Land Of Air Boats, Gators and Panthers

Rick and I set out to explore more of our "backyard" and see what the vast wetlands that make up our Florida Everglades had to offer. I was born and raised in Florida and have taken for granted the unique environment I have always lived in. Florida is more than Disney World, sunshine and beaches and I wanted to see more of it.

So we set out on our journey to the Panther National Wildlife Refuge, which opened in 1989. The objective of this refuge remains the preservation of the Florida Panther, the last subspecies still surviving in the eastern United States. Initially, the 26,400 acre refuge was off limits to the public in order to protect endangered cougar subspecies. However, in 2005, by public demand, the refuge opened two short loop trails in an area lightly traveled by panthers. The trails give visitors a sample of the flora and fauna that grow wild in the "River of Grass" (a term coined by writer Marjory Stoneman Douglas to describe the Everglades). More like a "sea", the Everglades extends beyond what the eye can witness into prairies of fresh water, sawgrass and wildlife.

This complex system of fresh water begins mid-state Florida in the Kissimmee River in Orlando, and flows south to Lake Okeechobee, a huge freshwater lake. Water that leaves the lake during the wet season (May - October) creates a slow moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long that reaches Florida Bay at the southern end of the state.

Speaking of water flow...with this precious supply of fresh water comes the runoff of farms and commercial enterprise. To those who live in Florida, did you know that such contaminates as phosphorous (from fertilizers), mercury (from coal burning power plants) and sulfur (from industrial sugar cane processing) have been leaking into the Everglades for decades? The Refuge monitors these levels in the panthers through blood and small tissue samples taken from the radio collared cats that now number in the 40's.

To get to the Panther Refuge, we hopped onto I-75, which connects east and west Florida, and took I-75 (known as Alligator Alley in this area) across the Everglades. We kept a sharp eye for many types of birds along the way. Common sightings can include the Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill and the White Ibis...along with the Black Vultures (also called Buzzards) that continuously search for carrion.

  

Then there were the alligators, both in art (at the Visitor's Center along the Alley) and "in person"...lots "in person".

  

At one of the rest areas along the Alley, we stretched our legs and watched a man who called himself "Santa of the Everglades" launch his air boat which he named "Sportin A Woodie". Air boats are common in the Everglades due to their unique propulsion. The large, single airplane prop encased in a wire cage at the back of the boat lifts the boat and allows it to glide across the sea of grass. The noise level is so great that it requires protective headphones or earplugs. This "Santa" even had a television on board (notice it up front) that he claimed he watched football games on. 

  

  

Selfie in the glades.

Aquatic plant life galore.

At Mile Marker 80, we got off the Alley and headed north on State Road 29. We had entered the northern end of the Fakahatchee Strand located inside of the Big Cypress Reserve . The refuge trails were located on the left hand side about a half mile down the road on State Road 29.

There was a 1.3 mile trail that began as a crushed rock and shell path and evolved into a muddy, sometimes grassy hike. During wet season, this trail can become thigh-high under water and is closed when completely flooded. The second trail was 0.3 miles, wheelchair accessible and open year round.

  

Fires are a way of life in the Everglades. Would you believe that fire is critical to the survival of the pine lands and prairie ecosystems in the Everglades, which actually survive the fires and prosper from them? Whether controlled burns or wildfires, they are a purge of hammock species that would otherwise take over and cast shade with their dense canopies, killing off the pine lands and prairies. We saw the black char evidence of a wildfire we actually witnessed in June of last year which started from a lightning strike and blazed across 20,000 acres of brush.

  

Wild thistle

Our path led us over fields of grass and cabbage palm with pines spotting the horizon.

For those who aren't familiar with these...beware of fire ant hills! Not wise to step on one of these - the bites of these little monsters burn and sting...thus their name.

We spotted a deer print in the muddy ground (two toed imprint that looks like two rectangles on top of each other).

A bit of color - purple pods of berries called American Beautyberry. Black bears love them! Luckily we saw no black bears on our hike but they do live in this refuge along with grey fox, coyote and the Everglades Mink...to name a few.

  

Panther sightings are rare because panthers usually avoid human contact. However, our guide at the Panther Refuge showed us this photo taken in April, 2013 on private property by night cameras hidden in the brush. Magnificent!

This was a stillborn panther cub from one of the cats in the refuge. It was preserved to show what a real cub looks like. Amazing how it begins with so many spots which fade over time. 

Florida panthers, a sub species of the Puma (also known as Mountain Lion or Cougar), have evolved and adapted to their environment for survival. One example shown to us was their sinus cavity which has grown larger than other species to allow for more oxygen intake due to hot, humid Florida temperatures. We also were shown a distinct paw print of the Florida Panther in sand.

  

In all, our day was super educational and it was fun exploring more of Florida and a small part of this huge area of Everglades inducted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And to think all of this is right in my own "backyard". 

If you are interested in learning more about the Florida Panther, check out this website (complete with up to date blog) at: Florida Panther website

Want to learn more about the great state of Florida? Enjoy these links to more journeys on my blog: "Touring The Tamiami" or "Chokoloskee, Florida" or "Camp David".