Alternative Text Description for Perdido Key Beach Mouse (Endangered) Habitat

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map displays the habitat boundaries for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, an endangered species, along the Florida Gulf Coast. The map shows a single continuous habitat zone represented as a pink crosshatched polygon running along the southern coastal barrier island. The thematic focus is on identifying the geographic extent of this endangered species' habitat as designated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers a portion of the northwestern Florida Gulf Coast, including the barrier island system along the Gulf of America. Labeled communities and landmarks visible include Perdido Beach, Josephine, Perdido Heights, Beach, Myrtle Grove, Pleasant Grove, Quinavista, Gulf Beach Heights, Treasure Hill Park, Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park, Garcon Swamp, Perdido Key State Park, Ono Island, and Pensacola Naval Air Station. The habitat area runs along the southern barrier island shoreline, which forms the boundary between the mainland communities to the north and the Gulf of America to the south.

KEY INSIGHTS

The Perdido Key Beach Mouse habitat forms a narrow, linear coastal zone that extends continuously along the southern barrier island for the entire east-west extent shown on the map. The habitat appears concentrated exclusively along the beach and dune systems of the barrier island, with no inland extensions. The pattern reflects the species' specific adaptation to coastal barrier island ecosystems. The habitat zone maintains relatively consistent width throughout its extent, following the natural geography of the barrier island shoreline.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

Perdido Key Beach Mouse Habitat

The habitat layer represents the designated habitat boundaries for the endangered Perdido Key Beach Mouse species within Florida.

Perdido Key Beach Mouse Habitat Zone (pink crosshatched polygon)

Appearance:

Pink or light red fill with a crosshatch or diagonal line pattern, creating a semi-transparent overlay that allows underlying base map features to remain visible.

Distribution:

The habitat zone follows the southern barrier island coastline continuously from the western edge of the map extent eastward, maintaining proximity to the Gulf of America shoreline throughout.

Notable locations:

The habitat extends along the coastal areas near Perdido Key State Park and continues eastward past Ono Island, running parallel to the mainland communities but separated by water bodies.

Spatial patterns:

The habitat forms a continuous linear corridor along the barrier island system, with relatively consistent width. The zone follows the natural curvature of the coastline and maintains its position along the southernmost coastal features. There is clear spatial separation between the habitat zone and the mainland communities to the north.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map represents a single thematic layer extracted from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service species database for Florida. The focus is on the habitat boundaries for one specific endangered species rather than a comprehensive view of all protected areas or species. The narrow coastal distribution reflects the specialized habitat requirements of the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, which depends on beach and dune ecosystems along barrier islands. Base map features including community names, parks, and water bodies are shown for geographic reference and spatial orientation.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The dataset contains polygonal boundaries for species as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. The data represents officially designated habitat areas for protected species under federal management.

Definition Query:

The map displays a filtered subset of the species database, showing only features where the common name equals "PERDIDO KEY BEACH MOUSE" (CR_USFWS_POLY_JUN26COMNAME = 'PERDIDO KEY BEACH MOUSE'). This filter isolates the habitat boundaries for this single endangered species from the broader species database.

Scale Information:

The map shows a regional-scale view appropriate for understanding the overall geographic extent and distribution pattern of the species habitat along multiple miles of coastline. Individual habitat features within the polygon boundary are not distinguishable at this scale.

Coordinate System:

NAD_1983_HARN_Florida_GDL_Albers (WKID 3087)

Limitations:

The map shows designated habitat boundaries as polygons and may not reflect fine-scale habitat variations or specific microhabitat characteristics within the boundary. The habitat designation represents official federal determinations and may be subject to regulatory interpretation. Areas outside the shown polygon do not necessarily lack the species but fall outside the officially designated habitat boundary in this dataset.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers a portion of northwestern Florida's Gulf Coast, specifically the barrier island system from approximately Perdido Key eastward. The primary focus is the continuous habitat zone along the southern barrier island, with mainland areas shown to the north for geographic context and orientation.

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