So. Florida #2 - the Everglades - Airboat Fun

In part 2 of our south Florida trip blog, we're taking you to the Everglades. We flew in on a Thursday evening, and Friday (the day before the pet expo) we wanted to do something fun to celebrate Tom's upcoming birthday, so we took an airboat ride through the Everglades.

SAFARI PARK- We took the airboat ride at Safari Park on the Tamiami Trail. We recommend it! 

Safari Park

Lots of alligators

Alligator close up

ALLIGATORS and CROCODILES -  It was a 30-40 minute ride and we had a very informative driver. We learned that Alligators are native to the Everglades, but some Crocodiles have been brought in from Cuba and other places. Alligators have rounded snouts while Crocodiles have no tongue and pointy snouts. Alligators mainly live in freshwater habitats, while Crocodiles live in salt or brackish water habitats. 

An Egret in the Everglades

   Color differences 
Alligators are black to dark grey in color while crocodiles are a green-grey color.
 Are crocodiles and alligators aggressive?   
Both crocodiles and alligators are wild animals whose behavior can be unpredictable. Generally, crocodiles tend to have a flight or fight response. They encounter humans less frequently than alligators but have been known to be a bit more aggressive when provoked.

Saw grass

  Alligators that have been fed associate people with food and may exhibit more aggressive behavior around humans. Feeding or harassing alligators is a criminal offense as it can ultimately result in harm to the alligator, humans or both.

    How large do alligators and crocodiles get?
An alligator's maximum size average is around 12 feet, which is common in older alligators, but not many are found of this size in the park. Most large gators we will see in the park are between 7 to 10 feet. Crocodiles grow a bit larger than
  alligators, maximum size around 13 feet.

The airboat

SAWGRASS - Another interesting fact we learned was that a native American tribe lived in the Everglades and would use saw grass roots to drink water and stay hydrated. These are plants characterized by long, narrow (grass-like) leaves having sharp, often serrated (sawtooth-like) margins, and flowering stems 3 to 9 feet tall. When pulled out, you could suck on the root and get water.

Tom and Rob ready to go

 NEXT: PET EXPO PICTURES