Scientists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) have uncovered a new species of black bass in the southeastern United States. Scientists have proposed naming the new species the Choctaw bass and recommended the scientific name ofMicropterus haiaka. They revealed their discovery at a meeting of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society earlier this year.

FWC scientists first noted a DNA profile that did not belong to any recognized species while testing a bass specimen from the Chipola River in 2007, as part of a broader genetic study of bass.

“We didn’t set out to find a new species,” said Mike Tringali, who heads the genetics laboratory at the FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “It found us.”

After confirming the initial discovery, scientists searched for the DNA profile in bass caught in nearby rivers to determine the species’ range. They found that the Choctaw bass inhabits coastal river systems in Alabama and along the western Florida panhandle, including the Choctawhatchee River.

“We chose the name ‘Choctaw bass’ because the species’ range overlaps the historic range of the Choctaw Indians,” said Tringali. “As for our recommended scientific name,Micropterus haiaka,‘haiaka’ is a Choctaw word that means ‘revealed.’”

The American Fisheries Society must approve the suggested scientific name for it to take effect.

The Choctaw bass is very similar in appearance to its relative, the spotted bass. The physical differences between the two species are not easily seen with the naked eye, one reason they had never before been distinguished despite decades of bass studies in the region.

For more information about how FWC scientists discovered the new bass species, visit MyFWC.com/Research, click on “Freshwater,” and select “Black basses” under “Freshwater Sport Fishes.”

The course will be at the Beau Turner Youth Conservation Center, 9194 S. Jefferson Highway, Monticello. Instruction is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 18 and 1 to 5 p.m. May 19.

Students who have taken the Internet course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report and attend only the May 19 session from 1 to 5 p.m.

An adult must accompany children under the age of 16 at all times. Students are encouraged to bring a pencil and paper with them to take notes.

Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.

People interested in attending this course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling Hunter Safety Coordinator George Warthen at the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.

The class is in the second-floor conference room of the Farris Bryant Building, 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee. Instruction is from 6-9 p.m. May 14, 16, 21 and 23. The range portion of the class is May 25.

An adult must accompany children under the age of 16 at all times. Students are encouraged to bring a pencil and paper with them to take notes.

Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.

People interested in attending this course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling Hunter Safety Coordinator George Warthen at the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.

Residents in Panama City living in the area off East Avenue north of 15th Street are being asked to report any sightings of a tegu, a black-and-white lizard with banding on the tail. Tegus are nonnative to Florida.

Anyone who spots a tegu is asked to call the exotic species hotline at 888-IveGot1 (888-483-4681) or report it online at IveGot1.org. If possible, please take a photo and note the location when reporting.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff captured 33 Argentine tegus this past week in this Panama City neighborhood after a local resident called the exotic species hotline. Most of the reptiles captured were adults measuring 3 to 4 feet in length and weighing up to 30 pounds.

“A previous resident in the area had a Class III license, which allowed him to sell tegus,” said FWC Investigator Jerry Shores. “That person left town and abandoned the tegus, which has prompted a criminal investigation. During the investigation, the current residents have been nothing but helpful.”

Shores said most of the exotic lizards were captured within a fenced-in yard. However, some tegus have been reported by area residents a block or so away.

“We do not want anyone to try and capture these reptiles. Instead, we’re asking they report the sighting to 888-IveGot1 (888-483-4681) and if possible take a picture of the tegu,” Shores said.

The black-and-white tegu is native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. It can be purchased in the pet trade, but like many other nonnative species, it can become established in Florida’s sub-tropical climate if it escapes or is released into the wild.      

The tegu’s diet includes fruit, vegetables, eggs, insects, lizards, rodents and potentially other small animals.

“We know tegus will compete with native wildlife. The FWC is asking for the public’s help if someone spots a tegu in this area of Panama City,” said Kristen Sommers, the FWC’s Exotic Species Coordination Section leader.

Sommers said FWC staff are making routine site visits to the neighborhood and will continue capture efforts this coming week.

Releasing exotic species into Florida’s ecosystem is illegal and can be harmful to native wildlife. If you have a tegu as a pet and no longer want to keep it, please call the FWC or participate in one of the FWC’s Exotic Pet Amnesty Days, where you can turn it in, with no penalty, for adoption.

A fact sheet with photos and information about tegus is available at MyFWC.com/Nonnatives, where information about Exotic Pet Amnesty Days also is available.

The 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. workshop is being offered at the Jackson County Agricultural Center, 2741 Pennsylvania St. There is no cost to attend.

“We believe this is a great opportunity for landowners interested in forestry and wildlife management practices to hear from experts who are knowledgeable about longleaf pines, their value in the timber industry, and how to meet your objectives,” said Ad Platt with The Longleaf Alliance. Platt, who covers north Florida and south Alabama, said he will also talk about various landowner incentive or cost-share programs to promote longleaf pines.

Following lunch, which is provided free of charge to all who register in advance, attendees will tour the Hatcher Farm, outside Marianna on Blue Springs Highway, where both longleaf pine and slash pine forests have been established. Those who take the tour will see the differences between the two forests, which are the same age.

Some of the topics covered at the workshop will include economic and environmental benefits of longleaf pines; native plants and wildlife associated with longleaf forests; prescribed fire and tips for landowners; and how many trees to plant per acre.

Longleaf pine forests were once the dominant forests throughout much of the South, with a natural range extending up to the 2,000-foot elevation in the mountains of Alabama and Georgia. This species, more than any other, built this region.

An estimated 92 million acres of longleaf pines existed when European settlers began moving into the southern states. By the mid-1900s longleaf pine forests were almost eliminated, with only 3 million acres remaining.

“Longleaf is again becoming a common sight across the south, and landowners are choosing this species for both economic and environmental purposes. Recent plantings have increased the acreage of longleaf by more than 4 million acres, and they continue to gather interest,” Platt said.

In addition to The Longleaf Alliance, other partnering agencies putting on the workshop are the University of Florida – IFAS, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Anyone interested in attending is urged to register by calling the Jackson County Extension office at 850-482-9620.

At its meeting April 17 at the Florida Public Safety Institute, near Tallahassee, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Chairman Kenneth Wright welcomed the FWC’s newest Commissioner, Adrien Bo Rivard of Panama City.

Rivard, appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, has been a partner with Harrison Rivard Duncan & Buzzett since 2002 and is the past-president of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from Samford University. He succeeds Kathy Barco for a five-year term ending Aug. 1, 2017.

Wright also recognized Commissioner Ronald M. Bergeron of Fort Lauderdale and Commissioner Richard A. Corbett of Tampa for their March reappointments by Gov. Scott to the Commission for another five-year term each.

All three appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

On the Joe Budd Small Game Area near Tallahassee, still-hunters can hunt hogs May 3-5 without having to obtain a quota permit. Additionally, the hunter quota for hog hunts using dogs has been increased from five to 10. Wild hog-dog hunts on Budd are set for May 16-19, June 20-23, July 18-21, Aug. 15-18 and Sept. 19-22.

On the nearby Ochlockonee River SGA, the still hunter quota has been increased from 30 to 50 hunters per hunt, and the hunt area has been expanded to include the area south of Interstate 10. This year’s open hunt dates are May 10-12, June 14-16, July 12-14, Aug. 9-11 and Sept. 13-15.

Hog hunts are also set for the Aucilla SGA in Jefferson County and Blackwater SGA in Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties.

The online brochures and hunting rules for Joe Budd, Ochlockonee River, Aucilla and Blackwater SGAs can be viewed or downloaded by going to  MyFWC.com/Hunting and selecting “WMA Brochures.”  

The Saturday event is free and open to all ages. It begins at 10 a.m. and lasts until 2 p.m. Advance registration is not necessary.

Activities include fishing, archery, shooting sport stations, K-9 demonstration, wild animal displays, hayrides and more. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and its partners will have activities and educational programs that highlight the conservation of Florida’s fish and wildlife resources.

Also, outdoor television personality and Xtreme Sport Shooter Patrick Flanigan will be there, giving demonstrations at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

All attending youth age 15 and under will have a chance to win one of several door prizes, including hunting and fishing gear, a week of summer camp at the Ocala Outdoor Adventure Camp or a spot at the BTYCC summer camp.

Food will be available for purchase, or attendees can bring their own sack lunch.

Partners participating in the event include the Florida State Forest Service, National Wild Turkey Federation, U.S. Forest Service, United Waterfowlers of Florida, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, Homestead Ministries, American Red Cross, Jefferson County Extension Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Long Rifles, Plantation Security, Honoring the Troops, and Red Hills Chapter of Quail Forever.

For more information on Beau Turner’s Outdoor Experience, or to obtain more detailed driving directions to the center, call 850-717-8702, or go to BTYCC.org.

Teaching children a lifelong hobby, instilling appreciation for our marine environment and providing fun, family outings are the objectives for the Kids’ Fishing Clinic in Pensacola on April 13.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will offer a free Kids’ Fishing Clinic for children between the ages of 5 and 15 from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Plaza de Luna, 997 S. Palafox St.

This free clinic enables young people to learn the basics of environmental stewardship, fishing ethics, angling skills and safety. In addition, environmental displays will offer participants a unique chance to experience Florida’s marine life firsthand.

Kids’ Fishing Clinics strive to achieve several goals, but the main objective is to create responsible marine-resource stewards by teaching children about the vulnerability of Florida’s marine ecosystems. In addition, organizers hope to teach fundamental saltwater fishing skills and provide participants a positive fishing experience.

Fishing equipment and bait will be provided for kids to use during the clinic, but organizers encourage children who own fishing tackle to bring it. A limited number of rods and reels will be given away to participants upon completion of the clinic.

If conditions allow, participants will have the opportunity to practice their new skills and fish from the pier.

Individuals or companies interested in helping sponsor this event or volunteering at the clinic should call Earle Rader at 850-380-1739 or the FWC’s Nancy Fisher at 850-487-0554.

To find out more about taking a kid fishing, go to MyFWC.com/Education and select the “Youth & Student” option.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) hosts these free clinics across the state to enable young people to learn the basics of environmental stewardship, fishing ethics, angling skills and safety.

The next scheduled clinic will be April 13 in Pensacola.

To find out more on taking a kid fishing, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater” and “Outreach and Education.”