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Matt Ferraro

Miss Miller

Honors Biology

October 8, 2016

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for

attending todays tour of the Florida

Everglades. Today we will be showing all

sorts of different plants and animals that call the Everglades their home. Before we get started

though we would like to give you a brief preview of what you can expect.

Lets start out with some basic information on the Everglades. The Everglades are located

in the southern-most tip of Florida and you can find entrances to the park in Homestead, Florida,

Miami, Florida, and Everglades City, Florida. They span across three counties, Monroe County,

Miami-Dade County, and Collier County, and cover about 1.5 million acres. There are very

subtle changes in altitude in the Everglades, but on average the Everglades are only about twenty

feet above sea level. The everglades receive an average annual rainfall of about sixty inches (one

hundred fifty-two centimeters). Unlike the continental United States which has four distinct

seasons, the Everglades only appear to have two, the rainy and dry season. In the rainy season

which is typically summer, they experience warm, humid, rainy weather. In the dry season which

is typically winter, they experience mild, dry, and pleasant weather with an occasional rainfall.

Popular human uses for the everglades include recreational fishing, sight-seeing or nature

watching, biking, boating, camping, canoeing or kayaking, and many other recreational

activities. The Everglades unfortunately though has many threats to biodiversity and is
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commonly referred to as the most threatened park in the United States. Due to the growing

population of humans, the wildlife is running out of habitat space. Roads are taking over and

confining animals to certain areas and in the case of manatees they are being run over by boats.

All of these different threats will eventually start off a chain reaction that could affect all of the

wildlife. Endangered animals in the park include the Atlantic Ridley Turtle, Bachmans Warbler,

Bartrams Scrub-Hairstreak, the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow, the Cape Sable Thoroughwort, the

Florida Bonneted Bat, the Florida Leafwing Butterfly, the Florida Panther, the Green Turtle, the

Hawksbill Turtle, the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, the Key Largo Cotton Mouse, the Key Largo

Woodrat, Kirtlands Warbler, the Leatherback Turtle, the Miami, Blue Butterfly, the Red-

Cockaded Woodpecker, the Smalltooth Sawfish, the Everglades Snail Kite, and the West Indian

Manatee. Threatened animals include the American Alligator, the American Crocodile, the Arctic

Peregrine Falcon, the Eastern Indigo Snake, Garbers Spurge, the Loggerhead Turtle, the Piping

Plover, the Roseate Tern, the Stock Island Tree Snail, and the Wood Stork. Thankfully

conservation efforts have been taken such as the parks designation in 1934 and the Nature

Conservancy working to protect a 360,000 acre section. Disney has also funded a 11,500 acre

protected section. A 10 year plan has also been implemented in order to connect other protected

lands and waters to the park. Now that you know some of the basic information about the park,

lets get into the plants and wildlife.

Today we will see at least ten different species of plants! The first species is the White

Mangrove which is one of four species of mangrove found in the Everglades. They can be found

in tidal areas as well as around lagoons and they can produce fruit and saplings. They typically

grow in poor, salty soil and they have a unique ability to push salt out of their roots through a

system of pores. Our next plant is another type of mangrove known as the Black Mangrove.
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They have a very broad distribution in tropical areas and due to their thick roots they are

virtually impenetrable. They are native to salt marshes, serve as great nurseries for crustaceans,

and can grow anywhere from four to nine feet. Our next plant species is the Butterfly Pea. They

are very commonly used in food and color dyes as well as in medicine. They can found growing

wildly and are used to feed sheep and goats. Today we also will see cattails. They can grow

anywhere from three to ten feet tall and can be found in marshes as well as on the shores of small

ponds in water up to one and a half feet and they can grow and spread extremely fast under the

right conditions. Most people probably do not know that cattails are actually a plant that is

edible. Another plant that we can expect to see today is the White Water Lily which is a perennial

plant that grows in large colonies. They have leaves that are anywhere from six to twelve inches

in diameter that grow on thick stalks and float on top of the water, but their flowers are attached

to separate stalks. The Everglades are also home to the Brazilian Pepper, also known as the

Florida Holly. They are large evergreen shrubs that can grow up to forty feet tall and were

introduced to Florida in the late 1800s. They are salt-tolerant and can grow in most habitats.

Skunk Vine is also another plant we will see today and they get their name because they have an

awful, skunk-like smell to them. They are a woody vine that can be found on the ground or

climbing trees and can grow up to thirty feet long. We can also expect to see Saw Grass and its

tree equivalent, the Saw Palmetto Tree. Saw Grass has earned the nickname Everglades River

Grass because it is all over the shoes of the Everglades. It grows up to nine feet tall and has

sharp leaves that are like saws. They have thick underground stems that block the flow of water

and various animals use them for food and shelter. The Saw Palmetto Tree is a shrubby tree that

has branched and unbranched stems. They grow in a variety of areas and in some cases can be

the only shrubbery in the area. Lastly we will see a strong, resilient tree known as the Bald
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Cypress Tree. It has adapted to life in wet areas with an adaptation known as cypress knees

which are roots that come above the surface of the water that allow the tree to get enough oxygen

to sustain life in the water. Now for everybodys favorite part, the wildlife.

The Everglades is home to many different species of animals, but two of the most sought

after animals that people want to see are the American Alligator, and its close cousin the

American Crocodile, both of which are on the threatened animals list. American Alligators can

have anywhere between seventy to eighty teeth at one time, but they can go through over three

thousand in their life. Females grow to about 8.2 feet (2.6 meters) on average while males grow

to 11.2 feet (3.4 meters) on average. They are carnivorous animals that eat fish, snails and other

invertebrates, birds, frogs, turtles, and any mammals that get too close to the waters edge. They

can live to be about fifty years old once they are about four feet long they are safe from just

about everything except for humans and the occasional other alligator. American Alligators can

be found in slow moving rivers or freshwater swamps and unfortunately they are hunted for their

skin and meat. American Crocodiles are considered an endangered animal in nearly half of their

North, Central, and South American range due to overhunting. They are among some of the

largest crocs in the world with some Central and South American ones reaching a staggering

twenty feet long and some North American ones reaching thirteen feet long. Their diet is the

same as the American Alligator with the exception that they also eat crabs and insects. They can

be found in brackish river estuaries, coastal lagoons, and mangrove swamps. Although there are

laws in place to protect these animals, most countries do not have enough resources to

adequately protect them. Another reptile we will see is the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake,

the largest of the thirty-two known species of rattlesnakes at thirty-three to seventy-two inches.

They can be found in the Lower Coastal Plain of the Southeast (primarily Florida and Georgia)
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and they intend to inhabit dry sandy areas, palmetto or wiregrass flatwoods, pinewoods, coastal

dunes, or hardwood hammocks. They are accomplished swimmers and spend most of their time

coiled up in vegetation lying in wait to ambush prey. Today we also hope to see Floridas state

animal, the Florida Panther. These animals are extremely rare being on the endangered list. They

once flourished in Southeastern America, but the early settlers in the 1600s destroyed their

habitat and persecuted them out of misconception. They primarily feed on white-tailed deer, but

will also feed on feral hogs, rabbit, raccoon, birds, armadillo, and other animals. There are

currently only one hundred to one hundred eighty adult and sub adult Florida Panthers alive

which are the only known breeding population alive. The males ram while the females typically

stay in one place. The panthers prefer forests, prairies, or swamp habitats. Another endangered

animal that can be found in the Everglades is the West Indian Manatee. They are close relatives

with the elephant and the hyrax. They can be found in a number of areas including shallow, slow-

moving rivers, estuaries, saltwater bays, canals, and coastal areas that typically have sea grass

beds or other aquatic vegetation that flourishes. On average adults are ten feet long and can

weigh anywhere from eight hundred to twelve hundred pounds. They are gentle, slow-moving

mammals who spend most of their time eating, resting, and travelling and due to the fact that

they are mammals, they must surface to breathe. One type of bird that we will see today is the

Roseate Spoonbill. These birds are often confused with flamingos due to their bright pink color

and they use their oddly shaped bill to sift small food items out of the water. The oldest one

recorded was fifteen years ten months old and they prefer to live in swamp habitats and make

their nests in trees. They currently are not on the Birds to Watch List. Another type of bird we

will get to see today is the Great Egret, which is often known as a smaller version of the Great

Blue Heron. They hunt by hunt by wading in the water and stabbing fish with their long, yellow
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beaks. They were hunted nearly to extinction in the early 1900s which lead to some of the first

conservation laws among birds and they can be found in both freshwater and saltwater habitats

and they nest high in trees. They like staying isolated on islands from mammal predators that eat

their eggs like raccoons. Two types of fish that we will give you the option to try and catch at the

end of our tour are the Largemouth Bass and the Bluegill. Largemouth Bass are extremely

popular game fish in North America and can be found all across America along vegetation or

underwater structure, but they can also be found schooling in the middle of lakes. They can be

distinguished from other bass due to their dark green color and their upper jaw extending past

their eye. They eat a wide variety of fish, crustaceans, and insects and the current world record is

twenty-two pounds four ounces. Bluegill are a fish that is part of the sunfish family and are often

used as a fish for young children or beginner fishermen to catch. They are native to Eastern and

Central North America and are usually found in shallow water but head deeper as it gets hot in

the summer and they remain active over the winter. One amphibian found in the Everglades is

the Squirrel Treefrog.These little guys like swamps or floodplain forests and can be found on

trees, shrubs, or even modern objects like hardwood hammocks. They eat insects, spiders, and

other invertebrates. They are typically tan, green, gray, or brown. They are one to one and a half

inches long and breed from March to August. Another species of reptile that we have in the

Everglades are the Island Glass Lizards. They grow to fifteen to twenty-four inches long and

prefer drier habitats as well as sandy scrub habitats. A unique ability of the Island Glass Lizard is

that it can break off its tail and regrow it. They feed on insects, spiders, and other invertebrates

and are to be uncommon in most areas. One of the more well-known mammals found in the

Everglades is the River Otter. They make their burrows near the waters edge and can thrive in

river, lake, swamp, estuary ecosystems. They swim by propelling themselves through the water
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with their tails and flexing their bodies and they are a part of the weasel family. They primarily

feed on fish, but will also target amphibians, turtles, and crayfish. One of the less-known

mammals found in the Everglades is the Coati, a nocturnal omnivore that primarily feeds on

fruits, nuts, seeds, insects, birds, eggs, rodents, lizards, and snakes. Females live in groups of ten

to thirty known as bands and due to their small size they are often eaten by predators like

wildcats and crocodiles or alligators. An exotic species of animal found in the Everglades is the

Nine-Banded Armadillo, an invasive species in the Everglades. They are the only species of

armadillo in the Everglades and eat over five hundred different foods! They typically live from

seven to twenty years old and prefer warm, wet, and forested or grassland-like environments.

The last species of nimal that we hope to see today is yet another reptile known as the Florida

Mud Turtle. They can be found throughout Florida and are primarily found near small, shallow

bodies of water. Their shells are dark and unmarked and they grow to five inches in length. They

have earned the nickname Cow Dung Cooter. Due to the fact that they sometimes feed on

manure.

Thank you for listening to the preview of todays tour. We hope you enjoy the tour and if

you have any questions do not hesitate to ask one of our experienced biologists on board. Now,

without further ado, let your tour of Floridas Everglades begin!

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Work Cited

American Alligator. Smithsonians National Zoo. N.p, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

A-Z Animals.com. Coati (Nasua Nasua). N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

Basic Facts about Florida Panthers. Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 2016. Web. 25. Sept. 2016.

Bluegill. DNR. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.

Brazilian Pepper. NSIS: Gallery- Exotic Plants: Plants. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.

Cattails. Cattails. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

Everglades Plants. Everglades Plants. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. - 02 Oct. 2016.

Florida Mud Turtles. NSIS: Florida Wildlife. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

Great Egret. Identification, All About Birds. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

Island Glass Lizard (Ophisuarus Compressus). Species Profile. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

King, Matthew. Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) - Venomous.

Species Profile: Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adammanteus). N.p, n.d.

Web. 26 Sept. 2016.

Largemouth Bass. Freshwater Fish. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.

Van Der Neut, Marcus. The White Mangrove. Nature Foundation of Saint Maarten. N.p., n.d.

Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

Manatee Facts. Manatee Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

Nine-Banded Armadillo. National Wildlife Federation. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2016.
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Pwee, Timothy. The Butterfly Pea. Infopedia. Infopedia, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

Rocus, Denis and Frank J. Mazotti. Threats to Floridas Biodiversity. EDIS New Publications

RSS. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

Roseate Spoonbill. Life History, All About Birds. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2016.

Serenoa. Flora of North America. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.

Shapiro, Leo and the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce. Black Mangrove- Avicennia

Germinans. Encyclopedia of Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.

Skunk Vine. NSIS: Gallery- Exotic Plants: Invasives. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.

Society, National Geographic. American Crocodile- National Geographic. National

Geographic. N.p., n.d.

Society, National Geographic. Everglades National Park. National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web.

03 Oct. 2016.

Society, National Geographic. North American River Otter. National Geographic. N.p., n.d.

Web. 29 Sept. 2016.

Squirrel Treefrog. Department for Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. N.p, n.d. Web. 29 Sept.

2016.

Trees and Plants of the Florida Everglades. Garden Guides. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Oct. 2016.

The Nature Conservancy. Protecting the Everglades. N.p.,n.d.Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

United States National Park Service. Animals. National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the

Interior, n.d. Web. 25-29 Sept. 2016.

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United States National Park Service. Inventory of Threatened and Endangered Species in the

Everglades National Park. National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, n.d.

Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

United States National Park Service. Directions. National Parks Service. U.S. Department of

the Interior, n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2016.

United States National Park Service. Everglades Park Statistics. National Park Service.

Department of the Interior, n.d. Web. 03 Oct. 2016.

United States National Park Service. Weather. National Park Service. U.S. Department of the

Interior, n.d. Web. 05 Oct. 2016.

White Water Lily, Fragrant Water Lily. Aquaplant. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016.