page_title: Environment of Florida
section_title: Fauna
hierarchical_section_title: Environment of Florida / Biodiversity / Fauna
caption_attribution_description: English: Florida Scrub Jay, Blue Springs State Park, Orange City, Florida. Taken by Mwanner, 28 Feb, 2006. Русский: Голубая кустарниковая сойка (Aphelocoma coerulescens)
context_page_description: The state of Florida in the U.S.A. has a mild subtropical climate. Because of that, millions of people have settled in the once rural state over the last hundred years. Florida's population increases by about 1,000 residents each day. Land development and water use have changed the state, mostly by draining the wetlands that once covered most of the peninsula.
  Much of Florida is made of karst limestone with water-filled caves and sinkholes, which provide homes to many species of aquatic life, some of which only live in Florida. As more and more people move to Florida, they use up the water in the underground caves. When a cave has no more water, it will sometimes collapse, forming a sinkhole, which can hurt animals, people, and buildings.
  For a long time, the state has been trying to restore the Everglades. In 2000, Congress passed the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, a $7.8 billion, 30-year project aimed at preserving and restoring the region and its unique combination of environments.
context_section_description: Endemic species in Florida include the Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), Miami blue (Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri), Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma okaloosae), and Key Deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium).
  Florida is a popular destination for birdwatching, because of the many species that can be found in the state at various times of the year. The Florida Ornithological Society maintains the official state list of the birds of Florida, which currently contains 498 species. A study published in 2003 by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission documented 196 species of birds which were confirmed to breed in the state, with an additional 19 species listed as possible or probable breeders. The Great Florida Birding Trail, a 2,000-mile-long (3,200 km) trail, is composed of 489 locations throughout the state which are excellent observation sites.
  Sport fishing is also popular in Florida; over 250 different species of fishes (including 73 non-native species) can be found in Florida. There are more than 1,000 species of fish in Florida's inshore waters.
  In 2010, NOAA, citing the Magnuson-Stevens Act, banned fishing of red snapper until the population has time to recover.
  Florida's Atlantic coast is home to the only extensive coral reefs in the continental United States, and the third largest in the world. The entire reef system in the Florida Keys is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and large parts of reef are protected as part of Biscayne National Park.
  In 1977, the federal government placed alligators on the endangered species list. They were removed from the endangered list in 1987 and Florida allowed selective hunting in 1988.
caption: The Florida Scrub Jay is found only in Florida
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