How well do you know the Everglades?
Everglades National Park protects the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. Six questions, from easy to hard, with explanations.
Did you know?
- Florida Bay, at the southern edge of the park, is a shallow estuary dotted with small mangrove islands. It is an important nursery for fish, shrimp and lobster.
- The Anhinga Trail is named after a water bird that swims with only its neck above water and then dries its wings in the sun. Visitors often see anhingas perched with wings spread.
- Wildlife officials hold an annual Florida Python Challenge in which participants remove invasive pythons. Thousands of pythons have been removed from South Florida over the years.
A wilderness of water
Everglades National Park protects about 1.5 million acres of wetlands, mangroves, pine forests and coastal waters at the southern tip of Florida. It is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and a refuge for many rare and endangered species, from wading birds to sea turtles.
Many habitats in one park
The Everglades is not just a swamp. It includes freshwater sawgrass marshes, hardwood 'hammocks' on slightly higher ground, pine rocklands, cypress swamps, mangrove forests and the shallow waters of Florida Bay. Small changes in elevation and water level create very different habitats.
Wet and dry seasons
The Everglades has a wet season from about May to October, when heavy rains flood the landscape, and a dry season in winter and spring. During the dry season, wildlife gathers around remaining water, making it the best time for visitors to see birds and animals.
Birds of the Everglades
The park is famous for wading birds such as herons, egrets, ibises and roseate spoonbills. In the early 1900s, hunting for fashionable hat feathers devastated bird populations. Protection efforts helped some species recover, and bird watching is now one of the park's main attractions.
Protecting the water
Water once flowed slowly south across the Everglades. Canals and development changed this flow, reducing water for wildlife and threatening drinking water for millions of Floridians. A large restoration program aims to send more clean water through the system.
Exploring the park
Visitors can explore on boardwalks such as the Anhinga Trail, take boat tours from Flamingo or Gulf Coast visitor centers, or paddle long canoe routes. The Shark Valley area offers a paved loop for walking, biking or tram tours through the sawgrass.
Manatees and marine life
The park's coastal waters are home to West Indian manatees, bottlenose dolphins and sea turtles. Manatees graze on seagrass in Florida Bay and the Ten Thousand Islands area. Boat operators follow slow-speed rules in many areas to protect these gentle animals, which can be injured by propellers.