A preserved fauna
You'll soon realize just how rich the fauna is: in the gardens, where your senses are captured by unusual sounds, movements and colors, on a walk in the countryside or in the wetlands.
Birds. Thousands of species of birds have adopted Louisiana as their home for the winter, or even the whole year. From April to May, the return of migratory birds is a breathtaking spectacle. The swamps are a veritable carpet of feathers and colors, enough to make Parisian cabarets die of jealousy! Hunters of freshwater game, ducks and fowl of all kinds have a field day, where regulations allow, of course. The brown pelican, the state's emblem, breeds on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. And since you're still in North America, you'll come across the golden eagle nesting atop cypress trees in the swamps. As for sparrows and blackbirds, you'll notice the restless and noisy blue jays, the bold red cardinals and the ubiquitous egrets. Naturalist and ornithologist Jean-Jacques Audubon created a four-volume anthology of the birds of America. The magnitude of the task obviously took him several years to complete.
Aquatic fauna. Lakes, bayous, marshes and Gulf waters teem with fish (bass, bluegill, king mackerel, blue marlin, catfish, yellowfin tuna, speckled trout...), crustaceans (crab, shrimp, crayfish, oyster...) and reptiles such as water turtles and snapping turtles, some of which are gigantic and incredibly carnivorous. These turtles will even attack alligators, slicing off limbs with their extremely powerful and sharp jaws. Of course, we can't forget the alligator (population around 2 million). The word comes from the Spanish el lagarto, meaning "lizard". Crocodiles and alligators are often lumped together. Big mistake! The alligator belongs to the alligatoridae family. There are two species: Mississippiensis, which lives in the southeastern United States, and Sinensis, which haunts the Yangtze Valley in China. The crocodile (family Crocodilidae) is a tropical animal, found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Alligators have flatter, wider mouths than crocodiles. However, both like to show off their impressive teeth: even when their mouths are closed, four gigantic teeth remain visible. Both species use them in the same way, to grasp and tear, not to chew. When they catch prey, they drag it underwater to drown it, then wait for it to decompose before swallowing it whole. Finally, the alligator hibernates, while the crocodile remains active all year round. An alligator can live up to 70 years (more if it's in captivity) and reach 3 or 4 meters for the oldest.
NEVER feed an alligator in a natural area, and don't condone unscrupulous tourist operators who do. It's dangerous for humans, as the alligator will assimilate food and humans, and for the alligator itself, which will have to be killed to protect itself. So stay away from them. For one thing, you'll be disturbing their natural habitat and upsetting the balance of the bayou. On the other hand, if the alligator is aggressive, you risk being attacked (which is rare but does happen, especially with females, who are extremely aggressive when incubating their offspring). Contrary to popular belief, the alligator is no slouch on land: it moves at the speed of a galloping horse, like the giant lizard that it is.
Mammals. Louisiana is also home to a large number of mammals: squirrels, coypu, raccoons, opossums, armadillos, water rabbits, otters, white-tailed deer, foxes, coyotes, Louisiana black bears and more. Some of these, such as coypu, are imported species, a fact that Louisianans bitterly regret, as they are veritable calamities. The Sportsman's Paradise region is known as Louisiana's mecca for game hunters.
A few species to stay away from. No matter how harmless they may seem, we strongly advise against catching small wild animals such as raccoons, opossums or coypu: their claws and sharp teeth are guaranteed to cause nasty wounds.
You should also beware of the following highly venomous species: water moccasin, cottonmouth, copperhead, canebrake rattlesnake and the notorious black widow spider. Rest assured, though, you really have to look for them to find them. These species shun humans more than they attack them, and you'll be more bothered by mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches and red ants.
A luxuriant flora
Fertile soil, warmth and intense rainfall: all the qualities needed for abundant vegetation. With its thousands of plant species, Louisiana is a tribute to nature. Here, the mixed forest of the southeastern United States reigns, represented by the pine forest (various species of pine, black gum, oak, carya...) and the magnolia forest (magnolia, oak, holly and American beech on the higher ground, and bald cypress, maple and epiphytic plants in the swampy lowlands).
In the swamp region, willows line the bayous covered with water hyacinths. Accidentally imported from South America, water hyacinths are dangerous for boat propellers and choke the local flora. For this reason, the authorities sprayed them with a powerful weedkiller to destroy them, with little result. The rot-proof bald cypress lives with its feet in the water without any problems. It is often covered with Spanish moss (named after the beards of colonial Spaniards). Not a parasite, it lives solely on air and water and is very soft to the touch. It was once used to stuff mattresses.
Drained soils favor cotton and sugarcane cultivation. Cypresses, elms and dwarf palms grow on marshy land. Water lilies, irises, hibiscus, honeysuckle, reeds, pines, pecan trees, oaks, beeches, bamboos, gum trees, city flowers and field flowers abound. The magnolia is the queen of Louisiana flowers. In full bloom, they fill Louisiana with their sweet fragrance. Azaleas are also a springtime flower that you'll see covering every Louisiana garden in brilliant color.
Observation and interpretation
Everywhere in Louisiana, interpretation and observation of local flora and fauna are at your fingertips, including state parks, wildlife preserves, refuges and conservation areas. We recommend the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge (where you'll see huge alligators) on the coast southeast of Lake Charles, the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas border or the Kisatchie National Forest north of Alexandria.
Other natural sites are well worth a visit: Grand Isle State Park in Grand Isle, located at the junction of Barataria Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, featuring over 11 km of white sand beaches, fairways and marshes, as well as being a renowned birdwatching site; Barataria Preserve in Marrero, a wetlands conservation site covering over 9,000 hectares, home to reptiles and amphibians and frequented by over 200 bird species; Jungle Gardens on Avery Island, a lushly vegetated garden that is also home to Bird City, a bird sanctuary; Atchafalaya Basin in Cajun country, an enormous swampy expanse of over 100,000 hectares renowned for its cypress and black gum forests, waterfowl habitat, countless migratory birds and famous alligators.
Speaking of alligators, they are undoubtedly Louisiana's star attraction. Swamp tours, offered in abundance in Greater New Orleans and Cajun country, offer the chance to see them up close, although this is never guaranteed. It's also worth noting that they are less common in winter, when they enter a lethargic state similar to hibernation. You can also admire them and learn more about them at Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery in Covington, Kliebert & Sons Gator Tours in Ponchatoula and Gator & Friends in Greenwood, three fun and interactive attractions that will delight young and old alike.
If you'd like to meet animals from near and far, Louisiana boasts a number of interesting sites, starting with the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, which turns the spotlight on the various species that inhabit the waters of the Americas. In the southwest of the city, the Audubon Zoo is a must, especially for its habitats such as the Louisiana swamps or the jaguar jungle, or to see the mysterious white alligators up close. Bonus: the zoo is located in the heart of Audubon Park, one of the best birdwatching spots in the Greater New Orleans area.There's also the Alexandria Zoo, in the Crossroads area, where you can meet some 160 species from the four corners of the globe, or the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, north of New Orleans, where the animals are here in total freedom while visitors discover them on a guided safari. You can even feed them!
