Sharks and alligators in the water; bears, coyotes, and cougars in the forest; snakes, scorpions, and spiders…
The wildlife in the Everglades outside the noisy metropolitan areas is so rich that you don’t know who you will encounter next time or how it will all end.
Today I compiled instructions for surviving when meeting wild animals and talked to those for whom such a meeting ended with only a slight fright in the Everglades.
The continental part of the park is a swampy lowland with a unique ecosystem.
True, its maintenance is already largely artificial, and even swamps are now fed through a system of canals.
Once upon a time, the southern part of the peninsula was naturally moistened by seasonal runoff from Lake Okeechobee Park, located somewhat to the north.
Due to the relief, the water from the lake spread into a 50-mile-wide stream, nicknamed by the Indians the “river of grass.
Although the depth of this stream was small—knee-deep—it completely provided moisture to vast areas of southern Florida.
For thousands of years, a favorable environment has been formed here from swamps and tropical jungles, in the depths of which numerous species of birds live next to ancient reptiles, which today have become a kind of visiting card of the national park.
What is The Top Predator in the Everglades?
Bears.
Meeting a bear is a common thing in the Everglades.
Here is the story of Alina and how she met a bear once in the Everglades.
They entered the Everglades through the main eastern entrance. A narrow paved road crossed the entire park and went further southwest, to the Flamingo campsite.
Along the way, there were objects on both sides, for the sake of which tourists from all over the world rushed here.
Here they were called trails, or, in our opinion, “eco-paths”. They drove around 4 miles to the first trail, Ankhing, and entered the trail through a small gate.
Although there was still asphalt under their feet, they found themselves in a completely different world.
She and her friends walked the trailers that are scattered around the reserve, and tourists were completely immersed in nature.
Alina remembers the first meeting with the clubfoot as if it were yesterday; during the walk, the bear was a few steps away from her.
The instinct of self-preservation suggested how to be saved. She knew she couldn’t run, so she walked as fast as she could to the open veranda, close to her friends near the entrance.
She didn’t make any sudden movements. The clubfoot went his own way and did not follow the girl.
Are Alligators the Top Predators in the Florida Everglades?
No, Pythons are the top predators in the Everglades.
Alligators lie quietly along the road, moving as little as possible. Until they are disturbed.
These creatures, which strike fear into impressionable women and children, surround us everywhere: they walk along the reed fences; they watch from the thickets when you sail by in a boat.
Everglades Alligator Farm is the real alligator kingdom. Crocodiles and alligators of different sizes and colors With such a large number of bloodthirsty and vicious creatures, someone may feel uneasy. Scary?
You can go to spectacular shows in the Everglades and get rid of fear. See with your own eyes how a person manages to remove his palm from his mouth exactly one moment before the alligator clicks its jaws.
The alligator farm trip includes a river tour, a walking tour, and a visit to the show.
The walking route goes around a large pond. Crocodiles on the shore gradually dry up and look like frozen mummies with open mouths.
But this is a misleading impression. Sometimes inquisitive guests get too close and even try to grab predators by the tail. You’ll be lucky if the alligator chooses to flee.
What if he’s hungry? Mothers of cubs who are nearby are very dangerous. The route leads to a nursery for the smallest crocodiles, and then the guests visit the institution for larger individuals.
What is the New Predator in the Everglades?
Python is a new predator in the Everglades.
These large reptiles can reach 20 feet in length. They have decimated animals throughout the park, depriving alligators and panthers of food, and continue to threaten endangered species.
There are no natural “enemies” for them in the Everglades. There are tens of thousands of them. Over the past 2 years, at least 3,000 pythons have been removed from here, but this is still not enough.
How Likely is it to See a Python in the Everglades?
Most Likely.
Burmese pythons were not seen in the Everglades thirty years ago; now most experts agree that there could be between 100,000 and 200,000 of them.
And they are multiplying at an alarming rate. To stop this invasion, the government is paying hunters to catch powerful snakes that can grow up to 20 feet long, be as thick as a telephone pole, and weigh more than 200 pounds.
Are There Scorpions in the Everglades?
Yes.
As for scorpions, one visitor to the park encountered a venomous scorpion while leaving his car on the street. A car key fell out of his hands and rolled away.
When Jorsh leaned over it, he met “face to face” with a dark pink scorpion. He stung Jorsh right on the finger and jumped back.
The man killed the animal, but the finger was swollen and lost sensation. Jorsh jumped into the car and drove to the hospital. Within 40 minutes, he admits, the arm was numb to the elbow.
When he reached the hospital, he felt bad, and what happened next he did not remember.
After a few days, the discomfort disappeared, the finger began to bend, and everything returned to normal.
Should You Swim in the Everglades?
No, it is prohibited. Better do canoeing.
We, for example, went to take a canoe to sail along the lake, which bears an unusual name: Pond at 9th Mile.
There were no park employees on the shore—complete self-service. Even before launching the boat, no one gave us a course on safe communication with crocodiles. Apparently, they were counting on the common sense of the visitors.
The lake consists of several parts, separated by mangroves on the shallows. To get into the neighboring creek, you need to get out of the boat and drag it through a small jumper. Considering that alligators could lie anywhere in the thickets, this trick seemed rather risky, but we did it.
What Should You Do if You See a Python in the Everglades?
Try to leave the place as soon as possible, call the management of the park, and tell them where you saw a snake.
When you fight a snake, you only have one chance to properly grab it and keep it from getting killed.
Tommy Owen, 26, and his colleague Warren Wortman showed the family of four the sights of the Everglades National Park on an exciting canoe tour.
Curious visitors recorded the story of the guides and the nature of the park on a video camera when suddenly a woman sitting in a boat noticed a snake’s head swimming in their direction on the surface of the water.
The parents and two daughters expressed concern, but Tommy assured the tourists that there was nothing to be afraid of and boldly stepped into the water.
The guide, hoping to effectively overcome a small reptile, faced a serious opponent: a 10-foot python wrapped around the guy’s hand.
He put my hand into the water, giving the snake the opportunity to wrap itself around it so that later I could pull the animal to land. But when he succeeded, he realized that the python was much larger and stronger than he could have expected.
At some point, the snake bound his hands like handcuffs, and the thought flashed through my mind that he might not be able to cope with it.
Luckily, Wortman came to Tommy’s aid, grabbing the aggressive reptile by the tail. By joining forces, the Americans were able to cope with the python and earn a standing ovation from the audience, which mistook the fight for an element of the excursion.
Are There Anacondas in the Everglades?
No.
In captivity, the species has a reputation for being unpredictable and somewhat dangerous to humans.
In the United States, the import, transport, and sale of these species across state lines were banned in 2012.
Do the Everglades Have Crocodiles?
Yes, but they are rare here.
Many people are afraid of them, although there is no particular reason for this. Like any other animal, until their lives are in a critical situation, they will not attack people. In addition, they are afraid of attacking creatures larger than themselves, so people clearly do not fall into their weight category.
Are There Sharks in the Everglades?
Yes.
The shark line is named after its two rivers, the Shark River and the Little Shark River, nearby waterways that are home to several shark species.
Visitors to Shark Valley can spot alligators, turtles, and a host of majestic birds, including roseate spoonbills, great egrets, and bipedal cormorants.
The picturesque Shark Valley can be explored in many ways: by tram, bike, or on foot.