With more and more people living in and visiting Florida, resident wildlife sometimes needs to travel farther to find food and safe habitat for survival. In recent weeks, Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve’s staff and visitors have reported numerous sightings of bobcats, bears and panthers using the Reserve. The opportunity of seeing animals in the wild can be a thrilling one; however, both people and animals can become susceptible to injury or illness as a result of these encounters. For example, inadvertently or intentionally leaving behind food scraps or trash teaches animals that people are a food source, and this frequently results in aggressive behavior. When raccoons, bears or other animals become nuisances, they must be destroyed to keep people safe.

While any wildlife area encourages visitors to minimize their impact on animal neighbors and help maintain a safe environment for other people, it is actually illegal in Florida to feed bears, raccoons, foxes, and alligators. Feeding any animals on federal or state property is also prohibited.

While enjoying your time outdoors, consider the following guidelines:

• Be alert
• Don’t feed wildlife
• Be responsible for your trash
• Keep your distance – if it moves away you’re too close
• Use binoculars or a telephoto lens on your camera

Fort Myers: Population 68,000 (2008). County seat of Lee County. In its entirety, the Cape Coral-Ft. Myers metropolitan area includes 623,000 residents (2008). This gateway to Southwest Florida, or the "City of Palms", is a popular tourist destination, especially for those who enjoy a subtropical climate. Fort Myers hosts five major league baseball teams during spring training. While recreational opportunities like kayaking abound, don't expect to do any mountain climbing- the elevation of Ft. Myers is a mere 10 feet.

Naples: Population 21,000 (2006). Naples is the largest City in Collier County. The Naples - Marco Island regional population is 314,000 (2006). Known as the "Paradise Coast", Naples enjoys a mild climate and abundant fish and game…attributes that led early settlers in the 1880s to call it Naples, after the sunny Italian peninsula. While its economy is largely based on tourism, CNN and Money Magazine rated Naples as one of the top five "best places for a long life in the U.S," partially due to its active performing arts culture. In 2005, Naples was voted "Best Beach in America" by the Travel Channel. Visitors may enjoy a variety of outdoor experiences, and 80 championship golf courses make Naples a golfer's paradise. The average elevation of Naples is 3 feet.

Key West: Population 25,000 (2000). Key West is the County seat of Monroe County. As the southernmost continental city in the U.S., Key West is the seaport destination for many passenger cruise ships. It also lies on the dividing line between the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Key West is located 90 miles from Cuba, only separated by the Straits of Florida. Despite its tropical climate, Key West is the driest city in Florida. Visitors flock to Old Town, Duval Street, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, the Key West Lighthouse (built in 1847), and Ernest Hemingway's house. A great destination for water lovers, Key West visitors experience great saltwater fishing, diving and snorkeling on nearby coral reefs. Elevation is 3 feet.

Regional Attractions: Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford's Winter Estates, Gateway to Everglades National Park, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Picayune Strand State Forest, fishing in Islamorada and the other Keys.

FWC 2007. "Where to Fish," by Rich Abrams, in Fishing Lines: An Angler's Guide to Florida's Marine Resources, 6^th Edition.  Dan Ellinor and Michelle Owen (editors).  Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Division of Marine Fisheries Management.