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Flamingo · Florida · Lottery · Tourism
American flamingos are now an official candidate for Florida's state bird, competing against the Northern mockingbird and Florida scrub jay, a development supported by recent increased sightings and their historical significance to the state's tourism and lottery industries, which generated over $45 billion since 1988.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission classified the American flamingo as non-native until 2018, but the Florida Flamingos Working Group clarified their native status. Historically, flamingos were common in Florida but were decimated by the plume trade in the late 19th century.
Since the 1950s, flamingo populations and sightings in Florida have recovered. The Florida government has promoted flamingos as the official symbol of the Florida Lotto since the 1980s, which has generated more than $45 billion since 1988, supporting 983,000 Bright Futures Scholarships.
Florida's booming tourist industry has also utilized flamingos for over a century to promote travel. The Florida Flamingos Working Group, represented by Ruscena Wiederholt and Steven Whitfield, advocates for the flamingo's official adoption to aid conservation efforts against threats like tropical storms, sea level rise, and pollution.