TALLAHASSEE — Florida scrub-jays are finding new forests to call home, thanks to relocation efforts by wildlife officials.
In a statement Wednesday, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials said they had moved nine of the birds from Ocala National Forest about 20 miles away to Seminole National Forest.
Wildlife officials say relocating some scrub-jays from stable populations should help boost the bird's numbers and genetic diversity.
The threatened songbird species is unique to Florida. Their breeding populations are small and relatively isolated from each other. They also don't migrate and have difficulty adapting when their habitat gets fragmented.
State officials say prescribed burns on public lands also are helping to maintain habitats crucial to the scrub-jay's survival.