Everglades Wildguide - free ebook by Jean Craighead George

Everglades Wildguide

by Jean Craighead George Illustrations by Betty Fraser The Natural History of Everglades National Park, Florida Produced by the Division of Publications National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, D.C. 1988...

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About This Book

Here is the story of the plants and animals of the Everglades, this country’s subtropical kingdom. Plants and animals found nowhere else in the 50 states are found here in abundance, though in an increasingly perilous state. In this handbook, first published in 1972, author and researcher Jean Craighead George brings to the telling of this story long years of study and understanding. Checklists and glossaries at the back buttress her account of the natural history of this national park. National

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PREFACE

The shimmering waters of the everglades creep silently down the tip of Florida under warm subtropical skies. In a vast, shallow sheet this lazy river idles through tall grasses and shadowy forests, easing over alligator holes and under bird rookeries, finally mingling with the salty waters of Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in the mangrove swamps . From source to sea, all across the shallow breadth of this watery landscape, life abounds. Everglades National Park is to most Americans an Eden w

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Pine Rockland

Entering the park from the northeast, you are on a road traversing the pineland-and-hammock “ridge.” This elevated part of the South Florida limestone bedrock, which at the park entrance is about 6 feet above sea level, is the driest zone in the park. Pine trees, which will grow only on ground that remains above water most of the year, thrive on this rockland. There is another condition essential to the survival of the pine forest in this region—fire. We usually think of fire as the enemy of for

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Tree-island Glades (elevation: 1 to 3 feet above sea level)

PIG FROG one-third life size GREEN TREEFROG one-third life size SQUIRREL TREEFROG color variation Beyond the pinelands the road, having descended some 2 feet from the park entrance, brings you into the true everglades —the river of grass, or, as the Seminoles call it, Pa-Hay-Okee (grassy waters). To the eye, the glades look like a very flat, grassy prairie broken by scattered clumps of trees. During the dry season (winter) it is in fact a prairie—and sometimes burns fiercely. The dominant evergl

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Mangrove Swamp (elevation: sea level to 1 foot above sea level)

PRAIRIE SEDGES BONEFISH Comes in with the tide to feed on crabs and mollusks in shallow water FLORIDA HORN SHELL Lives in shallow water and feeds upon algae and other aquatic plants ’COON OYSTER A small (1½″) oyster that lives attached to the roots of mangroves The southward-creeping waters of the glades eventually meet and mingle with the salty waters of the tidal estuaries . In this transition zone and along the gulf and Florida Bay coasts a group of trees that are tolerant of salty conditions

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Florida Bay and the Coastal Prairie

When you reach Flamingo, a former fishing village and now a center for visitor services and accommodations, you will be on the shore of Florida Bay. Here is an environment rich in variety of animal life, where porpoises play, the American crocodile makes its last stand, and the great white heron, once feared doomed to extinction, holds its own. The abundance of game fish in the bay has given it a reputation as one of the best sport-fishing grounds on the east coast. The bay’s approximately 100 k

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Big Cypress Swamp

To the west of the great fresh-water marsh called the everglades , lying almost entirely outside the park, is an ecosystem vitally linked to the park. Big Cypress Swamp is a vast, shallow basin that includes practically all of Collier County. It is commonly called “The Big Cypress”—not because of the size of its trees, but because of its extent. Most of the baldcypresses (which are not true cypresses) are small trees, growing in open to dense stands throughout the area. The swamp is watered by a

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Tropical Hardwood Hammock

Generally, in south Florida, hardwood hammocks develop only in areas protected from fire, flood, and saline waters. The land must be high enough (1 to 3 feet above surrounding levels) to stand above the water that covers the glades much of the year. The roots of the trees must be out of the water and must have adequate aeration. In the park, these conditions prevail on the limestone “ridge” (elevation of which ranges from 3 to 7 feet above sea level) and some spots in the glades region. On the l

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Cypress Head

Standing out conspicuously on the glades landscape are tall, domelike tree islands of baldcypress. Unlike hammocks , which occupy elevations, cypress heads, or domes, occupy depressions in the limestone bedrock—areas that remain as ponds or wet places during seasons when the glades dry up. Water-loving cypresses need only a thin accumulation of peat and soil to begin their growth in these depressions or in smaller solution holes in the limestone. TURKEY VULTURE Though most conifers retain their

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Bayhead

Bayhead Many of the tree islands in the fresh-water glades are of the type called bayhead. Growing in depressions in the limestone or from beds of peat built up on the bedrock, these plant communities contain a variety of trees, including swamp holly, redbay, sweetbay, wax myrtle, and cocoplum. Some of them, on the fringes of the brackish zone, are marked by clumps of graceful paurotis palms growing at their edges. Like the hardwood hammocks in the pinelands, bayheads are prevented from taking o

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Willow Head

Willows pioneer new territories and create an environment that enables other plants to gain a foothold. Their windblown seeds usually root in sunny land opened by fire and agriculture. Since these trees require a great quantity of water, the solution holes in the glades are favorable sites. Seedlings grow, leaves fall, and stems and twigs die and drop—contributing to the formation of peat . When this builds up close to or above the surface of the water, it provides a habitat for other trees such

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Web of Life in the Marsh

Around the stems and other underwater parts of the glades plants are cylindrical masses of yellowish-green periphyton . So incredibly abundant are these masses of living material that in late summer the water appears as though clogged with mossy-looking sausages and floating pancakes. Largely algae , but containing perhaps 100 different organisms, the periphyton supports a complex web of glades life. It is the beginning of many food chains in the fresh-water marsh . The larvae of mosquitoes and

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Alligator Hole in the Glades

Out in the sunny glades the broad leaves of the alligator flag mark the location of an alligator hole. This is the most incredible ecosystem of all the worlds within the world of the park; for in a sense the alligator is the keeper of the everglades . With feet and snout these reptiles clear out the vegetation and muck from the larger holes in the limestone . In the dry season, when the floor of the glades checks in the sun, these holes are oases. Then large numbers of fish, turtles, snails, and

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Air Plants

Long before you have learned to distinguish the major plant communities , you will be aware of the air plants—or epiphytes—that grow so profusely in Everglades . Epiphytes are non-parasitic plants that grow on other plants, getting their nourishment from the air. Best known is Spanish moss, which festoons the trees of the coastal South from Virginia to Texas; this plant is used by the swallow-tailed kite in constructing its beautiful nest. Despite its name, Spanish moss is actually a member of t

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Mammals

In the drowned habitats of Everglades it is not surprising to find water-bound mammals such as the porpoise; or fish-eating amphibious mammals such as the otter; or even land mammals, such as the raccoon, that characteristically feed upon aquatic life. But to see mammals that one ordinarily does not associate with water behaving as though they were born to it is another matter. The white-tailed deer is an example. It is so much a part of this watery environment that you will most likely observe

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SOME IMPORTANT EVERGLADES MAMMALS

South Florida is the last known refuge in the world for a sub-species of cougar known as the Florida panther. This large, beautiful cat is on the endangered species list. Today many groups and individuals are working to keep this predator a part of the environment . Their efforts have resulted in methods to assist panther recovery: lower speed limits and highway culverts and bridges, to mention only two. With continued assistance, the panther may remain a part of the Everglades for years to come

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Birds

LONG-LEGGED WADING BIRDS OF THE GLADES, FRESH-WATER SWAMPS , MANGROVE SWAMPS, AND FLORIDA BAY. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON LOUISIANA HERON GREEN HERON YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON From the pelican—whose mouth can hold more than its belly can—to the tiny hummingbird, the birds of Everglades National Park add beauty, amusement, excitement, and drama to the daily scene. Much more conspicuous than the park’s other animals, they can be enjoyed with no special effort. But a pair of binoculars and a field

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Reptiles and Amphibians

Everglades ’ most famous citizen—the alligator—is looked for by all visitors to the park, who may, however, be unaware that many other kinds of reptiles and a dozen species of amphibians dwell here. The American crocodile, less common than the alligator and restricted to the Florida Bay region, is a shy and secretive animal seen by few visitors. Similar in size and appearance to the alligator, it is distinguished by a narrower snout and a lighter color. Its habitat overlaps that of the alligator

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Fishes

“Fishing Reserved for the Birds,” says the sign at the beginning of the Anhinga Trail. Actually, the catching of fish in the fresh waters of the park is an important activity not only for herons, anhingas, grebes, and ospreys, but also for raccoons, mink, turtles, alligators ... and bigger fish. Not surprisingly in the drowned habitats of Everglades , even the smallest fish are important in the web of life. One tiny species, the gambusia, is of special interest to us. This 2-inch fish is credite

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Animals without Backbones

Insects are the most noticeable of the park’s invertebrates. (At times you may find your can of repellent as important as your shoes!) In all the fresh-water and brackish environments, insects and their larvae are important links in the food chains—at the beginning as primary consumers of algae and other plant material, and farther along as predators , mostly on other insects. Some insects are parasites on the park’s warmblooded animals (including you). The invertebrates most sought by visitors

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INDIANS OF THE EVERGLADES

Your first awareness of the south Florida Indians will probably come during a trip along the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41, the cross-State highway just north of the park). You will notice clusters of Indian homes close to the road. Some are built on stilts, are thatched with palm fronds, and are open-sided so that no walls hamper the flow of cooling breezes. Many of the glades Indians prefer to live as their ancestors did some 150 years ago when they were newcomers to the everglades . Others have adop

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Glossary

ALGAE : (pronounced “AL-jee”) A group of plants (singular: ALGA, pronounced “AL-ga”), one-celled or many-celled, having chlorophyll, without roots, and living in damp places or in water. BRACKISH WATER : Mixed fresh and salt water. Many species of plants and animals of marine and fresh-water habitats are adapted to life in estuaries and coastal swamps and marshes , where the water varies greatly in degree of salinity. Some animal species can be found in all three habitats. BROMELIAD : A plant of

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For Reading and Reference

Ashton, Ray Jr., and Patricia Sawyer Ashton. Handbook of Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida. Vol. 1, The Snakes ; Vol. 2, Lizards, Turtles and Crocodilians ; Vol. 3, The Amphibians . Miami: Windward Publishing, Inc., 1981-88. Bell, C. Ritchie, and Bryan J. Taylor. Florida Wildflowers and Roadside Plants. Chapel Hill: Laurel Hill Press, 1982. Cox, W. Eugene. In Pictures— Everglades : The Continuing Story. Las Vegas: K. C. Publications, 1989. Craighead, Frank C. The Role of the Alligator in Shapin

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Rare and Endangered Animals

Here is a partial list of the rare and endangered species and subspecies found in Everglades National Park and Fort Jefferson National Monument....

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Checklist of Mammals

More than 40 species of mammals are found in Everglades National Park. Many of them are species commonly associated with drier habitats that have adapted to the semi-aquatic environment that comprises most of the park. It is not uncommon to see whitetail deer wading through the sawgrass prairie or a bobcat foraging for food in a mangrove swamp . This list is made up of species found within the boundary of the park or in the immediate area. Species considered exotic to Everglades National Park ar

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Checklist of Birds

This is a complete list of the birds known in the park—347 species as of June 1, 1985—along with a key indicating the abundance and seasonal occurrence of each species. As noted in this list many birds are known in the park from only a few sightings. A few are exotic birds that have escaped captivity. Species considered exotic to Everglades Park are marked with an asterisk (*). Users can contribute to updating future lists by carefully recording details of their observations of less common speci

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Checklists of Reptiles and Amphibians

More than 50 species of reptiles, including 26 species of snakes and 16 species of turtles, have been found in Everglades National Park. The reptiles include, of course, the alligator, which is the symbol of the Everglades. Less conspicuous than the reptiles are the 18 species of amphibians that live here. Many are nocturnal. These lists represent species found within the park or nearby. Species considered exotic to Everglades National Park are marked with an asterisk (*)....

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Checklist of Trees and Tree-like Plants

A tree is defined here as a woody plant at least 12 feet high with a single trunk 2 inches or more in diameter at breast height. A tree-like plant is one with the general shape and size of a tree, but one which is not woody or otherwise fails to meet the definition. The arrangement of families is generally the same as that of Small’s Manual of Southeastern Flora (1933) and Long and Lakela’s A Flora of Tropical Florida (1971). Genera and species are listed alphabetically in each family. Nomenclat

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Handbook 143

The National Park Service expresses its appreciation to all those persons who made the preparation and production of this handbook possible. Special thanks are extended to Frank Craighead, Sr., Pat Miller, Bill Robertson, and Saul Schiffman, who read the manuscript and provided much useful information. The checklists were compiled over many years by various members of the Everglades National Park staff. The Service also gratefully acknowledges the financial support given this handbook project by

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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

As the Nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering the wisest use of our land and water resources, protecting our fish and wildlife, preserving the environmental and cultural values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment of life through outdoor recreation. The Department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works

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