People who want to bring sloths into Florida will have to file for a special permit under a new rule by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The new policy was created after dozens of sloths died in the care of a group planning to open the Sloth World attraction on International Drive in Orlando.
The Rainbow River has reopened after deputies and FWC located and removed an alligator involved in a snorkeler bite, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
The missing boaters were reportedly planning to fish approximately 30 miles offshore, though it remains unclear how far they ultimately traveled. They are believed to be aboard a white, 25-foot Carolina Classic vessel, police said.
Joined by Orange County commissioners and sloth conservation experts who traveled from Costa Rica, Eskamani spoke outside the shuttered Sloth World facility on International Drive.
Newly obtained records by Orange County Community Correspondent, Jayna Manohalal, show another 21 sloths died while under the care of Sloth World, bringing the total number of known sloth deaths connected to the facility to 55.
The pair told officers they covered the animal with the sheet after learning that possessing an alligator is illegal in Florida, FWC said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that the agency is looking into an infamous video that’s gone viral on social media.
Officials in Florida say an injured mother manatee and her calf have been rescued from a river and taken to SeaWorld Orlando for rehabilitation.
Dozens of dead fish and a strong odor raised concerns Wednesday evening at Newton Park along Lake Apopka, prompting questions from park visitors and a News 6 viewer who asked the station to investigate.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the reported deaths of dozens of vultures at Blue Spring State Park.
A man died after his kayak capsized during a guided tour of Turkey Creek in Brevard County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Orlando officials said on Monday that “the deaths of several different birds” at Lake Eola Park were found to be positive for Avian flu after two more swans were found dead at Lake Eola on Sunday.
Florida’s manatee mortality count surpassed 600 deaths in 2025, with Brevard County recording the most deaths, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
From Dec. 6 through Dec. 28, hunters who received a permit will be able to harvest black bears on private property, with permission of the property owner, and in specified Bear Harvest Zones.
Living and working in Florida means the wildest of wildlife showing up at your back door. So when our News 6 Insiders Kara Moeller and Joey Manna set up a trail cam at Bay Lake in our backyard, they knew the video could be interesting.
An 8-year-old boy was flown to the hospital after suffering injuries in a boating accident in Lake County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced on Monday that they fired an employee over a social media post “that made light of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are asking the public report sightings of the “elusive” rainbow snake, according to a news release.
Bear Warriors United filed a petition last week with the Division of Administrative Hearings to stop the hunt that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved under a new rule.
Dozens of geckos were found dead after being locked away in an abandoned storage unit, leading the person responsible to be sentenced this week, according to the FWC.
The FWC’s plan would issue permits for hunting within bear management units that have at least 200 bears. Activists believe education is a better approach to prevent negative interactions between bears and humans.
Rescuers pulled two adults from Biscayne Bay and five children were reportedly missing after a sailboat sank off Hibiscus Island in Miami Beach on Monday morning.
A woman waist deep in a waterway was bitten by an alligator and momentarily pulled under the surface, according to the sheriff’s office.
For just 48 hours this weekend, Atlantic fishing can include the coveted and delicious red snapper.
A dog was found in the dumpster of a Volusia County apartment complex, kicking off an investigation over who’s responsible, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The Florida Wildlife Hospital announced that it is releasing a rehabilitated Bald Eagle back into its natural habitat just in time for the national bird to enjoy its 4th of July weekend.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced it is undertaking a large-scale, unprecedented $2.35 million restoration effort over the next two years to restore native plants in and around Lake Kissimmee.
According to wildlife officials, the bear was first spotted behind a house on County Road 647 South in Sumter County. The Bear Management Program worked quickly to set up traps in the area.
Days after an elderly man was found dead, his remains have been discovered inside a captured bear, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
A kayaker was attacked while on the water in Lake Kissimmee on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
A loose kangaroo was found in Central Florida on Monday, sparking a response by wildlife investigators, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The St. Augustine Police Department posted a short video of the bear that someone captured, showing it climbing over a wall on St. George Street near Aunt Matilda’s Steampunk Trunk, about a block north of the Plaza de la Constitucion.
Florida wildlife officials are holding more online meetings this week about the possibility of a return to bear hunting in the state.
Ten days after a boat capsized on the St. Johns River, crews have located the final missing child, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
These large lizards can reach up to 5 feet long in some cases, and they pose a potential threat to the state if left unchecked.
Manatees in Florida are slowly doing better after an effort to preserve their mortality and habitat, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
After spending several hours perched in a tree near Markham Woods Middle School, a black bear climbed down shortly before 5:30 p.m. Monday and wandered toward the woods adjacent to the school.
A person on a personal watercraft was injured in a crash with a boat on Saturday on the St. Johns River, according to the Seminole County Fire Department.
A woman is in the hospital after being attacked by an alligator on Monday in Polk County, according to a statement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
A woman is in the hospital after being attacked by an alligator on Monday in Polk County, according to a statement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed off on agreements that several more factions of state-level law enforcement will work hand-in-hand with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to detain and potentially interrogate illegal immigrants.
State agencies investigating a massive fish kill in Lake Apopka say they've ruled out some possibilities but are still unsure what caused the incident.
Three people were taken to the hospital after the collision of two vessels registered in the Merritt Island Boat Parade, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Part of a trove of gold coins stolen from a fleet of Spanish shipwrecks off the Florida coast has been recovered, and one of the family members who originally recovered the treasure is facing charges.
A man living in Marion County is accused of keeping two alligators in his backyard swimming pool, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is hosting virtual python hunter training every third Thursday throughout the summer.
The FWC announced that it began investigating the forest earlier this month after a dumpsite was discovered with over 1 ton of household garbage, including furniture and appliances.
Flagler County officials warn against feeding alligators and other wildlife after a social media post showed children feeding a gator at Wadsworth Park.
The Central Florida Expressway Authority is voting to approve an agreement that allows for an extension of Osceola Parkway through a section of Split Oak Forest.
From marshes to state parks to even the I-4 corridor — these are the hotspots where Florida's strangest cryptid has been reported.
Boating activists around Astor are worried they may not be able to enjoy anchoring in Silver Glen Springs too much longer. The Florida Fish and Wildlife commission told News 6 it received a request to create a 'Springs Protection Zone' in Silver Glen.
On Thursday, the city of Oviedo posted a warning on social media about the mating season, cautioning residents to stay safe during this time.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Thursday presented an update on the proposed mitigation package for the partial release of easements in Split Oak Forest.
We all know living in Florida means living with alligators. On Monday, a new month starts and that means you could start seeing more of them, according to News 6 partner News4JAX.
A stranded juvenile green sea turtle is on the mend after being found upside down Wednesday morning in Daytona Beach.
The FWC reports that they mate year-round, though mating groups are most often seen along Florida’s beaches in March and April.
A vessel with 25 Haitian immigrants was stopped by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers near Sebastian Inlet, according to a release.
On Thursday, the city of Oviedo posted a warning on social media about the mating season, cautioning residents to stay safe during this time.
In an issue stemming from complaints about bears in Northwest Florida, the state House on Thursday gave final approval to a bill that would bolster self-defense arguments for people who kill bears on their property.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it is investigating after an “abnormal” increase in injuries among pelicans along Central Florida coastal counties.
Expect to see more coyotes across central Florida in the coming months. Joshua Morera, an experienced trapper with Spartan Wildlife Recovery, says mating season starts in January. He's been getting more calls from families who have spotted the animals near their homes.
Manatee conditions are starting to show some signs of improvement in the Indian River Lagoon, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
An alligator taken from the wild was found being kept in the garage of an Orlando home, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
