An endangered species of bird known as the Everglades snail kite appears to growing in number, signaling hope for both the species as well as the River of Grass in which it lives. While the snail kites had numbered 3,600 as recently as 1999, the numbers had dropped to a mere 800 in 2008, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports. The bird of prey feeds primarily on apple snails, which lay their eggs just above the water line.
Between recent droughts and floods, along with manmade manipulations of the water flows and level, the next generation of snail kite food is at risk. Fortunately for the finicky species, a new snail is invading the Everglades. While the new non-native snail is not seen as a threat to the Everglades' ecosystem, it has provided "a more steady food source" for the snail kite.
To read more of the Sun-Sentinel article, click here.
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