Alternative Text Description for St. Andrew Beach Mouse (Endangered)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MAP OVERVIEW

This map shows the geographic range of the St. Andrew Beach Mouse (Endangered) along the northwestern Florida coast. The St. Andrew Beach Mouse (Endangered) dataset depicts polygonal boundaries representing the species' habitat as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the State of Florida. The map uses a single symbol type to delineate endangered species habitat zones across coastal areas.

GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT

The map covers a portion of northwestern Florida's Gulf coast, displaying several coastal communities and geographic features. Notable locations labeled on the map include Farmdale and Overstreet in the northern portion, Mexico Beach and Beacon Hill in the central area, Saint Joe Beach along the coast, and Indian Pass at the southern extent. The inland community of Niles appears on the eastern side of the map. The white-colored areas represent the Gulf of America waters adjacent to the coastline.

KEY INSIGHTS

The St. Andrew Beach Mouse (Endangered) habitat occurs in distinct linear coastal segments along the northwestern Florida shoreline. The most substantial continuous habitat zone extends from the Farmdale area southward through Mexico Beach and Beacon Hill to Saint Joe Beach, forming a narrow but extensive coastal corridor. A separate, isolated habitat segment appears in the central portion of the map, positioned offshore or along a barrier feature. Another habitat zone extends along the southern coastal area near Indian Pass. The distribution pattern indicates the species' dependence on specific coastal environments, with habitat concentrated in narrow bands following the shoreline configuration.

VISUAL ELEMENTS

St. Andrew Beach Mouse (Endangered)

This layer represents the polygonal boundaries of endangered St. Andrew Beach Mouse habitat in Florida.

St. Andrew Beach Mouse Habitat Zones (pink crosshatch pattern)

Appearance:

The habitat zones are depicted with a pink or light red crosshatch pattern consisting of diagonal lines creating a mesh or grid effect. This distinctive pattern clearly differentiates the endangered species habitat from the gray base map background.

Distribution:

The habitat zones occur exclusively along the coastal areas of northwestern Florida, appearing as elongated polygons that closely follow the shoreline configuration. Three primary zones are visible: a major northern segment, an isolated central segment, and a southern segment near Indian Pass.

Notable locations:

The most extensive habitat concentration extends from the Farmdale vicinity southward through Mexico Beach and continues past Beacon Hill to Saint Joe Beach. This represents the largest continuous habitat area shown on the map. The isolated central segment appears as a curved feature positioned between the mainland and Gulf waters. The southern habitat zone runs along the coast in the Indian Pass area.

Spatial patterns:

The habitat exhibits a distinct linear pattern oriented along the coastline, suggesting the species' association with beach and dune environments. The narrow width of the habitat zones indicates the species' specialized requirements for specific coastal features. Gaps between habitat segments suggest either natural discontinuities in suitable habitat or areas where the species is not currently found. The fragmented distribution pattern highlights the vulnerability of this endangered species to habitat loss and isolation.

Overlapping Patterns

No overlapping patterns are present, as this map displays a single thematic layer representing one endangered species' habitat boundaries.

SYMBOL GUIDE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This map focuses exclusively on the St. Andrew Beach Mouse (Endangered) habitat boundaries and does not display other species or land use information. The dataset has been filtered to show only features where the common name equals 'ST. ANDREW BEACH MOUSE', isolating this particular endangered species from other species that may be included in the broader United States Fish and Wildlife Service dataset for Florida. The map emphasizes the geographic distribution of protected habitat rather than population numbers or individual animal locations. Understanding the spatial extent and fragmentation of this habitat is essential for conservation planning and species recovery efforts.

DATA CONTEXT

Data Source:

The data originates from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and represents species boundaries as understood by that agency for the State of Florida. The dataset contains polygonal boundaries delineating endangered species habitat.

Definition Query:

The map displays a filtered subset of the CR_USFWS_POLY_JUN26 dataset where COMNAME equals 'ST. ANDREW BEACH MOUSE'. This filter isolates only the habitat boundaries for this specific endangered species from a larger dataset that likely contains multiple species records for Florida.

Scale Information:

The map scale is appropriate for regional planning and provides a broad overview of the species' habitat distribution along the northwestern Florida coast. The level of detail is suitable for understanding the general extent and fragmentation of habitat zones but may not capture fine-scale habitat variations within the polygonal boundaries.

Coordinate System:

NAD 1983 HARN Florida GDL Albers (WKID 3087)

Limitations:

The polygonal boundaries represent the species' range as understood by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and may not reflect real-time habitat conditions or population presence. The dataset shows potential or designated habitat areas rather than confirmed occupancy at any given time. Habitat quality, population density, and actual species presence within the mapped boundaries may vary. The definition query limits the display to St. Andrew Beach Mouse habitat only, and other endangered species in the region are not shown.

Map Coverage:

The map extent covers approximately 60 to 80 miles of northwestern Florida coastline, extending from the Farmdale area in the north to Indian Pass in the south, and from the Gulf of America waters in the west to inland areas including Overstreet, Niles, and White in the east. The map's eastern boundary includes portions of inland territory to provide geographic context, though the thematic focus remains on the coastal habitat zones.

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