Page 14 - Southern Exposure- March '20

art happeningS from page 13
Page 14, Southern Exposure

northern noteS

Living With The Endangered Snail Kite

By Katie Roundtree, Finance Director, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Our logo at Northern Palm may fly away or just sit nearby until the intruder is gone.
Beach County Improvement This behavior can lead people to think that their presence is
District consists of a picture not bothering the birds; however, any time a nest is untended
of a bird within a circle the chicks or eggs are vulnerable to predators and harsh
surrounded by our name. temperatures. The longer the nest is exposed, the greater the
Not many people know chance of failure. The best way you can help snail kites is
what that bird is though. to avoid posted nesting areas and to report any harassment
It is an Everglades snail or disturbance to FWC’s Wildlife Alert Rewards Program at
kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis (888) 404-FWCC (3922). Source: www.myfwc.com.
plumbeus) a crow-sized NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet
hawk, which is easily waste is washed into lakes or canals the waste decays, using
identified by the white patch up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia. Low oxygen
at the base of its tail. It has a unique levels and ammonia combined with warm temperatures can
curved bill designed to quickly and stay back at least 500 feet from warning signs. kill fish. Pet waste also contains nutrients that encourage
pluck snails from their shells. Snail kites will leave their nest when bothered, but may weed and algae growth. Perhaps most importantly, pet waste
Adult males are slate-gray, while not aggressively defend it from people or predators. They carries diseases which make water unsafe.
females are brown with varying
amounts of white streaks on the
face, chest and neck. A unique
trait of both sexes is that they
have red eyes. it’S the law
Snail kites can be found in
Central and South America, but the Everglade snail kite (R. s.
plumbeus) is the only subspecies found in the United States.
Their entire U.S. range is restricted to South Florida, where Did You Know That, In Florida …
they can be found in shallow freshwater marshes, like those
of the Everglades, or along the shallow, grassy shorelines of
lakes. Both habitats have a mixture of short plants and open By Adam S. Gumson, Esq.
water, making them great places for kites to see and catch Having a will does not in which the court finds entitlement to alimony, but due to
apple snails as they climb to the surface to breathe. guarantee an estate will be insufficient resources available at the time of trial, the court
Snail kites only eat apple snails, which they hunt by flying probate-free. That is because cannot award sufficient alimony to meet the needs of the payee
low over the water while searching for their prey near the a will only serves to “catch” spouse. The nominal alimony award reserves jurisdiction for
surface. Snail kites do not plunge into the water to capture any assets that are titled in the court to alter or modify the amount of alimony.
snails and never use the bill to capture prey. Rather, they use the decedent’s name. Thus, if The term trustee refers to the person/entity who/which has
their feet to capture snails at or below the surface of the water. the decedent owned a house a fiduciary duty to take care of trust assets for the benefit of
Only snails that are breathing air, laying eggs or crawling in solely in his/her name, the the beneficiaries.
a few inches of water are vulnerable. After capturing a snail, will might designate who Jupiter Law Center is a private neighborhood law firm
the kite pries it open and, using its curved bill, cuts the snail the beneficiaries are, but the located in the RiverPlace Professional Center, 1003 W.
from the shell. Sometimes this feat is performed while in estate would still have to be Indiantown Road, Suite 210, Jupiter, FL, (561) 744 - 4600,
flight! probated so as to be able to jupiterlawcenter.com. The firm provides peace of mind by
Snail kites have been protected by state and federal law appoint a personal representative to sell the house. Probate solving problems with integrity and compassion in the areas
under the Endangered Species Act since 1967, making it costs can often be avoided or at least limited through the use of estate planning (wills and trusts, powers of attorney, health
illegal to harass, kill, capture or collect them. This includes of a living revocable trust. care surrogates, living wills, probate estates, succession
protection from activities that disrupt normal breeding, Consideration is required in all contracts. For example, planning, contracts and purchase/sale agreements), family
feeding or sheltering. The Florida Fish and Wildlife in a residential real estate contract, something of benefit or law (divorce, paternity, child support and time sharing,
Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and interest is provided to the seller by the buyer as an inducement alimony, property distribution, modifications, collaborative
Wildlife Service protect nest sites by posting signs around to agree to sell the property (i.e. money being paid, or property law, pre/post nuptial agreements) and real estate (community
sensitive areas during the breeding season. Always avoid being exchanged). association law, residential and commercial transactions,
posted areas, particularly from February through August, Nominal alimony may be awarded in cases of divorce deeds, closings).

Bill Barbosa Signature Photography

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Jeffrey Klein, President
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West Palm Beach, FL 33405