A long the Emerald Coast, wildlife is never far from view: a sea turtle inches across a sandy roadside, an osprey surveys the marina from above, dolphins crest the waves offshore, and a deer slips quietly through the tree line at dusk. Pelicans sweep low over the Gulf, herons stalk the marshes, and even black bears wander near neighborhood edges. Here, nature is not distant—it is woven into the rhythm of daily life. But as the region grows, that balance grows more fragile.