We drove south of Miami and out to another Everglades visitor center today - saw a movie about the Everglades and then explored Royal Palm. There is a boardwalk loop trail that provides a wonderful tour of the ecosystem. The area is "teeming" with wildlife - birds, alligators, turtles, snakes, fish, insects and plants. Spring is a great time to be here because there are no bugs - yet! It is mating season for the alligators and we could hear them "bellowing" through out the swamp. On our way out of the park we saw a car parked along the side of the road with people taking pictures - we had to stop and see what the attraction was - a mother alligator and about 30 baby alligators in a shallow pool!
They have a huge problem with python snakes in the Everglades and south Florida. Apparently, someone let a pet python into the swamp and they have multiplied rapidly. The ranger told us the females lay 100-150 eggs at a time. Florida had a month long "open season" for hunting them - gave out 800 permits and only 67 were captured/killed. I say they pay a bounty and let anyone interested hunt them anytime for money!!
Believe it or not, you can take a 14 day canoe trip through the Everglades and camp out along the way! Or, you can go "slogging" with a ranger - this is hiking in the swamp - for those "adventurous individuals who don't mind walking through mud and water." Didn't hurry to sign up for either of those outdoor activities! Viewing it from the safety of the walkway was close enough for me!
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| Not sure whether they peck the cars or poop on them!! |
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| An "Anhinga" - they dive and spear fish with their sharp beak then they spread their wings to dry them so they can fly. |
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| We watched this turtle lay some eggs and then cover them with dirt using her hind legs. |
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| We laughed at this sign - a little different than the 7,000 feet passes out west! |
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| Momma alligator and her babies |
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| An "airplant" in full bloom |
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