Everglades, Big Cypress, Biscayne National Parks

 Let's talk wildlife.  Southern Florida, obviously, has a dramatically different environment than what we are used to.  Although we do have mosquitoes in common :)





I am so thankful we didn't stumble upon an unwanted Everglades visitor, the Burmese Python. This one was found a few years ago.  People have let their pets free into the Everglades and they are destroying native animal species. Boo-Hiss

 This picture and several of the following were taken at Shark Valley Visitor Center.  So much wildlife so close to humans! The facial expressions are true to life; T and E are excited and I am holding on to my children fearing for their safety. I loosened up and began appreciating how close we could get to them without invading their space or vice versa.

Baby Alligators cuddling on the bank

Turtle

Our day at Biscayne was cold and windy so here is a photo of the wildlife we saw that day :)

Crocodiles

We saw gators throughout Southern Florida.  The only Crocs we saw, besides on E's feet were in the Flamingo Marina.  While there we also talked to a kayaker coming in from the Florida Bay.  We were also coming in from the same bay, anyhow he video taped a 10 ft shark next to his boat!  

We saw lots of Manatee tails.

There were several manatees living in the marina.  We saw tails and an occasional snout.  They were busy eating seagrass. 

Crab

Gull Army!

The Black Skimmer is a peculiar bird.  This one hangs out alone or with a flock of seagulls.  He rests his beak on the ground and looks almost dead.

I love this mural. It shows some of the beautiful animals in the Everglades.

The endangered Panter being ridden by the fearless T

James and the boys enjoyed taking pictures of the wildlife. It was hard to choose a few for this post.  I am astounded and saddened to know that the bird population in the Everglades has decreased by 90-95% from the late 1800's.  And now animals like Pythons and iguanas are destroying habitat.  It is amazing how much influence humans have on this planet and how we don't even realize it sometimes.  Being here has reminded us to be aware of our water use, think about the pets we may want to own and how they influence the environment around us, and of course not littering.  I challenge everyone out there to learn the life of the products they buy; where do they come from, who do they impact, and how it leaving a mark on the world that fits your comfort zone. I leave you with this gorgeous photo of a Heron, a bird that represents balance. May you find the balance you need.

taken by James Mobley