The Everglades Wildlife Alliance (Media heavy) in FILM / THEATRE / VIDEO WORK & CORPSE NATION

While contending with finances that are restricting my ability to see specialists and dr’s to get myself on the road to recovery and working once again, I thought I’d share one of the things I’ve taken part in over the last several years.

I’ve always been very charitable, and the environment is something I care a lot about (we all should, if you like living on this planet).

Gotta be in good health to do this kind of work (Especially when there’s no salary).

The EWA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create awareness and educate the public on the many threats facing the delicate eco-system of the Florida Everglades paying particular attention to the native wildlife as well as educating people and assisting with the prevention and issues with non-native species.

Largely this is done by sending people like myself out into the glades (it’s not for everyone) armed with camera’s for photography and video to document both the damage and general culture of the area including wildlife (native and non-native) as well as plant species.

The work can be fun, but it’s difficult, dangerous and exhausting!

I’m capturing some low angle footage while on the bow of an airboat.

No zoom lens, I was about 3 feet away. Yes, I agree with you… not the smartest thing I’ve ever done. He just opened his eye and is staring at me, it was intimidating, but you have to stay calm.

I did get this cool shot before he started after me and I had to back away slowly. It’s not easy looking through a viewfinder and trying to watch your surroundings at the same time. Fortunately, I was not there alone.

Sunrise in the everglades.

Another shot I took of the glades, you can’t appreciate its beauty without going out there.

I’m assisting another volunteer with his gear prior to another excursion to the remote wilderness.

Speaking of gators, yup, that’s me petting a wild gator in the everglades. Not trained or part of a show, luckily I still have all of my fingers.

I do not get paid for this, I volunteer. In fact I’ve been using my own gear to go out and do this work (which I shouldn’t be doing). I can’t afford insurance for my gear, so if something happens… I’m totally screwed. The EWA needs to provide the gear to it’s filmmakers and photographers, but that all happens with donations. Donations go directly toward specific gear to handle the work run by the EWA. (Camera’s, lenses, tripods/monopods, lighting (night gear), rain gear, clothing, scopes, motion sensors, drone’s and even food / water for volunteer’s that spend many hours in the exhaustive heat and humidity for this important cause). Volunteers don’t get paid and go out there at great risk to provide great photo’s and video to help spread the EWA’s mission statement.

Additionally, donations can be made in respect to gear. Anywhere from (if you own a boat and want to take us out to sending us equipment that we can use).

Short list of current (2017) endangered animal species in the Everglades.

Anastasia Island beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus phasma)
Florida panther (Puma (=Felis) concolor coryi)
Florida salt marsh vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus dukecampbelli)
Southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris)
West Indian manatee (Faring well in 2017)
Audubon’s crested caracara (Polyborus plancus audubonii)
Everglade snail kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus)
Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens)
Piping plover (Charadrius melodus)
Red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis)
Whooping crane (Grus americana)
Wood stork (Mycteria americana)
Atlantic salt marsh snake (Nerodia clarkii taeniata)
Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi)
Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)
Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
Sand skink (Neoseps reynoldsi)
Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)
Flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma cingulatum)
Striped Newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus)
Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi)
Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)
Squirrel Chimney Cave shrimp (Palaemonetes cummingi)
Oval pigtoe mussel (Pleurobema pyriforme)

Of more than 760 plants in Everglades National Park, an exhaustive new 10-year study identifies nearly 60 that are critically imperiled.

Poaching remains the biggest threat to most plants, particularly rare orchids and ferns that top the list of species presumed extinct.

The exceedingly rare “Ghost Orchid”. I’ve seen them out there, but didn’t take this photo. Courtesy of Keith Davis.

More than 500 fish and wildlife nonnative species, also known as exotic species, have been observed in Florida. Not all nonnative species present a threat to native species, but some have become invasive by causing harm to native species, posing a threat to human health and safety, or causing economic damage.

One of the most common non-native species that you may be aware of is the Burmese Python. People own them as pets and when they get too big to handle, they (illegally) let them go in the everglades where they quickly rose to the top of the food chain because they have no natural enemies in the area.

I did not take this photo, but it is real!

Now, I love snakes; in fact I use to own two Red-tailed Colombian Boa Constrictors. I don’t anymore, but the problem with these Python’s is so bad that they need to be hunted. They are decimating the native wildlife. 10 years ago you’d see 1,000’s of rabbits and small animals, but now… ZERO!!! Literally, there are none left. I’ve seen a python eat a 6 foot alligator (like the above) and key deer (both already endangered). But hunting them is not even the answer, it’s extremely dangerous (and I should know, I’ve been out there dozens of times and usually with a camera in my hands so I have no way to protect myself). But they are so difficult to find that it takes about 100 hours just to find one!

One of two Boa’s when she was just a baby.

So to come full circle, the EWA wants people to participate in finding solutions to these problems. They will not resolve themselves and a lot of this effort will come from the young people of today that will attack these issues with fresh minds and ideas.

Perhaps you recognize this guy who’s helped out us out many times. Here we’re wrapping up an interview with “Dave “Cobra Kid” Weathers” famed venomous snake expert and dangerous animal trainer known from the Jackass movies, America’s got Talent, Ripley’s Believe it or Not and more.

It’s not paying work, but I do what I can to help out in my spare time.

This was the first video we ever did, well… “I” did. No budget at all, literally… it was just me out there with the host. Didn’t have a professional camera with me at the time or audio, but it was just something that helped us launch EWA website back in 2012.

I didn’t film this piece (though he uses a few of my images) but this is Captain Randy; a very good friend of mine and someone that volunteers his time to take the EWA out on his airboat so that we can reach areas of the everglades otherwise impossible. I don’t know anyone more knowledgeable of the area than this guy!

Feel free to follow / befriend us, the support is always appreciated!

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