name. have red eyes.
Not many people know Snail kites can be found in Central and South America,
but the Everglade snail kite (R. s. plumbeus) is the only signs around sensitive areas during the breeding season.
subspecies found in the United States. Their entire U.S. Always avoid posted areas, particularly from February
Sunday, March 8 range is restricted to South Florida, where they can be through August, and stay back at least 500 feet from
found in shallow freshwater marshes, like those of the warning signs.
Everglades, or along the shallow, grassy shorelines of Snail kites will leave their nest when bothered, but
lakes. Both habitats have a mixture of short plants and may not aggressively defend it from people or predators.
open water, making them great places for kites to see and They may fly away or just sit nearby until the intruder
catch apple snails as they climb to the surface to breathe. is gone. This behavior can lead people to think that their
Snail kites only eat apple snails, which they hunt by presence is not bothering the birds; however, any time
flying low over the water while searching for their prey a nest is untended the chicks or eggs are vulnerable to
near the surface. Snail kites do not plunge into the water predators and harsh temperatures. The longer the nest is
to capture snails and never use the bill to capture prey. exposed, the greater the chance of failure. The best way
Rather, they use their feet to capture snails at or below you can help snail kites is to avoid posted nesting areas
the surface of the water. Only snails that are breathing and to report any harassment or disturbance to FWC’s
air, laying eggs or crawling in a few inches of water are Wildlife Alert Rewards Program at (888) 404-FWCC
vulnerable. After capturing a snail, the kite pries it open (3922). Source: www.myfwc.com.
and, using its curved bill, cuts the snail from the shell. NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet
First Quarter Third Quarter Sometimes this feat is performed while in flight! waste is washed into lakes or canals the waste decays,
March 2 March 16 Snail kites have been protected by state and federal law using up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia.
under the Endangered Species Act since 1967, making Low oxygen levels and ammonia combined with warm
Full Moon New Moon it illegal to harass, kill, capture or collect them. This temperatures can kill fish. Pet waste also contains
March 9 March 24 includes protection from activities that disrupt normal nutrients that encourage weed and algae growth. Perhaps
breeding, feeding or sheltering. The Florida Fish and most importantly, pet waste carries diseases which make
Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. water unsafe.
Fish and Wildlife Service protect nest sites by posting

Pet Matters

by Pat Deshong, President of Furry Friends For Sweet Heart, Sweet Pea, and Sweet Tea, life is now good
Adoption, Clinic & Ranch because they were saved by the rescuers (of course!) and Furry
Friends was there to provide safety, love and a temporary home

"For the Love of Animals" features
real stories happening at Furry Friends
in Jupiter. We are The Humane Society
of Greater Jupiter/Tequesta and the
only no-kill shelter open to the public
in northern Palm Beach County. We’ve
been rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-
homing the homeless animals in our
community for more than 30 years.
Our not for profit 501c3 organization
consists of our Jupiter based Adoption
Center, Veterinary Clinic (open to the public), Thrift Boutique, When considering adding a furry family member to your
and Palm City Ranch. family, please visit our Palm City Ranch at 4841 SW Zarrella
Street or our new Jupiter Adoption Center at 100 Capital Street
in the Jupiter Commerce Park. Yes, we are now open in Jupiter!!
Both locations are open 7 days a week from 10am-4pm.
Chlo-Bear. Chloe Bean. Sweet Girl. When you’ve lived Blessings to you for your support and faith in us… all for the
at Furry Friends for 3,465 days, you are naturally going to earn LOVE of animals!
your fair share of nicknames. Throughout the years, everyone
who got to know Chloe gave her a term of endearment or two.
While the average person had to earn her trust, once you were
“in” you were golden with Chloe… just like the color of her Patricia Deshong, President
beautiful eyes.
Oh, Chloe had gotten adopted… once. Ryan was a great guy
and the two had an incredible bond, however, Chloe and Ryan’s
roommate didn’t get along. So back she came to Furry Friends,
where we welcomed her with open arms and treated her like the
queen she is. A special kennel, comfy bed, favorite toys, and
many attempts to find just the right food for this fussy girl were
just a few of the many things we did to let her know how special
she was to us. We were her family and, while never giving up
hope, we often considered that she might be a “lifer” at Furry
Friends. This is what Furry Friends is all about…rescuing, rehabilitating,
These days, Chloe is called Sugar Paws, Sugee or Knuckles and giving homeless companion animals their best future… no
(short for Knucklehead when she’s acting silly!). Who dubbed matter how long it takes to find it. We invite you to come visit us!
her with these newer monikers? Her foster parents, Karl & Our website is www.furryfriendsadoption.org.
Cynthia. They started fostering Chloe early last year and, since Furry Friends depends on the generous support from donors
then, she’s been the queen of THEIR home! She spends all her like you. Without Furry Friends, the future of the many animals
time with Daddy Karl and he has taught her what it means to be we save would be uncertain. Thank you for donating and helping
secure, confident, and comfortable. She’s living her best life us continue our animal saving mission.
ever and we couldn’t be happier. Ways to donate (tax ID #59-2111273):
Chloe often comes to visit us at Furry Friends and doesn’t 1. Mail a check made payable to Furry Friends to 401 Maplewood
really care what sweet name we call her. She loves them all We are now home and open in Jupiter! However, we still Drive, Ste. 8, Jupiter, FL 33458.
and her wagging tail and sloppy kisses prove it! We know she’s need your help! If you would like to be a part of our new chapter, 2. Visit www.furryfriendsadoption.org
grateful to us for what we gave her throughout the years and please visit www.furryfriendsadoption.org or call 561.747.5311 3. Call us with your credit card information at 561.747.5311 ext. 3
for guiding her to the most loving parents she could have ever ext. 1 for more information. Ask for Pat Deshong, President, or “Your donation creates the possibilities to make miracles
imagined! Curry Krasulak, Director of Development. happen for our Furry Friends”
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