About Us

Hello St. Pete,

My name is Mike Stott and I am the founder of Save Saint Pete Wildlife Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit.  I have been an Avian Educational Lead volunteer in the Birds of Prey Program at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve (“BHNP”) since June of 2016 with over 6,000 volunteer hours, providing care and training for an aviary full of these amazing birds, while educating the public on how they help us.

I bring only one message….NOW IT IS TIME FOR US TO HELP THEM. 

Although Save Saint Pete Wildlife Inc. just formed in 2026, the spark that started it all came during March of 2022 when a family of owls was killed by rodenticides at Phillipe Park in nearby Safety Harbor, along with an owl found deceased in BHNP of two forms of rodenticides.  It was at this point where my eyes were opened to the dangers of anticoagulant rodenticides.

Being called “the next D.D.T.”, referring to the insecticide that was banned in 1972 after almost wiping-out our bird population, I learned how these toxins will “bioaccumulate“ in wildlife, meaning it goes up the food chain and does not go away. It survives its intended target, usually a rodent, and will kill anything that eats the poisoned rodent.  

If a bird of prey eats a poisoned rat, it dies. If its remains get scavenged by a vulture, it dies.  If the vultures remains melt into the ground, the earthworms and cockroaches become a “vector” for the toxins, meaning the it does not kill them.  Instead, the toxins bioaccumulate in the vector, potentially killing anything that eats them.  As you can see, if insects and earthworms are carriers, the “toxic food web” extends well past our birds of prey.

It affects our wild canines and felines, like the native grey fox and endangered Florida panther, respectively, plus our native snakes, all of which are our true rat control allies. But it doesn’t stop there.  Any bird, mammal, fish or reptile that eats a vector (which includes insects, such as flies and cockroaches, that have eaten from poisoned carrion) is at risk.

There are bans already in place in British Columbia, California and Massachusetts (pending), with six more states close behind.  (Sadly, Florida is not one…yet.)  Not willing to stand by and inspired by the Safety Harbor Owl Team ❤️, I had to act.  (Could you just stand by if you were me?)

In April 2022, after discovering the City was using second generation anticoagulant rodenticides, the most dangerous available, I formally requested the City of St Petersburg’s Rodent Control Department to stop.  My initial efforts were rebuked.  Not dissuaded, I chose to find allies in this effort.

And great allies I found.  Joining the fight were board members, executive leaders and conservation committee members from the Friends of BHNP, the Florida Suncoast Sierra Club and the St. Petersburg Audubon Society.  An “All Star Cast” to say the least.  Together, and being championed by St. Petersburg Council Member Gina Driscoll, we were able to get the city to finally switch to a much safer option (“Ratx”) in April 2023.  (Videos and articles below)

To continue to raise awareness and to raise funds for future outreach, we held a highly successful “brew for birds” brewery crawl in November 2024.  In December 2025, funds raised were used to purchase rodenticide pamphlets to be distributed by local wildlife rescuer Birds In Helping Hands.  Which brings us to today, all the while educating the public on the dangers of rodenticides and gaining allies on the way. 

It is this type of “grass roots“ activism that has brought us to this point and it WILL get us to the finish line.

I welcome you to the fight.

Sincerely,

Mike