News
Gopher Tortoise Day: SWFL celebrates threatened reptile’s big day
One of Southwest Florida’s most beloved reptiles is finally getting celebrated the way it always deserved to be. Gopher Tortoise Day is April 10, with the goal of raising awareness for the threatened species.
Gopher Tortoise Day April 10, 2024
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife (CCFW) wants the community to be aware that Lee County has joined with many municipalities in officially proclaiming April 10 as Gopher Tortoise Day. The purpose of Gopher Tortoise Day is to to raise awareness of this threatened species and conservation efforts to protect them.
2024 Burrowing Owl Festival Recap
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife (CCFW) would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all that made the 22nd Annual Burrowing Owl Festival, Wildlife and Environmental Expo on February 24, 2024 a resounding success. The event celebrated the city’s official bird,...
CCFW Members and Future Forestry Collaborate in Planting Trees
CCFW members Mark Thurmond, Lori Haus-Bulcock and Vince Windisch joined the Future Forestry tree-planting event on March 9, 2024. Future Forestry Director Russ Ringland generously donated ten Sycamore trees to CCFW, which we planted to honor the 2023 Burrowing Owl...
2024 Burrowing Owl Photo Contest
Join CCFW’s 2024 Burrowing Owl Photo Contest! Snap a photo, win prizes, and be featured on the next festival T-shirt. Registration opens April 10th.
Early birds: Burrowing owl nesting season reaches its peak
The burrowing owl nesting season is hitting its peak, just in time for some public celebrations centered around Cape Coral’s official bird. More than 3,000 of these pint-sized birds can be found in the city, and…
Cape ground owl sees her shadow
It has been an unusually cool winter here in Southwest Florida. And it may continue to be cool for some time to come. That is what Athene, the city’s official burrowing owl, told NBC2 meteorologist Rob Duns on Friday as…
2024 Cape Coral Pride Parade
View photos from our participation in the 2024 Pride Parade in downtown Cape Coral on March 2nd.
‘HOO’ WANTS TO SELL? The City of Cape Coral could purchase your property for Burrowing Owls
On Tuesday, Janet Windisch, Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife said the City of Cape Coral could be the first city to receive the Florida Fish and Wildlife’s (FWC) Burrowing Owl Protection Grant. The grant would allow the City of Cape Coral to purchase vacant properties and turn them into homes for the owls. “This money is coming from…
Good News! Federal Judge Rules Against 404 Permitting Moved to Florida Department of Environmental Protection
In 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency delegated federal wetlands permitting under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) over the objections of Audubon and most other environmental organizations. Several groups engaged EarthJustice to file a legal challenge.
Volunteer of the Month – February 2024
Gigi Yarusso Approximately eleven years ago, Gigi met a woman from Switzerland, Maija Gadient. Both shared the love of wildlife, especially the Florida manatee and the monarch butterfly. Six years ago, Gigi involved herself in raising money for a Manateeum (museum...
Expert Wildlife Speakers Announced for 2024 Burrowing Owl Festival
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife (CCFW) has announced the wildlife experts who will speak at the 22nd Annual Burrowing Owl Festival, Wildlife and Environmental Expo on February 24, 2024.
Photographers Birding Bus Tour
As part of Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife’s 22nd Annual Burrowing Owl Festival, Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife will be offering a Photographers Birding Bus Tour. Join Master Birders Eary and Jennifer Warren, and David and Tammy McQuade in an air-conditioned bus for this fascinating four-hour trip.
2024 Ground Owl Day
The storm left the birds without a place to go back to, and many of them were injured. The owls are all over our community, and without a home, they’ll become scarce.
Early birds: Burrowing owl nesting season reaches its peak
The burrowing owl nesting season is hitting its peak, just in time for some public celebrations centered around Cape Coral’s official bird.
Cape’s ‘Ground Owl Day’ set for Feb. 2
The burrowing owl takes center stage as the Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife and Cape Coral Parks and Recreation Department host the sixth annual “Ground Owl Day” on Friday, Feb. 2, at 10 a.m. at Pelican Baseball Complex, in what is the city’s take on Groundhog Day.
Wildlife group seeks $900K state grant for burrowing owl habitats in Cape Coral
A local wildlife group is asking $900,000 in state grants to go towards preserving and establishing burrowing owl and gopher tortoise habitats in Cape Coral.
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife to Host 22nd Annual Burrowing Owl Festival
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife (CCFW) will hold the 22nd Annual Burrowing Owl Festival, Wildlife and Environmental Exposition on February 24, 2024, from 10 to 4 at Rotary Park in Cape Coral. The festival is a fun, educational family event – the largest wildlife festival in Southwest Florida.
New Year, New Website
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife unveils their overhauled website, connecting community and conservation.
Looking for a last-minute gift? Adopt a burrowing owl for the holidays
Looking to fill your favorite animal lover’s stocking this year? The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife is hoping the public will adopt a burrowing owl this holiday season to help ensure the future home of Cape Coral’s official bird in a rapidly developing city.
See what Cape Coral builders discovered underground that paused part of a construction project
In the busy area of downtown Cape Coral, construction workers off Cape Coral Parkway near the Bimini Basin had to pause part of their construction site because of a burrowing owl egg.
Cape Coral residents urged to protect owls by building man-made burrows
NBC-2 learns from Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife volunteers how we can protect burrowing owls as Cape Coral’s development booms and infill lots are cleared for houses: Dig a Starter Burrow
Volunteer of the Month – December 2023
Trudy Withey Trudy is a quiet force who really gets people to support us through sponsorships and donations. Last year she was able to get more than $500 worth of gift certificates from Grimaldis in Ft Myers! Trudy is a DAR and member of the Lawrence Kearney Chapter...
Fundraiser with Forever Tattoo helps trust purchase lot for preservation
The popular ink spot offered flash tattoos at a discounted rate for wildlife, and 100% of the tattoo cost was donated by the artists to CCWT.