Listed as an endangered species in 1973, the American Alligator was pulled off that list in 1987 and is more abundant than ever today. In South Florida, the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve ensure the Gator has a safe habitat to thrive in.
The seeminly docile reptile is, of course, cold blooded and must soak up all the sun it can, when it can.
The two alligators sunning in the above picture seem peaceful enough. They are lying just a few feet from the paved Anhinga Trail at the Royal Palm Visitor Center. This is a popular location, just inside the Everglades National Park and a short distance from Homestead, Florida.
The story here is that there is a park bench just to the left of closest alligator’s nose. Visitors continously posed on the bench with their fingers just inches from the alligator’s mouth.
Yes, there are very few incidents with alligators in South Florida. However, why tempt fate? Want a closeup picture of these beasts that can grow up to eleven feet long and can weigh up to 500 lbs.? Use your zoom lens!
I remember being at Hillsborough River State Park near Tampa, back in the mid-1990’s and coming across a huge gator. It was lying on a sandy patch on the other side of a slow moving river that was maybe 20 feet across.
After watching this thing sit motionless for several minutes, I started to wonder if it was a fake planted by the state park people. The ground was full of pine cones, so I picked up a few and began tossing them across the river. A few came close with no reaction from the alligator. About three or four pine cones in, one came within an inch of his snout. That gator thrashed like you wouldn’t believe, mouth wide open and ready to snap. Yes, you can awaken these giants.
This gator was swimming across a pond along the raised boardwalk of the Anhinga Trail. We had the baby in the stroller and he was babbling away. Other than the birds squawking, he was the only noise you could hear. It made us a bit nervous as one of the gators (not this one) swam clear across the pond (a few hundred feet) and stopped directly below the stroller.
Here’s the video:
There are few things that will intimidate and send shivers down your spine than the sight of an alligator’s eyes poking out of the water.
Although I was using the zoom, I was only a feet above this guy. It was getting late and wanted something unique. There is a dead end on the Anhinga Trail boardwalk that overlooks an area where all the gators gather. There were so many people crowding this section and I couldn’t get great views but this guy was off on his own so I was able to take as much time as I wanted with him.
The view at the above mentioned dead-ended boardwalk on Anhinga Trail. I had to lean out over the edge of the railing just to see around the crowd of gawkers.
A good view of the chompers.
You don’t need to get right into the Everglades National Park to see gators. This one was along highway 41 in the Big Cypress National Preserve. There are several viewing points along the highway and there is no charge. This guy is taking in the late day sun across a ditch.
If you’re in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area, a great bang for the buck is heading west along Alligator Alley. The toll is $3 and that will take you clear across to Naples. Along the way, there are several access points for boaters. The parking is free – there are no services – and the waters are teeming with life. Big birds and alligators are literally everywhere.
