Just a few days ago one of my wildest dreams came true: I visited the Florida Everglades National Park! This incredible park is home to hundreds of animals including over 50 species of reptiles!
I wasn’t alone on my journey. I was lucky enough to have some of my best friends join me. They had never visited the park either, so none of us knew what was in store.
We decided to travel the Everglades via airboat! This is truly the ONLY way a person can experience first-hand the amazing wildlife the Everglades is home to. We named our captain “Crazy Bill!” Here he is interacting with what looks like a hungry bird.
Just minutes into the wetlands we came across Florida’s most infamous reptile: The American Alligator. It is estimated that the Everglades is home to over 1 million alligators!
The Anhinga or Snakebird can dive underwater in search of prey for several minutes. We were lucky enough to see one dive and re-appear with just its neck sticking out like a snake ready to strike.
My favorite memory of the Everglades was seeing baby alligators out in the wild. We saw at least three youngsters. They are extremely hard to spot due to their disruptive camouflage.
Not far away was mama basking on the bank! Baby alligators will stay with their moms up until three years of age. I was incredibly shocked on how tolerant the animals were of the airboat. “Crazy Bill” stated that most of the wildlife has grown accustomed to them.
Words cannot explain how incredible our journey was into the Everglades National Park. Apparently, I’m not the only person who feels this way. The park is visited by nearly one million people annually. If I could recommend a place for someone who enjoys wildlife, the outdoors, or adventure; I would recommend the Everglades. Until next time- Corbin PS: Find the turtle in the picture.
