FLORIDA WILD PLACES
Live Wildly is connecting people to wild Florida.
We’re bringing
wild Florida to you!
Catch Live Wildly in the wild at the beach, in the swamp, on the trail, and at concerts and events throughout the year!
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When most people picture Florida conservation, they think of swamps, longleaf pine forests, and mighty rivers. But there’s another landscape that quietly does a lot of the heavy lifting for nature and communities: the horse farms and working pastures of central Florida.
These working lands are more than beautiful open space—they are vital pieces of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, economic engines for rural communities, and places where people connect to the land through recreation and tradition.
🐎 💚 Click the link in our bio to read: "Why Horse Farms are Essential to Protecting the Florida Wildlife Corridor"
📸 Photo by CycleHere Media/Visit Florida
✍️ Words by Meredith Budd, Live Wildly Deputy Director.
Stopped by the Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach yesterday after Tampa Bay hit a record 39°F in the morning…
Just as expected, SO MANY gentle giants were hanging out in TECO’s warm water. 💙
This spot is a must-visit if you’ve got little ones—or just love manatees! Link in our bio to check out our other favorite spots to see Manatees in Florida.
Have you gotten a chance to spot any recently?
The Florida State Parks Foundation announced a $250,000 donation from the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Funds to support manatee protection and education.
The funding will benefit four key parks known for manatee habitats — Blue Spring, Fanning Springs, Manatee Springs, and Homosassa Springs.
Projects include new educational signage, children’s learning materials, and habitat improvements. Blue Spring will also receive an underwater hydrophone so visitors can listen to manatees in real time, while Homosassa Springs will repair its manatee patrol boat.
The gift will be distributed over two years and was announced at the start of Manatee Awareness Month, first recognized in Florida in 1979.
Philanthropist Delores Barr Weaver has now contributed nearly $1 million to Florida’s state parks since 2021, continuing her strong support for conservation and accessibility.
Cool mornings. Golden sunsets. More Florida adventures than you can fit in your calendar. 🌅🌿
Even if your wallet’s hurting from groceries or holiday season chaos, there are plenty of FREE or low-cost ways to get outside, connect with your community, and give your mind the reset it deserves.
📌 Tap the link in bio for the best free hikes, festivals, and fall adventures happening across Florida this November.
Some Florida bats have a secret glow — and scientists are stumped.
When researchers examined six North American bat species (including five that live in Florida), they found something wild: every single one glowed green under UV light. Wings, tails, legs — all shining the same shade.
What’s behind the glow? No one knows. It doesn’t change by species, age, or sex — so it’s probably not for mating or communication. Some scientists think it might be an evolutionary leftover… or maybe a purpose we just can’t see yet.
Whatever the reason, it’s one more reminder that even the most familiar parts of Florida’s wild still have mysteries hiding in the dark.
📖 Study: Roberson, B. J., S. Perea, D. DeRose-Broeckert, and S. B. Castleberry. 2025. “Glowing Green: A Quantitative Analysis of Photoluminescence in Six North American Bat Species.” Ecology and Evolution e71885. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71885
📸 1: U.S. Forest Service. (2012, May 22). Seminole bat (Lasiurus seminolus) captured during a bat survey in Apalachicola National Forest, Florida. Photo by Porter Libby.
📸 2: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
📸 3: Roberson et al., Ecology and Evolution (2025)
This Sunday, Live Wildly hits the Florida Keys with @mistyewells on Discovery Channel’s Let’s Take It Outside.
From lobster dives to big conversations about conservation, we’re sharing what makes Florida’s lands and waters worth protecting.
Catch @lets_take_it_outside Sunday, Oct. 26 at 5:30 a.m. on Discovery Channel. (But if that’s way too early, don’t worry — it’s streaming later on Discovery GO and Discovery Plus. We’re not always morning people either 😂.)
#LiveWildly #LetsTakeItOutside #WeAreWildFlorida
If Florida panthers ever needed a side gig, horror movie voiceovers would definitely be the move 😳
Their deep rumbles and chirps might sound spooky, but they’re just how these elusive big cats communicate, mark territory, and check in with each other in the wild.
With fewer than 200 left, every sound is a precious reminder of their rarity—and why protecting their habitat is so vital.
You can help: click the link in our bio to join the movement—$1 from every sign-up goes directly to conservation.
🎥: FGCU’s Wings of Hope Panther Posse. Follow @fgcu_wingsofhope to support their free environmental education programs about Florida panthers.
impossible to NOT be one when you live in Florida tbh
One of the few places in the world where wildlife comes first… and humans can still enjoy it!
We 💛 National Wildlife Refuges.
Videos from @adventurist_sara
#WeAreWildFlorida #livewildlyfl
the lion does not concern itself…it just lives wildly. 🦁
Which of these is most relatable?
#livewildly #wearewildflorida
It’s World Animal Day — and these Florida critters are flying out to join the global mission for animal welfare. Who’s your seatmate? 🐊🦦🐢
#livewildlyfl
Live Wildly Adventurist, Nat Geo Explorer, and all-around inspiring human, @georgemckenziejr just won a Jackson Wild Media Award (aka the Oscars of Nature Films 👀) for his documentary The Book of George. 🎥🌎
The award was given in the highly competitive People in Nature category, which honors authentic, impactful narratives at the intersection of human experience and the natural world.
The film follows George’s journey from Brooklyn to Florida’s wild landscapes, where nature became both sanctuary and catalyst for transformation. His story is a powerful reminder that wild places can shape identity, inspire purpose, and heal.
Produced by Pure Gold Pictures in association with SLOmotion Films, The Book of George was directed by Danny Schmidt and supported by STIO Executive Producers Alex & Julie Wallace and Mallory Lykes Dimmitt. The film offers an intimate portrait of George and his extraordinary connection to the wild.
Huge congrats from the whole Live Wildly team! 🎉
#WeAreSoProud #jacksonwild #thebookofgeorge #livewildly
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF Wild Florida
Live Wildly strives to achieve a harmonious and sustainable future where economic prosperity coexists with a thriving and resilient ecological landscape.
