The explosion of wildlife at Everglades National Park in southern Florida will amaze and delight visitors. Thanks to a mix of temperate, subtropical, and tropical climates, this national park is a birder’s paradise, with more than 360 species of birds (so don’t forget your binoculars and camera when you visit), almost 300 species of fish, more than 50 reptile species (including both alligator and crocodile),17 species of amphibians, 40 species of mammals, and thousands of species of invertebrates from butterflies to dragonflies, spiders to scorpions, millipedes to centipedes. Thirty-six threatened or endangered wildlife species call Everglades home, including the Florida panther.

Seeing a Florida panther is a rare treat at Everglades National Park / NPS file

During your park visit, it’s practically a guarantee you will spot an alligator. If you are lucky, you might also see a crocodile, although they are rarer and more secretive. As a matter of fact, Everglades National Park is the only place in the world where alligators coexist with crocodiles, and it’s the only place within the United States where you can see a crocodile.

An alligator meet-up along the Anhinga Trail, Everglades National Park / ksblack99 via flickr

A toothy crocodile profile, Everglades National Park / NPS file

How can you tell one from the other? Look at the snout. Crocodiles have a narrow triangular-shaped snout, while alligator snouts are broader and they have darker skin. Alligators are typically found in freshwater habitats while crocodiles live in coastal, brackish, and salt-water environments.

Click here to read more about the crocodile.

Click here to read more about the species profile for the alligator.

Some more commonly-seen reptiles include turtles, lizards like the green anole, and quite possibly even a snake or two.

Raccoons, opossums, and white-tailed deer are some of the more often-spotted mammals within the park.

Manatees

Manatee / USGS via Flickr

One of the more popular and charismatic (yet unassuming) mammals living in Everglades National Park is the manatee. The park service describes this gentle “sea cow” best:

While some claim the West Indian manatee is ugly, with "a face only a mother could love," most people are drawn to this marine creature, describing it as homely and having the appeal of a plump grandmother with flippers like oven mitts, outstretched as if inviting a hug. Manatees may not win the gold in a beauty contest, but they definitely take the prize for popularity. Whether it’s their sad, puppy-like demeanor or their sluggish, gentle manner, something about manatees is awfully endearing.

Primarily herbivorous, manatees spend up to eight hours each day quietly grazing on seagrasses and other aquatic plants, though they will occasionally feed on fish. Manatees surface for air about once every five minutes, but can remain submerged as long as twenty minutes when they are resting. Their lungs are positioned along the backbone, which helps with buoyancy control. They swim by waving their wide paddle tail up and down, and because they do not possess the neck vertebra that most other mammals have, they must turn their entire bodies to look around.

Manatees can hear quite well, at least at high frequencies. This is likely an adaptation to shallow water living, where low frequency sounds aren’t transmitted well because of physical barriers. Their inability to hear the low frequency churning of an approaching boat might explain why manatees are susceptible to injury by boat propellers, a top reason for the decline in their populations.

Might you spot one of these creatures while you are boating or walking alongside a waterway? Perhaps. Normally solitary creatures, manatees live in waters above 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celcius) and will congregate in much warmer waters. They inhabit shallow waters and frequently entering tidal creeks to obtain freshwater for drinking and refuge during cold weather. Boat collisions are the primary cause of death for these inhabitants of shallow waters, followed by low reproductive rates and a decline in suitable habitat.

If you'd like to know more about these gentle creatures, you can listen to the Traveler's Podcast Episode 286 | Save The Manatee.

Invasive Species

Burmese python, Everglades National Park / NPS-R. Cammauf

A park the size of Everglades has its share of invasive species. Dull or colorful and sometimes very photogenic, the truth of the matter is that invasive species edge out the native animal species that call the park home. Burmese pythons are one such invasive now calling Everglades home. They are the most problematic of all the snake invasive species found here. Studies show they are probably the main reason there has been such a decline in mammals within Everglades National Park.

Lionfish are another invasive species.

Lionfish is a unique-looking invasive species in Everglades National Park / USDA-Bob Nichols

According to park staff:

Lionfish are a venomous predatory fish that was introduced into Atlantic waters as early as the 1980s. Lionfish have the potential to impact the marine ecosystems of south Florida. Preliminary evidence suggests that the proliferation of lionfish may diminish native species of commercial, recreational, and ecological importance. In addition, lionfish stings, though rare, are painful and occasionally result in serious injury.

The invasion of the lionfish is unprecedented, as it is currently the only known invasive marine fish recognized to have established itself throughout the Caribbean and the coastal waters of the southeastern United States. Management and control may require novel approaches, close coordination across jurisdictional boundaries, and assistance from the general public.

Why are lionfish such a threat?

Because they feed primarily on larval and juvenile fish, lionfish can significantly impact recruitment of commercially and recreationally important species in areas where they are present.

• Lionfish feed on a wide variety of fishes and crustaceans, competing directly with native predators, such as snapper and grouper.
• Lionfish consume great quantities of fishes and invertebrates and cause harmful ecological impacts if their numbers go unchecked.
• Lionfish can target herbivorous fish that graze on algae. Losing these important grazers may cause algae to overgrow coral reefs and reduce habitat for corals and sponges.
• As lionfish densities increase, so does the chance of encounters with people and the risk of envenomation.
• Because of the threats posed by non-native species, the South Florida Natural Resources Center of Everglades National Park has instituted an Invasive Animal Program. A similar program has been created specifically for invasive plant species.

Featured In The Traveler

Everglades National Park: Ground Zero In The Battle With Invasive Species

While much work and billions of dollars have been spent to restore the natural flow of the "river of grass" from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, a rejuvenation that should pay huge benefits to the park's flora and fauna, on-the-ground battles continue against invasive predators that have been robbing the park of its small mammals and nonnative vegetation that has overwhelmed portions of the mesmerizing sawgrass prairie.

To read more of this Feature Story, head over to this page.

South American Invaders Trying To Gain Foothold In Everglades National Park

Chicken eggs are pretty good chum, but alligator and crocodile eggs, sea turtle eggs, and even bird eggs are also high on the menu for black-and-white Argentine tegus, a lizard that arrived in Florida through the pet store trade and is threatening, along with other plant and animal species, to upend Everglades National Park's ecosystems.

Though probably not as destructive as Burmese pythons, another invader slithering through the park, tegus (Tay' goo) can grow to 4 or 5 feet in length, rob ground nests of their eggs, and quickly generate a population boom that challenges efforts to drive them out of Everglades.

To read more of this Feature Story, head over to this page.

After reading about all this amazing wildlife you might spot during a visit to Everglades National Park, it goes without saying you should keep a safe distance away from said wildlife, both for your safety and to keep from stressing the animals, some of which look pretty toothy. If you are watching/photographing birds, the recommended distance is 2-5 feet (0.6 – 1.5 meters). For alligators and crocodiles, you should keep 15-20 feet (4.6-6.0 meters) away from them.

For more details about Everglades wildlife, including species lists, click here.