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Be a Good Neighbor

Sharing The Landscape project makes us better neighbors

Article by Wade Gurley ​

Photography by Florida Wildlife Federation

Originally published in Naples City Lifestyle

Stunning tropical landscapes and diverse wildlife draw people to Southwest Florida. It’s not surprising that when people decide to move to Naples, they want to live, work and play where they can enjoy all the beauty Florida has to offer. While living close to natural areas gives people exactly what they love about Florida, it also increases the likelihood of interaction with wild animals. And, while our homes belong to us, we are actually sharing backyards and surrounding lands with wildlife. The Florida Wildlife Federation recognizes that education on the importance of sharing the landscape with wildlife is an important tool to reduce potential human-wildlife conflict.

Accordingly, in May of 2020, the Federation launched the ‘Sharing the Landscape’ Project. This project, being carried out in partnership with the fStop Foundation, is a photo/video-based education initiative that places cameras in people’s backyards to document wildlife that are ‘sharing the landscape’ with them. The project had immediate success collecting hundreds of photos and videos in the first few months documenting deer, bobcats, panthers, and more! Soon the project gained national and international attention.

Do you remember Gunner, the small puppy, who was saved from the jaws of an alligator? The jarring footage that went viral in November 2020 was captured as part of this project. Thankfully both man and dog are doing well and the gator continues to thrive in the same retention pond. While this incident did have a happy ending, it could have been much worse. The Federation released the video to the public with a targeted message: Homeowners need to respect wildlife. Dogs need to be kept on a leash and people and pets should not linger by the edge of water bodies where alligators are known to occupy. Then all can safely enjoy the outdoors!

The photos/videos collected from this project will be used in media campaigns to highlight how humans and wildlife in Southwest Florida can, in fact, share the landscape. FloridaWildlifeFederation.org/sharing-the-landscape.

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