In a scene reminiscent of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Monica Folk, an endangered species biologist hired by the county, walked along a sandy path as Florida scrub jays flew above her head, seemingly acknowledging their trusty ally.
Folk imitated the sharp, scratchy rapping of a scrub jay to a group of five volunteers, who had come out to the 111-acre Wabasso Scrub Conservation Area to monitor eight scrub jay families.
The volunteers are listed on Folk’s federal recovery permit, authorizing them to condition the birds and collect scientific information. The volunteers must be trained and authorized by Folk and carry a letter of delegation in the field.
They're authorized to call to the jays by mimicking the sound of their native calls and to throw raw, salt-free peanuts to them that have the same nut protein jays normally consume, so they can get a closer look at the jays' bands on their legs that are specific to their family group and organized by color.
The Florida scrub jay was listed as a threatened federal species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1987 and it is protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act. The species has steadily declined in numbers because of their vulnerability of habitat with development across the state.
Originally, 39 of 67 counties in Florida were home to the scrub jay. Today, only nine counties have more than 30 family groups on conservation lands