The Everglades National Park in Florida is one of the most fascinating places in the USA. This vast area of wetlands is completely unique with an unparalleled landscape that is home to some weird and wonderful wildlife.
If you are visiting Florida, you have to make time for a trip to the Everglades. In this area, you will be able to see some rare and endangered wildlife, while also immersing yourself in nature.
It truly is an experience unlike any other.
Should you want to visit the Everglades, then it is best to participate in a guided tour. This will give you the best chance to experience this beautiful area, while also remaining safe at all times.
So, let’s take a look at eight incredible animals that you might see in the Everglades.
1. American Alligator
First up, we have the American Alligator. If the Everglades is famous for being home to one animal, it has to be the alligator.
In addition to the American Alligator, the American Crocodile can also be found in the Everglades, but these creatures are much rarer.
There are more than 1.2 million alligators living in Florida, and it is estimated that more than 200,000 of these are currently residing in the Everglades.
So if there is one creature that you will almost certainly see in the Everglades, it is the alligator.
2. Banded Water Snake
Alligators and crocodiles aside, you have probably heard all sorts of stories about the snakes that reside in the Everglades.
Over the years, the Everglades have become home to a wide variety of snakes. But one of the most common is still the banded water snake.
The banded water snake is a nonvenomous creature that comes in a variety of colors. These snakes do not grow to be that large, but they can still be very intimidating if you encounter them.
3. Florida Gar
As the Everglades National Park is made up of wetlands, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a number of creatures that reside there are fish.
One of the most famous fish that has made its home in the Everglades is the Florida Gar.
The Florida Gar is a long skinny fish that can grow to more than 3 feet in length. They have pointed snouts and tend to reside close to the water’s surface.
This is why it is so common to see these fish if you make a trip to the Everglades.
4. Roseate Spoonbill
With so many different fish, insects, and small animals residing in the Everglades, it is understandable that a number of birds also tend to live in this area.
After all, the Everglades provides the perfect hunting ground for prey.
The Roseate Spoonbill is one of the most striking birds that you will ever encounter, with its large body, long beak, and bright pink coloring.
These birds feed on crustaceans, so you will often find them residing in areas of the Everglades where they can get easy access to these animals.
They are incredible birds, and very difficult to miss.
5. Dolphin
When you think of the Everglades, your mind will automatically think of crocodiles and alligators, it is unlikely that you will think about dolphins.
But, if you visit the Ten Thousand Islands area of the Everglades, you will almost certainly encounter these beautiful creatures.
In this area of the Everglades, you will often see dolphins playing together in the water. This is a popular area for dolphins to reside, and you will often see baby dolphins there if you visit on a boat trip.
6. River Otter
As well as the first five animals that we have looked at, which are incredibly common in the Everglades, there are a number of rarer creatures too.
Among these rare and wonderful inhabitants of the Everglades is the river otter.
There are a number of river otters that live in the Everglades, but it is very rare to encounter one while you are there on a trip.
This is partly because these creatures are nocturnal, and partly because they are incredibly feisty and ferocious.
River otters are fairly common across Florida, but if you want to see one, the Everglades isn’t the best place to go.
7. Burmese Python
We mentioned snakes earlier, and by far one of the most famous snakes associated with the Everglades is the Burmese Python.
This invasive species of snake was introduced to the Everglades after people started abandoning their overgrown pet snakes there, and it has been insanely damaging for the Everglades.
It is estimated that the Burmese Python population in the Everglades has killed off around 90% of the Everglades’ mammal population.
These creatures hunt at night, and have even begun to damage the alligator population in the Everglades due to the competition over prey.
Even though there is a massive Burmese python population in the Everglades, it is rare to encounter one as they are usually only active at nighttime.
8. Florida Panther
Finally, the Everglades is home to the Florida Panther, and this creature really is rare.
At most, it is estimated that there are 160 Florida Panthers left in the wild, and it is thought that a large amount of this population resides in the Everglades.
But, 160 is a really small population, so the chances of you ever getting to see one of these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat is rare.
If you ever do encounter one, you should consider yourself incredibly lucky because this creature is one of the hardest to find in the Everglades.
Summary
In short, there are lots of weird and wonderful creatures that reside in the Everglades. This unique area of wetlands is home to a wide array of creatures, including alligators, snakes, and panthers.
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
