Boasting more than 80 distinct ecosystems, Florida is a biodiversity hot spot. More than 4,000 animal species, in fact, are native to the Sunshine State.

A new study documents the discovery of over 100 ribbon worm species off the coast of Oman, most of which are new to science. With gruesome methods of devouring their prey, ribbon worms can take down other worms, clams, crabs, amphipods and even fish.

The Brachyponera chinensis, or Asian needle ant, is only 3/16 of an inch long, but its bite can cause anaphylactic shock, which can be deadly.

A drug raid last month at a Northside home led to an investigation into a suspected dog-fighting operation and a charge of illegal possession of an alligator, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

The community came together in a powerful display of compassion and commitment during the Passion 4 Pets Adoptathon, held all day on May 21, 2025.

Experts say bear mating season typically starts in May and ends in July, so that’s the time when they’re out and about, meaning people need to be on alert right now when their anywhere near a wooded area.

The recreational harvest of snook in the Northeast management region, including all state and inland waters as well as adjacent federal waters, will close on June 1, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a reminder sent Wednesday.

A massive loggerhead sea turtle hit by a boat off Florida’s Atlantic coast arrived at a turtle hospital needing medical care, but at 302 pounds, Pennywise was too large to fit their equipment.

The Animal Welfare League (AWL) of Putnam County is encouraging residents to give input on how to ensure that animal welfare laws, regulations, and ordinances are fully enforced in the area.

In response to what Florida officials have referred to as the state’s “most successful conservation efforts,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has begun creating proposals for a potential bear hunt later this year.

A black bear spotted in St. Johns County prompted a warning for residents from the St. Augustine Police Department on Tuesday morning.

As the sea turtle nesting season continues, the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol urges people to follow proper guidelines to ensure wildlife safety.

Terry Lester was at her wits’ end trying to save some ducklings that have been trapped for days in a storm drain -- so she called News4JAX.

Researchers at the University of Florida are steak-ing their reputations on a solution to cows contributing to greenhouse gases: A way to make their burps and farts cause less damage to the climate.

Risky human behavior, not aggression by alligators, is the leading cause of alligator bites, according to a groundbreaking study by scientists at the University of Florida and Centre College in Kentucky.

It might seem strange, but those flocks of shorebirds and seabirds you see on Northeast Florida’s beaches actually prefer not to nest on our sandy shores, if they have a choice. Unfortunately, in Northeast Florida, the birds are running out of those rooftop options as a lot of businesses change their roofing style.

Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1, and St. Johns County officials are asking residents, visitors, and businesses to help protect the turtles’ natural habitat by observing all nesting season laws and regulations.

Syrax, an adorable four-month-old pup, is up for adoption at the Nassau Humane Society.

Beach tilling in St. Johns County to help maintain sea turtle nesting habitats began on April 3 and will continue in phases throughout the week.

St. Johns County will start beach tilling on April 3 to help maintain sea turtle nesting habitats.

Florida’s wildlife is becoming more active since it’s springtime. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation (FWC) reminds the public to watch out for bears.

A local tree service company rescued two eaglets Tuesday morning that had fallen out of their nest and into a fishing line in a massive pine tree in the Fort Caroline area.

A local tree service company rescued two eaglets Tuesday morning that had fallen out of their nest and into a fishing line in a massive pine tree in the Fort Caroline area.

While the Florida Panther is considered the state’s official animal, the alligator can easily be seen as the unofficial pick. With over 1 million alligators estimated to live in Florida, the animal is a huge draw for many, with an entire theme park being created to showcase their scaly features. However, one highway in Florida is considered to be among the best places to spot alligators: a stretch of Interstate 75 dubbed “Alligator Alley.”

Pawsitive Reading – a program in which children visit the shelter to read to the pets – is designed to provide enrichment for kids, dogs, and cats. Believe it or not, just listening to a person reading out loud has been proven to lower stress levels in animals! Pawsitive Reading is also a great way for kids to work on their literacy skills in safe, fun environment. To learn more, visit https://jaxhumane.org/get-involved/education/pawsitive-reading/

At the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, visitors will be able to meet Herman the prehensile-tailed skink, and Goober, the Aldabra tortoise.

“Currently, 91% of individuals with IDD are unemployed. That’s unacceptable, and we can do better,” Reichert said. The PAWS program was created to address this disparity, providing both skills training and professional certifications.

On a chilly January morning, the volunteers at Bebette’s Bunny Rescue received an urgent call about twelve abandoned rabbits discovered in the Timucuan Preserve58. The rescue team quickly mobilized, their hearts set on saving these vulnerable domesticated bunnies left helpless in the wilderness6. With precision and care, the volunteers carefully trapped and collected the abandoned rabbits. Bebette’s Bunny Rescue, founded by Samantha Burns in January 2022, is a compassionate organization dedicated to saving rabbit lives through comprehensive and thoughtful efforts. Their mission extends far beyond simple animal rescue, encompassing critical areas of education, rehabilitation, and responsible adoption. The organization works tirelessly to provide immediate care and support for rabbits in need, offering comprehensive services that include spaying and neutering, microchipping, nail trimming, and litter training. At the heart of their work is a commitment to finding loving forever homes for rescued bunnies, with a mandatory education process for potential adopters to ensure the best possible outcomes. Individuals interested in supporting their mission can engage in multiple ways, primarily by visiting their Facebook page, exploring their website, and learning about their adoption process.

A new University of Florida study focusing on manatees’ immune systems reveals how glyphosate, the world’s most commonly used herbicide, may threaten manatee health in an environment increasingly impacted by human activities.

The new year will mark the beginning of a long-awaited project in Clay County — a new animal shelter.

Do you want to keep your pets safe before fireworks start popping off in the sky on New Year’s Eve?

Lions, tigers, and other big cats love playing with trees, so the staff at Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jacksonville suggests that people help both the environment and their furry friends by recycling Christmas trees.

An animal owner in Clay County is facing potential charges after multiple animals, including dogs, prairie dogs, and lizards, were seized from a home on Wednesday.

“I just saw like a fluffy head staring at me right here,” she said.

The Glynn County Health Department is urging St. Simons Island residents to remain cautious after a raccoon tested positive for rabies.

A runaway pig kept Jacksonville police officers on their toes during the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair one night when it was in town.

Saturday is going to the dogs at the third annual canine crime fighter competition.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says that fall is the perfect time to evict bats from your home.

Thursday — Oct. 17 — is National Black Cat Day!

Three dogs remain in the shelter months after 70 dogs and cats were removed from a Middleburg home in January.

Halloween will be here before we know it, and EPIC Outreach Farm Rescue is getting ready to celebrate with its upcoming Fall-O-Ween event.

If you are looking for a way to make a pawsitive impact during the storm, there’s still time to serve as a temporary foster with the Jacksonville Humane Society (JHS).

The increased threat of storm surge and wind gusts from Milton is causing families with horses to head to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center to ensure they’re well protected.

The following hotel brands have relaxed pet policies and/or waived pet fees across all Florida Locations.

A fourth primate at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has died after suffering from Shigella, a bacterial infection that’s affecting apes at the zoo.

FWC says bear activity increases in the fall and that means more chances for you to have a bear encounter.

Here's something you don't see every day — horses in the drive-thru!

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens gave an update Wednesday on its efforts to keep animals safe after two bonobos and a gorilla died within days of each other from the Shigella infection.

Two brother bonobos, Jumanji and Jenga, died at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens after suffering from Shigella, a bacterial infection that’s affecting apes at the zoo.

Bulera was known by many after she became the foster mom to Gandai, an infant gorilla, in 2019.

After months of rehabilitation at the Brevard Zoo, Bubba, the 375-pound loggerhead sea turtle, was returned to the ocean, according to the zoo.

The city of Jacksonville and groups like Keep Jacksonville Beautiful and Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol work together to clean up the beaches after the Fourth of July holiday every year.

The Jacksonville Humane Society will host its annual Mega Pet Adoption event at the Jacksonville Fairgrounds next weekend.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a controversial measure that will bolster self-defense arguments for people who kill bears on their property, while vetoing a bill that would have prevented motorists from cruising in the left lanes of highways.

From afar, it can prove challenging to tell the difference between crocodiles and alligators. So, how can you identify the two? We are here to help!

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission sends an annual reminder that black bears may be in unexpected places.

This is part of a series where we are looking back at viral videos.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office released video showing Officers Kopp and Johnson removing a small alligator from the 104-year-old woman's home near Atlantic Boulevard and Art Museum Drive.

The humane society is now urgently seeking donations and community support to continue providing loving homes for these deserving animals.

Epic Outreach is a farm and animal rescue on Jacksonville’s Northside that takes in abused, neglected, and lost farm animals and gives them a new lease on life. Their mission has grown so much in that time that they’ve outgrown their space.

In this week’s SnapJAX stories, a picture of a pack of some very well-behaved golden retrievers got my attention. So I traveled to St. Marys, Georgia, to find the story behind the picture.

K9s United held a fundraising event Saturday in St. Augustine that will benefit four-legged law enforcement throughout Northeast Florida and beyond.

In this week's SnapJAX stories, it was a picture of a smile that got my attention, but it wasn't human. I went to Melrose Florida to get the story behind the picture and that's when things got wild.

As someone who is obsessed with penguins, celebrating World Penguin Day (April 25) was my in for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Jacksonville Zoo's Tuxedo Coast exhibit. Still, I almost couldn’t believe it when the zoo officials said yes!

I thought it would be fun to share the list of who’s who in the Jacksonville Zoo's Tuxedo Coast exhibit so the next time your family visits, you can really “meet” the penguins.

Seemingly in no time, a bird had built a nest right on top of the panel of the garage door opener.

Did you know we had an alpaca farm right here in Jacksonville?

In a few weeks, K9s United will hold a big fundraising event to benefit four-legged law enforcement throughout Northeast Florida and beyond.

Did you see that story about the 75-year-old St. Augustine woman who was attacked by a raccoon?

A St. Augustine woman was hospitalized overnight after a 30-pound raccoon chased her and her dog into her house, the woman’s neighbor told News4JAX.

Banks, the newest jaguar at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, celebrated his first birthday Sunday, according to the zoo.

Staff members with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and other agencies released 34 rehabilitated sea turtles on Jekyll Island in Georgia on Wednesday.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office had to call for backup Monday night after an alligator ended up on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. The help they got was shorter (and younger) than they expected.

The FWC is sharing ways to be "BearWise" to help prevent conflicts between people and bears.

Manatees are a threatened species because of pollution, climate change and hunting.

Two women are attempting a 500-mile drive down the coast of Florida to receive the Guinness World Record for longest distance by toy cars, and their journey began right here in Duval County.

These include upfront costs, the cost of annual essentials and optional costs.

These include upfront costs, the cost of annual essentials and optional costs.

Skunk spray unfortunately can be a common price of dog ownership.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is now offering a website that offers an easier way for nature lovers to plan their excursions.

Here is a breakdown of what breeds are most vulnerable and what prevention steps to take.

Friday is National Pig Day, and an education farm sanctuary in Jacksonville is using this day to honor its rescue pigs that live on the property.

Mina, Machli and Beppy have been spending the last four months mostly behind the scenes so they could bond with their mother, Cinta.

Nassau County Animal Services shares the current state of their shelter.

The Fort Worth Zoo welcomed a new edition to its family.

Clay County Animal Services said all of the animals have been examined by their staff. And those that need any advanced medical care, have those appointments scheduled.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a mass animal surrender in Middleburg.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is asking for the community’s help in locating the owners of a goat that was seen on the city’s Westside Saturday morning.

Recreational and commercial blue crab traps in all waters of the St. Johns River system must be removed from the water before Jan. 16, the first day of a 10-day trap closure, the FWC said in a news release Monday.

In honor of National Bird Day on Friday, Florida Power & Light shared some images of birds that have been spotted at FPL solar energy centers across the state.

A dog is safe and sound after falling down a cliff and then being stranded in Oregon.

Gwen Cash said she was injured on New Year’s Eve while trying to protect her dog from an alligator in Pembroke Pines.

The Christ Church in the Westside holds a live nativity with real animals.

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens' Colors of the Wild holiday ZOOLights experience launched Thursday night with a special encounter between the zoo's penguins and Jolly Old St. Nick.

An extremely rare white leucistic alligator has been born at a Florida reptile park.

Jawlene, named after Dolly Parton’s popular song “Jolene,” was rescued in September in Sanford after photos of the injured animal circulated on social media.

Hundreds of available dogs and cats will be available at the JHS Adoption, Education and Pet Help Center located at 8464 Beach Blvd. and at ACPS located at 2020 Forest St.

EPIC Outreach works closely with law enforcement throughout Northeast Florida, including area sheriff’s offices and Animal Control. Right now, 61 animals call the farm home.

The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens broke ground Friday on Manatee River, a gift from J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver, and the new VyStar SkyScape entrance.

The rescue said they have more than 150 cats in their care and can’t continue to operate unless they get a “substantial amount of donations.”