Critters of Florida

This Fall Get to Know the Critters of Florida!

Posted on August 7, 2023
in wildlife
by Liliane Opsomer
0 Comments

Critters of Florida is the kids’ wildlife pocket guide that’s informative, concise, and easy to use. Written by wildlife biologist and debut author Alex Troutman, this handy book presents 63 critters from the Sunshine State. If an animal is in this book, it’s found in Florida.

Critters of Florida

Each species is showcased with a professional-quality photograph that’s paired with such neat-to-know details as habitat, range, and preferred food sources. Illustrations of the critter’s tracks complement the information, and a “Did You Know?” paragraph provides fascinating trivia. Critters of Florida includes important-to-know mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

So get the perfect kids’ introduction to Florida’s critters, a subject often used in STEAM lessons! This book is a product of AdventureKEEN’s long-term partnership with Wildlife Forever. A portion of the proceeds from sales will benefit the organization’s work to restore habitats and teach the next generation about conservation.

About the author: Alex Troutman is a Fish and Wildlife Biologist and Environmental Educator with a passion for sharing and immersing the younger generation in nature. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree with a focus on Conservation Biology from Georgia Southern University.

Critters of Florida
Did you know? Panthers are the second-largest cat in the Western Hemisphere. The largest is the jaguar. Panthers do not roar like other big cats, but rather they scream! They also make other sounds similar to domesticated cats, like hissing and purring. The Florida Panther is the State Animal of the Sunshine State.

Knowing how it feels to not see anyone who looks like you in your dream career, Alex makes it a point to be that representation for young people. He is the co-organizer for several Black in X weeks, including Black Birders Week and Black Mammologists Week, and he takes part in wider movements encouraging diversity in nature, the celebration of Black individual scientists, awareness of Black nature enthusiasts, and diversity in STEAM fields.

Did you know? Manatees are nicknamed sea cows because, like cows, they are slow-moving plant eaters. They eat seagrasses and other aquatic plants. Manatees graze for 6–8 hours a day and consume over 5% of their body weight in plant material. They have a special top lip that aids them in eating. Like an elephant uses its trunk, manatees can use their lips to grab food.

With a passion for nature that started when he was young, Alex was always amazed by the Red-tailed Hawks soaring overhead when he went fishing with his family. He looked up to conservationists like Steve Irwin and Jeff Corwin. Now he has made a career out of that passion and curiosity. In his spare time, you can find him camping, exploring nature with his dog, and birding. 

Critters of Florida
Did you know? The Key deer is the smallest subspecies of white-tailed deer. Because of its size, it is sometimes called a “toy deer.” Males grow to the size of a large dog (around 80 pounds). They get their name from the Florida Keys, the only area where they can be found.

Critters of Florida will be available as of October 17th. Get wild about nature with Critters of Florida, and order your copy now!

Critters of Florida
Did you know? Spoonbills have feathers on their head until they reach maturity around 3 years or so; that’s when they get the iconic bald head. Spoonbills also hatch with a straight bill, which later changes to the famous spoon-like shape as they get older. Their nostrils are located high up on their bill, near the eyes. This enables them to breathe while the rest of the bill is underwater.

If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for our newsletter now! #bewellbeoutdoors

Tags:
Liliane Opsomer
liliane@adventurewithkeen.com
No Comments

Post a Comment