Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit , University of Florida
Abstract
Executive Summary. We surveyed for seven species ofsensitve wildlife (Florida gopher frogs,
gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, Florida mouse, Florida
roundtail muskrat, Sherman's fox squirrel) between October 1996 and May 1998 at Avon Park
Air Force Range (APR). The presence of 87 other species ofamphibians, reptiles, and mammals
also were detected. Selected species ofbirds were noted, particularly if they were found dead on
APR roads. We recorded nine new county records ofamphibians and reptiles from Polk and
Highlands counties, based on range maps presented in Ashton and Ashton (1981, 1985, 1988).
We discuss a biogeographic model based on the vertebrates recorded from APR, the Lake Wales
Ridge, and the low dune region along SR 64 to explain some of the distributional anomalies
associated with the Bombing Range Ridge and vicinity. (199 page document
