Everglades Wildlife

When taking a break from the excitement of Florida's Parks, there is no other place to go than the Everglades. This vast swampland is home to a huge variety of native wildlife and seems like a land time forget as you skim through the waters on an airboat. The wetlands cover a massive area of 4,000km, surrounding Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, so it's no wonder that this habitat is home to so many creatures.

If you're planning a day trip out on the Everglades, then you might want to keep your eyes peeled for these unique creatures, only seen in the swamps of Florida.

American Alligator

One of the main reasons to experience the Everglades is to see the American Alligator, the most iconic animal of this area. However, they can be quite difficult to spot as they often keep their whole bodies under water, leaving only their snouts and eyes above the surface. The common Alligators in the Everglades a noticeable by their Olive/Brown scales and round bodies that can reach up to 14ft for adults. Being the top of the food chain, Alligators usually eat anything they can get their teeth around.

It's easier to find Alligators at night as they are nocturnal hunters and sun bathe during the day to keep their body temperatures up as they are cold blooded. When you're on the lookout for Alligators at night, keep watch for the reflection of light off their eyes.

Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird reaching a height of around 140cm. You should be able to easily spot this bird in the day time due to its distinctive colours which stand out against the green backdrop of the swamps. Their plumage is a mixture of white and grey feathers and a bluish stripe across the top of their head. They can nest high up in trees, so if you look up, you may see one.

You can even keep an ear out for Great Blue Herons during their mating season when they are more vocal. Keep an ear out for a harsh croak.

Florida Panther

If you see one of these during your trip, count yourself very lucky as they are an endangered, shy species. They appear to have a tanned fur with black tips on their ears and tail.

As cubs, they look very different however. Florida Panther cubs have distinctly blue eyes and black stripes in their coat which they lose later on in adulthood.

Florida Panthers cannot roar and usually communicate through chirps, growls, hisses and purrs.

Osprey

This bird of prey is not necessarily native to Florida's Everglades, but can be observed as one of its inhabitants, usually migrating at certain times of the year. Reaching 60cm in height with a 2 metre wing span, you can usually see the Osprey circling high above deep waters in search of its next meal. Their diet relies on fish for the most part and the Osprey is a very efficient hunter grasping its prey and pulling it out of the water. However, the Osprey would become cumbersome carrying a huge fish in mid-flight, so with one talon it grabs the fish's head and in the other, the tail. This puts the fish in a headlong streamlined position, making it easier for flight.

So when taking a break from Orlando attractions for a visit to nature make sure to keep your eye out for these amazing creatures to see a part of the real Florida.

Richard Skidmore
FloridaTix - Online Markeing Manager

Since 1996 FloridaTix has been the UK's leading supplier for Disney tickets, Universal tickets and many more Orlando tickets. We are an authorised broker of all attractions, theme parks, shows and sightseeing tours offered on this site so we can guarantee you the best possible holiday experience at the best possible price.

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Kayak In A Tropical And Spectacular setting - Everglades Kayaking

If you're heading to Florida and enjoy kayaking, make sure to find the Ten thousand Islands on the southwestern tip of the state. Here you will enjoy the many wonders of the Everglades This tropical location is one of the greatest US destinations for paddling! Located near the southwestern tip of the state one can enjoy a wide variety of local and exotic animals such as Alligators and tropical birds. This area also holds many rare tropical trees not found anywhere else in the US like Rainbow Eucalyptus and Plumeria. After a little sight seeing its time to get out for some exciting everglades kayaking.

Don't expect to go to this area and find thousands of islands awaiting your enjoyment. There are hundreds of them, but not thousands. Most of these are not suitable for camping or hanging out. Yet, there are some great islands with beach shorelines, such as Tiger Key. So even though the name suggest thousands of islands, there are really only a few hundred or so, most being unusable.

If you don't have good navigational skills, make sure to bring someone along who does. Within this mangrove wilderness lies a web of bays, creeks, and channels in which it is all too easy to lose your way. Get a waterproof NOAA marine chart before leaving out on this Everglades kayaking trip. Don't consider carrying anything other than a waterproof chart. Of course, you will want a compass to make sure you can get back on the right path if something happens. Plus, I would highly recommend taking a (waterproof) GPS receiver. Naturally, you should know how to use all these navigational tools.

Chokoloskee Island is a great place to go for a day or weekend if you enjoy fishing, relaxing and everglades kayaking. When you want to enjoy some relaxation time on the island you can kick back and sink your pole into the water to catch a wide variety of fish. The island is big on relaxation and fishing, since they are blessed with redfish, tarpon, sea trout, snook, and many other types of fish. There are many paddling trails in the area and you can head out for multiple day trips by kayak and canoe.

This is not Disneyland. This is true wilderness and there are precautions that a kayaker needs to be aware of. The powerful sub-tropical sun can cause severe sunburn. Be sure to take sunscreen and have protective clothing (hat, long pants, and long-sleeved shirt) available when you need it. Since all the water in the area is saltwater, all you will have access to is what you bring with you. Everyone coming on your trip will need to bring a gallon of water per day spent in the area. Make sure to bring at least a gallon of water per person for every day that you plan on spending in this area of the Everglades. All the water in the area is saltwater, so even the raccoons are dying of thirst! They will chew holes through your bottles to get to the freshwater, so make sure to protect them at all times.

Sand flies and mosquitoes also inhabit this area, after all, this is the Everglades. You will need mosquito netting that also blocks out sand flies and of course enough insect repellent to keep your entire group comfortable. We visited the area in late may and, surprisingly, encountered very little in the way of mosquitoes.

As you probably know, canoeing and kayaking can be challenging and physically exerting at times.The Ten Thousands Islands is an exciting place to visit if you have those navigational skills and come prepared for the physical exertion of Everglades kayaking. The Ten Thousand Islands await you. Bon voyage!

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