Deep in Osceola County, Florida, Joe Overstreet Road is a short, scenic drive between open cow pastures that’s become a favorite for birders and wildlife photographers. In this Everyday Wild story, Joey Manna breaks down what makes the road special, what you can spot along the way—from meadowlarks to “butcher birds”—and why burrowing owls are the tiny, underground stars that keep everyone coming back.

Video submitted by a News 6 viewer shows the monkey wandering through an open field not far from Wekiva Springs State Park.

Joey Manna travels to a Gainesville-area state park to photograph Florida’s gopher tortoise and meets Katherine Saylor of Defenders of Wildlife, who explains why this keystone species—and the fire-dependent, high-and-dry habitat it relies on—is disappearing fast. The search reveals a surprising truth: gopher tortoises (and the conservation choices that protect them) aren’t just “out there” in the wilderness—they’re often right in our own neighborhoods

Osceola County is taking aim at invasive aquatic plants in Lake Tohopekaliga, deploying specialized equipment to clear vegetation.

The Florida Scrub-Jay is a blue-and-gray songbird and the only bird species found exclusively in Florida. That “only in Florida” detail is what makes it so special—and also what makes it vulnerable. If their habitat disappears here, they don’t have a backup plan somewhere else.

We spent the day at the Avian Reconditioning Center (ARC) in Apopka getting up close with birds of prey—and seeing what it takes to rescue, rehab, and (hopefully) release some of the most intense animals in the state.

If you spend enough time in Florida’s wetlands, you realize the true locals aren’t people, they’re the birds. On a brutally cold Central Florida morning, I climbed onto an airboat chasing one of the rarest: the Everglade snail kite, an endangered bird of prey found almost exclusively in Florida’s marshes and lakes.

Florida’s year‑round growing season makes it a haven for gardeners — and for invasive plants that spread quickly when introduced into the landscape.

Catboat Clermont offers a one-of-a-kind boat tour experience where guests pilot their own electric boats through Florida’s beautiful lakes. Learn about local history, wildlife, and enjoy a relaxing two-hour tour perfect for families and nature lovers.

You might be thinking now’s a good time to tend to your outdoor plants after Florida's big freeze. You’d be correct, but the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is here to tell you exactly which garden chores need doing.

The recent discovery of several dead ducks at a park in Winter Springs has triggered more reports to Florida wildlife officials, according to the city.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is investigating the reported deaths of dozens of vultures at Blue Spring State Park.

Discover how to spot and photograph Florida’s tricolored heron, an active hunter in wetlands. Learn identification tips, hunting behavior, and photography challenges of this fascinating bird living all around Florida.

The beach is a perfect place for wildlife photography, as long as you’re ready to get a little dirty and wet. Exploring the fast-paced world of sanderlings and some tips for capturing them on Florida’s sandy shores.

Archaeologists in Britain say they have found the earliest known evidence of deliberate fire-making, dating to around 400,000 years ago.

Florida's wild residents are closer than you might realize, and none are more in your face than the Brown Anole.

Looking for an outdoor adventure? Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park offers exciting aerial courses, ziplines, and swinging bridges for all ages.

A peaceful kayak trip through Silver Springs turned into a wild show when a group of monkeys started leaping out of trees and into the water.

A new project in Volusia County is working to protect the state’s natural lands from the pressures of development.

A conservation group has filed a lawsuit to stop Florida’s first black bear hunt in more than a decade.

Osceola County is working to create a cleaner, healthier Lake Toho through a vegetation harvesting project currently underway.

Hurricane Erin may not have made a direct hit on Volusia County, but its effects are causing serious problems for some of the coast’s smallest creatures — sea turtles.

A school resource officer in Osceola County wrangled and relocated an alligator that was causing concern for student safety, according to the sheriff's office.

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.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announces a new agreement with the U.S. Army that he says will quicken the completion of the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir.

As state wildlife officers continue their search for a black bear that found itself on I-4 in the Orlando area, conservationists say it's no surprise that more bears and humans are interacting across Florida.

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.

A black bear was caught on camera soaking in a Punta Gorda hot tub.

Mount Etna—Europe’s most active volcano—put on another dramatic show recently, spewing ash and lava that grounded flights and reminded us just how unpredictable volcanoes can be.

What would you do if a gator showed up on your front doorstep?

A new nature preserve is officially opening in Volusia County.

As the population increases, the demand for buildings and roadways rises, but as this growth could come at the expense of the environment, some cities and counties are working to expand tree cover.

Time is running out to "Save The Bees" as a specialty, honey-colored license plate bearing the flowery message nears a June deadline with only about a third of the pre-sale vouchers it needs to become reality.

The long-awaited visitor center at the Orlando Wetlands is finally open, according to a news release from the city.

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.

SeaWorld Orlando is celebrating its 1,000th manatee rescue and encouraging everyone to stay mindful on the water.

City leaders in Deltona are working to keep their community wild and natural.

If you're planning to visit Wekiwa Springs State Park this summer, you may have visited the state's website and seen that regular day passes are fully booked from late May through August. But it turns out, there are open spots available within that window.

If you’ve recently had a tree cut down to the stump or have some toppled dead wood in your yard from recent hurricanes, there is a benefit to leaving it right where it’s at, according to experts from the UF/IFAS.

Move over mockingbird. Florida lawmakers are once again looking to give the state bird title of Florida a more unique flare.

Nature lovers across Florida started 2025 with an invigorating tradition: “First Day Hikes.” Organized by state parks nationwide, these guided and self-paced hikes offered families and friends the perfect way to welcome the new year with fresh air, exercise, and reflection.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane of some unique animal sightings that have graced Central Florida over the years.

Overlooking the Harambe Wildlife Reserve are Mshango, Zahara and Neema. The three siblings joined the savanna this week and are settling in at the kopjes rocks.

While the Tour de Turtles is an annual win for sea turtle conservation, this year, Disney has something more to “shell”-ebrate.

The swans are iconic symbols in downtown Orlando and the city is welcoming two newcomers to the group.

Here are some cool and affordable to set up glamp year-round in Florida where you likely won’t have to sacrifice air conditioning or wifi.

A rare albino alligator has hatched at Wild Florida which marks an added success to its albino breeding program.

People who live in the Victoria Commons neighborhood in DeLand are puzzled over what they call a "sudden" and "strange" animal kill.

Tour de Turtles is an educational event that follows the migration of sea turtles from their nesting beaches to their feeding grounds.

City officials contacted Florida Fish and Wildlife’s Assistance Program for solutions to prevent potential wildlife conflict after a river otter was spotted at Lake Eola Park.

Get ready to satisfy your love of learning and the night sky at “The Stars of the Summer” event at the Trout Lake Nature Center in Eustis this month.

A long-awaited project to restore shoreline and habitat in the Indian River Lagoon is beginning to take shape in Titusville.

Voters across Lake County may have a big decision to make in November when it comes to their property taxes and preserving green space.

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.

FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto tells News 6 that the commission's agreement to lift conservation easements on protected land within Split Oak Forest will benefit the public in more ways than not.

If you have lived in Florida for a few years, you have likely encountered lovebugs. But, if you are new to the state, you may not have noticed them because there are fewer flying around lately.

FWC commissioners agreed to release conservation easements on protected land within Split Oak Forest, where CFX plans to build an extension of Osceola Parkway.

Progress was made Friday in Coastal Conservation Association Florida’s “billion clam initiative,” with the drone-assisted deployment of millions of clams in the Indian River Lagoon.

Gators are getting busy and you will likely see more of them this time of year. Here's what you need to know as mating season gets underway.

A new way for people to connect with nature was unveiled Thursday in west Orange County.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is celebrating Earth Day with an all-new weekend event.

No, thanks.

A Florida homeowner is praising a pair of barking dogs for alerting him to a very unwelcome intruder.

Some tense moments were caught on camera at a park in Florida as trappers had to wrangle not one but two huge alligators.

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.

Health officials said the bug’s hairs or cocoon can cause an allergic reaction that could lead to an itchy rash.

A whale some 70 feet in length was seen beached Sunday on a sandbar off the coast of Venice, according to the city.

News 6 viewer Wade Lanier sent us a photo of a black bear sitting in a tree not far from Ocoee.

It’s officially that time of year when you can start to feel the daylight to be lasting just a little bit longer than usual.

Badlands, a sub-adult loggerhead turtle is set to be released following a medical recovery at the Marine Science Center in Volusia County.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will give remarks Thursday morning at a ribbon cutting in Palm Beach County.

A Florida man said a python almost overpowered him and four other people. "We literally put all of our weight on the snake, we sat on it, and the snake pushed back and lifted us off the ground..."

Manatee conditions are starting to show some signs of improvement in the Indian River Lagoon, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A Florida man is still on the mend about a week after he was bitten by a shark while swimming in Juno Beach.

It enjoys long strolls on the beach. Or, is it long death rolls?

We asked to see the beautiful fall colors around your neighborhood, and you came through better than we could have imagined!

Bears are a common sight in Florida, but it's not often you see them hanging out on a boat.

If you have lived in Florida for a few years, you have likely encountered lovebugs. But, if you are new to the state, you may not have noticed them because there are fewer flying around lately.

Have you ever noticed the presence of wasps in the yard goes up around this time of year? You’re not imagining things.

A baffling debate has been happening in Florida and it’s strange even by Florida standards. Orlando Sentinel Columnist Scott Maxwell joined News 6 Anchor Ginger Gadsden to talk it over.

Three words a crowd of Florida beach goers didn’t expect to hear during their Sunday in the sun… “It’s a bear!”

A black bear last seen in a tree Sunday at Lake Eola Park is now on the other side of the lake in another tree.

The brown seaweed that smells like rotten eggs and is washing up on our beaches may not be pleasant to be around, but experts say it's what many areas of the coast needed after recent storms.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission offers some tips on what to do if you encounter a bear.

Sea turtle nesting season officially started in Florida on Monday, but the day also started the one-month countdown to hurricane season.

Viewers of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources EagleCam were heartbroken over the weekend.

Before innovation, DAK’s lesser flamingos had only 1 chick in 20 years

The report shows Florida’s best waterfall is only hours outside Central Florida at Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park.

University of Florida scientists are asking residents to report sightings of nonnative lizards, in order to prevent invasive spread.

Alligators and manatees seem to get all of the attention when it comes to Florida wildlife.

This hidden gem is not just an outdoor attraction, but serves an important purpose.

Two small manatees were rescued Monday on the West Coast of Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Railbikes are pedal-power carts that are ridden on railroad tracks and have the same style as recumbent bikes in the way people sit on them and pedal.

Florida's emergency management division is going to bring an experimental dam project to the coast of Flagler Beach.

An international wildlife conference has moved to enact some of the most significant protection for shark species targeted in the fin trade and scores of turtles, lizards and frogs whose numbers are being decimated by the pet trade.

A Massachusetts woman is facing multiple assault and battery charges, accused of releasing a swarm of bees on sheriff’s deputies as they tried to serve an eviction notice.

Our Medieval ancestors left us with a biological legacy: Genes that helped them survive the Black Death likely make us more susceptible to certain diseases today.

A sloth is a mammal that resembles a monkey resides largely in forests around Central and South America.

Florida’s annual Python Challenge began Friday at 8 a.m.

Animal care staff at Brevard Zoo excitedly shared news Friday that a second of their endangered Grévy’s zebras had given birth to a foal.