Animal Law Section, The Florida Bar

Hot off the presses! Florida Audubon releases a report on the Everglades!

What better way to start off 2025 than to see 20 adorable baby animals! This is a "can't miss" array from BBC's Discover Wildlife and Suzi Eszterhas

Register now for “The Big Cat Public Safety Act Turns Two” with Michelle Pardo on February 20, 2025, from 1:00 P.M. - 2:00 P.M. December 2024 marked two years since enactment of the Big Cat Public Safety Act. This law changed the exotic animal world by banning most new private ownership of big cats as pets and prohibiting exhibitors from allowing public contact with big cats, including cubs. The law also placed new restrictions on the commerce, breeding, possession, and use of certain big cat species and required those possessing privately owned big cats before the new law to register any big cat(s) that were in their possession. As we approach the two-year mark, we will hear from esteemed animal lawyer Michelle Pardo of Duane Morris about the law’s requirements, its impact, and what the future looks like for these big cats in the U.S.   Course number 8603 is approved for 1.0 General CLE credit. Link below to register!

Here it is ... the latest issue of The Wrack Line from the Florida Shorebird Alliance.

Congratulations to ZooTampa at Lowry Park for their Manatee Rescue team! They received the FAZA FWC Collaborative Conservation Award for their Manatee Critical Care program.

As the new year approaches, this is a good time to celebrate the 2024 conservation achievements of Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, detailed here:

Last chance! Register today for Tuesday's FREE CLE! Register now for “Animal Cruelty: What is it and Which Animals are Protected?” with Julia Williams and Nathania A. Beltran Vosler on December 17, 2024, from 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. This CLE is being presented for FREE through the Animal Law Section and the Criminal Law Section.   Florida’s animal cruelty laws aim to protect animals from cruelty, torture, and neglect. But what actions are actually prohibited, and which animals receive protection? The answers may surprise you. In this webinar, we explore how animals can be treated under state law and how that changes based on whether those animals are found in homes, labs, the wild, or on farms.   Course number 8830 is approved for 1.0 General CLE credit, 1.0 Criminal Appellate Law Certification credit and 1.0 Criminal Trial Law Certification credit.   

Time to vote! For amazing wildlife, that is. Help choose the winner of the People’s Choice Award 2024. The Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition gets almost 60,000 entries every year, but their judges can only select 100 finalists. They have picked another 25 photographs to put to a public vote. So, browse the gallery at the link below and vote for your favorite. Voting closes at 14.00 GMT on Wednesday, January 19, 2025.

Congratulations to Matthew Pietroburgo, who was named Shikar-Safari Officer of the Year! Shikar-Safari Club International is a conservation-based organization that presents awards annually to wildlife law enforcement officers in all states, provinces and territories in the United States and Canada. The annual award honors a state officer whose efforts show outstanding performance and achievement among sworn conservation law enforcement personnel.

The holidays are upon us, and this month's issue of Kite Tales (The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail Newsletter) is highlighting its holiday merchandise sales. Find the perfect gift for the nature enthusiasts in your life!