Hunted to local extinction for their plumes in the 1800s, Florida’s wild flamingos vanished for nearly a hundred years — until Hurricane Idalia blew dozens in from Cuba and Mexico in 2023. Many stayed. In 2025, a record 125 flamingos were counted in Florida Bay, around 60 now permanent residents near the Everglades.
Florida celebrates return of wild flamingos after almost a century
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
