Wildlife Interaction Series Continues Strong with Mammals Workshop at Rookery Bay

Rookery Bay’s Coastal Training and Engagement Team recently hosted another well-received session in the Reserve’s new Wildlife Interaction Workshop Series. This time the focus was placed on the mammals that call Collier County home. Participants explored the lives and behaviors of local species, from panthers and bats to dolphins and manatees. They also learned practical ways to protect these animals and the habitats they depend on. Expert presenters from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program provided the latest research updates, insights and best practices for working safely around wildlife.  Attendees gained valuable skills in mammal identification and field response, discovered ongoing studies such as SCCF’s bat monitoring and SDRP’s dolphin research. Discussions also centered on how to live and work in harmony with both coastal and inland species.  Launched in 2025, the Wildlife Interaction Workshop Series has quickly become one of Rookery Bay’s most successful professional training efforts. More than 150 environmental professionals have taken part in five sessions covering birds, sharks, pythons, mammals and venomous snakes.  The series features top instructors from FWC, USGS, Audubon, UF/IFAS Sea Grant, the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program and SCCF. It offers field-ready guidance that enhances safety, confidence and ecological stewardship across the region. Several workshops even allowed participants to observe wildlife handling demonstrations, such as safe python capture techniques. Representatives from DEP, municipalities, state parks, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Master Gardeners and law enforcement praised the series as timely, essential and worthy of continued expansion.