Pigeon Key Blog
Creature Feature: Nurse Sharks
If you've visited Pigeon Key before, you've probaby noticed we have a few resident Nurse Sharks in our saltwater pool. The nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) is one of many species of sharks we...
Education Season 2023 Recap
The 2023 education season for Pigeon Key has come to an end, and what fun it has been! It's been another amazing year on the island filled with tidepooling, snorkeling, learning about Florida Keys...
Marine Habitats: Mangroves
If you’ve been to the Florida Keys, you’ve almost certainly seen trees growing along the coast, sometimes with their roots fully submerged in the saltwater! These are called mangroves, which are...
Ghost Fishing: The Silent Killer
On Pigeon Key, when doing debris cleanups, one of the most commonly found items is fishing gear. Discarded fishing gear is a huge problem for our oceans, as it harms thousands of our favorite marine...
Creature Feature: Portuguese Man O’ War
The Portuguese Man O' War, Physalia physalis, is a highly specialized marine organism with fascinating biology and ecology. This species is found in waters all around the world, including in the...
Education with the Saltwater Pool
In the 1950s, tourists were once able to drive onto Pigeon Key and eat at the old restaurant and tap house, and swim in our pool. The saltwater pool on the south end of the island was built in 1951...
Marine Habitats: Coral Reef
Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and important ecosystems on the planet, providing habitats and shelter for countless species in the ocean. Despite making up only 1% of the ocean’s...
Paint Foreman’s House: Past and Present
The Paint Foreman’s House, a large wood-framed rectangular building, on Pigeon Key was originally built in 1908 as a kitchen, then repurposed to a house in 1912, and is one of the oldest buildings...
Creature Feature: Tarpon
Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) are large, silvery sport fish commonly found throughout Florida and the Florida Keys. Tarpon can grow up to 8 feet in length, weigh up to 350 pounds, and live...
Marine Habitats: Shallow Hardbottom
The Florida Keys are home to a wide variety of habitats and marine life. One of the most fascinating, yet understudied habitats in the Florida Keys is the shallow hardbottom, making up approximately...
Impressions from an Intern
Read on to hear about Anna Roach's experiences on Pigeon Key so far! Coming into this position as a Marine Science Education Intern, I didn’t have many expectations or know the full extent of...
Creature Feature: Spotted Eagle Ray
The Spotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari) is a majestic creature that can be seen gliding through the waters here in the Florida Keys as well as tropical waters around the world. They can have ...
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