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.  Every year, the most knowledgeable local wildlife experts gather at the Burrowing Owl Festival to present up-to-date information on Southwest Florida’s precious wildlife. This year’s lectures include a presentation about local burrowing owls from FWC biologist Nick Jennings, an update from Ginnie Pritchett McSpadden on bald eagles and the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam, and the use of radio trackers to study gopher tortoises right here in Cape Coral!

• 10:30 – Nick Jennings, Assistant Regional Species Conservation Biologist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, SW Region Nick will provide an update on local burrowing owl habitat, preservation efforts and recent activities around banding and tracking burrowing owls
• 12:00 – Ginnie Pritchett McSpadden, SWFL Eagle Cam project co-founder in 2012
  Ginnie will discuss bald eagles, nesting, the history of the Southwest Eagle Cam, environmental issues
  regarding the health, welfare and preservation of bald eagles, and hopefully provide us with the latest about M15 & new mate F23
• 1:30 – Matthew F. Metcalf, MSc,  Biologist / Herpetologist / Guide
  Matt and a group of scientists from FWC studied gopher tortoise behavior by attaching radio trackers to tortoises and following their movements for a year.  Matt will discuss the interesting results including the habitat needs and preservation of gopher tortoises.  The research was sponsored by Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife.

These presentations will take place at the 22nd Annual Burrowing Owl Festival, Wildlife and Environmental Expo on February 24, 2024.  The festival runs from 10 AM to 4PM at Rotary Park in Cape Coral (5505 Rose Garden Rd, Cape Coral, FL 33914).  The Burrowing Owl Festival is a fun, educational, family event which includes children’s activities, wildlife tours, live animals from Adam’s Animal Encounters, presentations by many local environmental organizations, arts and crafts vendors, silent auction, food and beverage and more.  A donation of $5 at the door for those 12+ is appreciated.

Funds raised will be used to support Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife’s mission to preserve and enhance the habitats of protected wildlife species and to educate the community about Cape Coral’s wildlife resources, with a special emphasis on acquiring land to preserve as wildlife habitat in Cape Coral.