Sounding the Wild: A Bioacoustic Exploration in the Everglades

Natalie Aguirre, Ph,D.
Sep 16
2 min read

September 16, 2025

By Natalie Aguirre, Ph.D., Research Program Coordinator

Man in a blue shirt holds a bioacoustics device in a swampy area within the Picayune Strand in the Everglades, surrounded tall grass and trees.

In the heart of South Florida, the Picayune Strand stands as a testament to nature's resilience and beauty. Charley Vance, a passionate Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund ForEverglades Fellow from the 2024-2025 cohort, is deeply immersed in this landscape, conducting groundbreaking research that utilizes the power of sound to understand the ecological health of this unique environment.

Unveiling the Everglades Wilderness with Sound

As Florida Gulf Coast University graduate student Charley explains, this project utilizes wildlife acoustics technology to capture the rich tapestry of bioacoustic signals emanating from seven different locations throughout the Picayune Strand.

ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grant recipient, Charley Vance, holds up a wildlife bioacoustics monitoring device.

Through the deployment of sophisticated sound meters, Vance and his team are meticulously monitoring the variety of sounds produced by the area's diverse wildlife. They use the bioacoustics from each site to understand the differences in the diversity, composition, and activity of the major biophonic animal species (birds, frogs, insects). This auditory symphony provides invaluable insights into the resilience of Picayune’s animal communities to disturbance events like hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts and the success of ongoing restoration efforts in the Picayune Strand.

A Window into Ecological Health

The significance of this research lies not only in its innovative approach but also in its unparalleled scale and detail. In a region as ecologically complex as the Everglades, understanding the subtle changes in soundscapes can reveal much about the resilience of ecosystems. Charley's project aims to deliver a highly detailed, finely scaled temporal analysis of the Everglades' health, offering a new perspective on how these wetlands respond to restoration endeavors.

Three research walk through a flooded area of the Picayune Strand in the Florida Everglades.

Hope for the Future of the Everglades

Charley Vance's work in the Picayune Strand aims to shed light on the intricate connections between sound and ecological health, this project promises to enhance our understanding of the Everglades' resilience. In his recordings, Charley identifies at least 30 species of birds, at least 8 species of frogs, 5 mammal species and several insect groups.

As Charley delves deeper into the wild acoustics of the Everglades, his findings are anticipated to offer crucial guidance in safeguarding the natural wonders and ecological vitality of South Florida's ecosystem.

Watch & Listen to Everglades Bioacoustics in Action

Learn more about the ForEverglades Research Enhancement Grant Program and the other fascinating Everglades research funded by this program here: https://www.evergladesfoundation.org/fellows

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