Free Republic

Despite its distinctive and bright markings, the rainbow snake has been spotted only once in Florida in the last 56 years. Any information regarding rainbow snake populations are vital for conservation efforts. Image credit: Marioxramos / Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 Florida wildlife officials are turning to the public to help locate one of the state’s most elusive reptiles, the rainbow snake (Farancia erytrogramma). This distinctive, nonvenomous species has seen its population steadily decline, with only one sighting recorded since 1969, which has left biologists scrambling to piece together clues about its current whereabouts. Last seen in February 2020 by...

Yeah, I know it is April Fools Day but I am NOT kidding about my proposal that the state of Florida have a state song contest. Apparently, the governor and several legislators want to change the current state song, Way Down Upon The Swanee River (Old Folks At Home) to a song with lyrics less politically un-PC since the song was written by Stephen Foster in a somewhat less enlightened era. Also the current state song sort of reflects (in tune and lyrics) a Florida that was slower paced. The current state song was adopted when Florida had the smallest...