Alternative Text Description for Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse (Endangered) Habitat

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map shows the endangered habitat boundaries for the Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse along the northwestern Florida coast. The map displays a single polygonal area representing the species habitat as designated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The habitat appears as a narrow coastal corridor extending along the shoreline of the Gulf of America.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers the northwestern Florida Panhandle coastline, spanning from Destin in the west to areas south of Panama City Beach in the east. Major communities visible on the map include Destin, Miramar Beach, Point Washington Wildlife Management Area, Panama City Beach, Lynn Haven, and Upper Grand Lagoon. Inland communities include Niceville, Freeport, Ebro, and portions of Walton and Washington counties. The habitat boundary follows the Gulf of America coastline, representing a critical coastal ecosystem zone.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse habitat forms a narrow, linear corridor confined to the immediate coastal zone along the Gulf of America shoreline. The habitat shows two distinct concentration areas: a western segment extending from Destin through Miramar Beach, and an eastern segment extending through Panama City Beach toward the Upper Grand Lagoon area. The habitat corridor is notably narrow, suggesting the species is restricted to specific coastal dune and beach environments. There is a gap in the mapped habitat between these two segments, indicating either an absence of suitable habitat or areas where the species is not present in the intervening coastal areas.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse (Endangered) Habitat

This layer represents the designated habitat boundaries for the endangered Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse species in Florida.

Habitat Polygons (light pink/rose shading with stippled pattern)

Appearance: The habitat areas are shown in a light pink or rose color with a stippled or dotted pattern overlay, creating a semi-transparent fill that allows underlying base map features to remain visible.

Distribution: The habitat appears in two primary segments along the Gulf of America coastline. The western segment extends approximately from Destin eastward past Miramar Beach and Point Washington Wildlife Management Area. The eastern segment encompasses the Panama City Beach area and extends toward Upper Grand Lagoon.

Notable locations: Significant habitat areas are present near Destin and Miramar Beach in the western portion, and at Panama City Beach and the approaches to Upper Grand Lagoon in the eastern portion. The habitat appears to terminate near Niceville in the northwest and extends to the southeast beyond Upper Grand Lagoon.

Spatial patterns: The habitat displays a linear, shore-parallel distribution pattern, remaining within a narrow band adjacent to the coastline. The habitat boundaries closely follow the shoreline configuration, including barrier islands and coastal features. The narrow width of the habitat corridor indicates the species' specialization to specific coastal microhabitats. The discontinuous nature of the habitat, with distinct western and eastern segments, suggests fragmentation or natural gaps in suitable habitat conditions along this coastal stretch.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns with other thematic layers are present in this map, as it displays a single species habitat layer over a reference base map.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents officially designated habitat boundaries for an endangered species and is intended for conservation planning, regulatory compliance, and species protection efforts. The narrow coastal distribution reflects the Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse's ecological specialization to coastal dune ecosystems. Users should note that this map shows designated habitat boundaries and may not represent all areas where individual animals might be encountered. The base map provides geographic context with community names and general topographic features, but the thematic focus is solely on the species habitat boundaries.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source: The data originates from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and represents polygonal boundaries for species habitat in the State of Florida. The dataset identifies officially recognized habitat areas for endangered species within the state.

Definition Query: The map displays a filtered subset of the source dataset, showing only records where the common name equals "Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse." This filter isolates the habitat boundaries for this specific endangered species from a broader species habitat dataset.

Scale Information: The map scale is appropriate for regional planning and provides a broad view of the species' coastal habitat distribution across multiple counties. This scale allows viewers to understand the overall extent and geographic relationship of habitat areas but may not show fine-scale habitat details or micro-topographic features.

Coordinate System: NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (WKID 3087)

Limitations: The map shows designated habitat boundaries and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive survey of all locations where the species may occur. Habitat boundaries represent officially recognized areas and may be subject to regulatory designation criteria. Areas outside the mapped polygons may still provide suitable habitat or serve as corridors for species movement. The base map context is simplified and does not show detailed environmental features that may influence habitat suitability.

Map Coverage: The map extent covers the northwestern Florida Panhandle coastal region, encompassing portions of Walton and Washington counties and adjacent Gulf of America coastal waters. The mapped area extends from inland communities such as De Funiak Springs, Ponce de Leon, and Vernon in the north to the Gulf coastline in the south, and from Destin in the west to areas beyond Panama City in the east.

The alternative text description of this map was AI-generated and may contain inaccuracies.