A preserved fauna: the birds
The name Everglades has always been associated with birds. The vast, warm Everglades River has attracted them for hundreds of years. In the park, you can see and hear nearly 400 different species, including 16 species of wading birds, 200 migratory birds and birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, kites and owls. In the Keys, you may encounter the great white heron. Standing 5 feet tall, this local star is dressed in white with a yellow neck and yellow-gray legs. There are more than 2,000 of them in the area. They feed on fish but can also be satisfied with small birds. Egrets are also numerous in the Keys. You can easily identify the American egret, about 1 m high, by its black legs and yellow bill. At the turn of the century, many of these birds were shot for the feathers they grow during the breeding season.
In the Everglades: reptiles and amphibians
Reptiles and amphibians are animals whose body temperature changes with their environment. Everglades Park, with its subtropical climate, is an ideal place for these creatures. There are nearly 60 species of reptiles and amphibians, including 26 snakes, 16 turtles and several lizards. Often they are heard more than seen, because they come out mostly at night or are very well camouflaged.
Many of the turtles seen in the park live in the freshwater marshes and ponds. The most commonly encountered are the Striped Mud Turtle along the Anhinga Trail, the Peninsula Cooter in Shark Valley, and the Florida Red-Belly in freshwater marshes, ponds and waterholes. If you are walking on a trail through the Pinelands or a hammock and see a turtle swimming along the bank, it is probably a Florida Box Turtle.
Many of the snakes that inhabit Everglades Park are able to survive in the water. The Striped Crayfish Snake is considered the best swimming snake in Florida. But you won't have much of a chance to see it unless you look for it among the marsh plants in the northern part of the park. Much more common is the brown water snake, most frequently seen along the Anhinga Trail. It is often mistakenly confused with the Florida cottonsmouth, which is venomous, unlike the water snake.
Alligator or crocodile: how to tell them apart?
We often put crocodiles and alligators in the same bag. Big mistake: the alligator belongs to the alligatoridae family. There are two species: the mississippiensis, which lives in the southeastern United States, and the sinensis, which haunts the Yangtze River valley in China.
The crocodile (family Crocodilidae) is an animal of the tropics, so it is found in Africa, Asia, Australia and America. The most famous are the Nile crocodile and the estuary crocodile. If they are so famous, it is because they like to devour unwary swimmers.
In addition to the habitat which is not the same, these two reptiles have some small physical differences. The alligator has a flatter, wider mouth than the crocodile. Both, however, like to show off their impressive teeth: even with their mouths closed, four impressive teeth remain visible. Both species use them in the same way, to grab and tear, not to chew. When they catch a prey, these reptiles wait until it decomposes before swallowing it whole. Another difference is that the alligator hibernates while the crocodile remains active all year round!
The Keys: a variety of ecosystems
The mangrove is made up of tropical trees that have adapted to a seawater environment. The tangle of roots and the purity of the water offer only an apparent calm because the mangrove is the habitat of an abundant fauna and the breeding ground for hundreds of species of fish and other marine animals. But the mangrove not only allows the development of species, it also helps stabilize the coastline and ensures, thanks to the debris and silt accumulated, a filter function of land pollution.
The only North Americancoral reef is located about 10 km off the coast of Miami, in the Dry Tortugas, in waters no deeper than 3 m. Throughout the reef, there are more than fifty species of corals, representing 80% of all coral species in the tropical West Atlantic, and over 150 species of fish. Coral reefs are the most animated areas of the marine environment, with a wide variety of fish and marine mammals.
Geologists have identified over 300 springs in Florida. Their calcium-rich waters are indicative of a very long journey in contact with limestone and salt-laden rocks. Aquatic plants are a fundamental component of this ecosystem because they are the basis of the nutrient network for the animals that live in and around the river. They also provide sites for birds to build their nests or safe areas for small fish to develop.
National parks
Florida is home to three coastal national parks.
The most famous of them is of course the Everglades, east of Miami and west of Tampa, in the south of the state. This park welcomes more than one million visitors per year. Created in 1947 and classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, these eternal swamps occupy nearly 607,000 hectares. It is a gigantic swamp invaded by the mangrove, under a subtropical climate, with a biodiversity unique in the world: many animal and plant species are protected, including large populations of birds. The Everglades is also the only place in the world where manatees live in harmony with alligators, crocodiles and sharks. To get a bird's eye view of this unique environment, you can go to the top of the Shark Valley Observatory Tower. This concrete structure is the highest point of the park with its 14 meters high. Its 60's architecture is worth the detour, although its main asset is the plunging view offered on the surroundings.
Southwest of Miami to the Keys, you can explore the Biscayne National Park which covers about 70 hectares and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors per year. Bordered by the turquoise waters of the Atlantic, it is home to a multitude of islets that are refuges for birds of the subtropics. Dolphins, sea turtles and tropical fish are all pretexts for diving or cycling. Six shipwrecks await you, ready to be explored.
The least known but certainly the most exotic: the Dry Tortugas, which are a cluster of eleven sandy islets, located 112 km west of Key West. A national park since 1992, it covers a total area of 261 km2 and welcomes more than 75,000 visitors per year. Known for its exceptional marine fauna, the place is also famous for its legends of gold-filled galleons that were sunk in the area. Snorkeling is the best way to enjoy the crystal clear waters and the numerous coral reefs. In the middle of the ocean stands a beautiful fort built during the Civil War, one of the largest in the USA. The entrance fee is 17 dollars (valid for 7 days). There are two ways to get there: by ferry from Key West or by seaplane.
