You'll no doubt have chance encounters with our creatures, great and small. Follow this guide to wildlife sites and seasons, and you're sure to meet with success - and some real Florida natives.
An alligator can chomp down its toothy jaws with a 3,pound snap. This official state reptile averages six to twelve feet in length and can sprint with blurring speed. Alligators can be safely sighted at many of our parks and wildlife refuges, including Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge east of Titusville on Florida's east coast and Myakka River State Park in Sarasota on the Gulf side of the state.
They are most abundant during May, the peak of mating season. They are dormant and least likely to be seen in cool, winter months.
Crocs have narrower snouts than alligators, grow slightly larger and shy from human contact. Crocodiles inhabit salt or brackish water, unlike alligators, which prefer fresh water.
Breeding season is March through October. If at night you hear a sound like an elephant crushing palmetto fronds underfoot, chances are it's a five-pound armadillo. Because they lack the protection of a fur coat, they prefer temperate weather and burrow in extreme cold or heat.
In summer, they are most active during the cool of the evening, and in winter, during the warmest part of the day. Myakka River State Park in Sarasota is an armadillo family favorite and a good place to see the identical quadruplets that make up each litter. They are a subspecies of and the smallest of the white-tailed deer, and are only found in the Keys of southern Florida. They are more likely to be seen at dusk and dawn, when they are most active.
The pelican has a large throat pouch that holds three times more fish than its stomach. Brown pelicans are here year 'round; American whites are winter visitors.
These feathered friends flock to our beaches and waterways, and congregate in large numbers at the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. Florida's "real" pink bird has a brilliant fuchsia body with a bright red shoulder patch and a long, flat bill.
A roseate sighting ranks high in a birdwatcher's pecking order and occurs largely in South Florida, but also throughout the state in summer. The J. Sea turtle moms migrate great distances to return to nesting sites on both coasts, though most are located from Titusville to Sebastian Inlet. Tiny tracks leave telltale signs of turtle tikes on Florida's shores.
Sea turtles nest from May to October and may be seen on public turtle walks, mainly in June and July, throughout the state. When Christopher Columbus first saw a manatee, he thought it was a mermaid. These gentle vegetarians grow to ten feet long, weigh 1, pounds and are related to the elephant. You can get up close and personal on an organized dolphin watching cruise or dolphin swim program at an aquarium, like the one pictured here at the Dolphin Research Center in Marathon.
Dolphins are warm blooded, air-breathing mammals with communication skills and social style. They wear a perpetual smile and playfully frolic alongside fast moving boats. Dolphins are routinely spotted from our shores year 'round.
You can get up close and personal on an organized dolphin watching cruise or dolphin swim program at an aquarium, or see them at parks and sanctuaries from Northwest Florida to the Everglades. A national symbol since , this true American bird is the only eagle unique to North America.
The southern variety favors feathering its nest in Florida - we support more breeding bald eagles than any other state. They mate for life, building huge nests in the tops of large trees near rivers, lakes, marshes or other wetland areas.
If you're wild about cats you'll be fascinated by these beautiful felines. Aquatic land-lovers, Florida's amphibians comprise a delicate wildlife population especially sensitive to pollution; they require our protection for their survival.
Amphibians include frogs and salamanders. Some insects in Florida are nuisances but all insects in Florida are essential; even mosquitoes baby fish and dragonflies eat them. Serving as both predators and prey, insects are a staple in the diets of many wildlife species including fish, birds, snakes, frogs, and even mammals. Other bugs have been introduced as biological controls for Florida's most noxious invasive plants. Adapted to total darkness, several species of cave-dwelling troglobites live deep in the watery labyrinth of Florida's underwater cave systems or buried in one of several dry caves throughout the state.
Learn more about troglobites. In the air and on the ground, Florida's bird population has captured the attention of residents, tourists, and hunters for generations. Florida is home to a large number of avians. More than species may be counted in the winter months.
They include large populations of American eagles, turkeys, and song birds, wading birds, raptors, ducks and many more. Florida is well-known for hosting the most-productive fisheries in the US; fishing is a topic of interest to residents and tourists alike.
Because fish are a primary source of protein for wildlife and people, maintaining the health of Florida's fisheries and freshwater habitats is a primary concern in plant management work. Learn more about Florida freshwater fish.
Florida's subtropical climate is host to a variety of invasive plant species, and also to an increasing number of non-native animal species including parrots, iguanas, snakes, frogs, and lizards. Most of which, you will be happy to know, live outdoors, away from our villas. There are a few venomous spiders that inhabit Florida, all of which belong to the widow family, it is extremely rare to encounter any, so do not panic!
Although if bitten, you need to acquire immediate medical attention. You will likely encounter as many spiders in Florida as you would in the UK.
Palmetto bugs, a relative of the cockroach, are a common sight in this area but you will probably see more dead ones than live ones thanks to the monthly pest control that takes place in all of our villas. In all probability heavy rain has washed away the bug spray and it will just need reapplying.
Leaving food or drinks out, even tiny crumbs, will certainly attract these bugs so make sure you keep the kitchen area spotlessly clean at all times, particularly when going to bed for the night. Unfortunately Florida plays host to wasps in the warmer months. They are just as aggressive, and have a similar appearance as they have here in the UK. Wasps look for sugar, which means anything from fizzy drinks to ice-creams can attract these unwanted visitors, so if you spill anything, inside or outside your villa be sure to wash it away.
If you see a wasp nest being built near the villa doors or windows then please report them to the local management company, who will arrange a visit from a pest control expert. Moths vary dramatically in appearance and size depending on the species, common indoor moths are smaller than 2cm and visit purely for feeding, so try and keep in the habit of cleaning up after cooking and preparing food. They are small, black flies that fly around attached in pairs, one male and one female.
Lovebugs are absolutely harmless - they do not bite, sting, spread diseases, or eat trash. Most rest stops have windshield washing areas where you can clear their remains off the window! The aggressive, reddish-black insects often build their mounded homes in gardens.
Anyone who decides to sit on a Florida lawn may be in for a stinging surprise. If you do happen to be bitten by fire ants, apply a liberal amount of household vinegar to lessen the sting. There are various species of crane birds, but generally speaking adults are a light grey in colour, with long legs, neck and beak, with a reddish skin on their crown.
These birds migrate to Florida for the winter and can be found in large groups, however you may see them wandering aimlessly around your community, these birds are harmless and extremely docile, if approached will simply walk away.
One of the strangest birds you can see in this area, with a bright pinkish head, which resembles the head of a turkey, hence the name. The turkey vulture is a highly distinctive ugly-looking bird.
These scavengers love nothing better than ripping open garbage bags on collection day. The vulture is usually soaring above the ground, searching for food, using its excellent eyesight and excellent sense of smell. These birds play a vital role in the environment by removing animal debris that could cause the spread of disease. These odd-looking mammals are a common wildlife pest in Orlando.
Armadillos spend most of the time underground and dig burrows for their homes or to escape predators. However, they are harmless creatures and you are more likely to spot them in the evenings or during daylight in cooler months, as they are primarily nocturnal. Armadillos are the only mammals that have a protective armour, with bands around its midsection to allow it flexibility of movement for burrowing.
Despite their size, rarely do they swim deep in the water, and prefer to stay in shallow coastal coves and rivers. SeaWorld have their own manatees of which you can get up close to.
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