Reptile & Amphibian Forums

...This summer I am taking at least a week maybe 2 week long camping trip in florida... Ok here is my question were is a good place with lots of "backcountry" to check out and canoeing with plenty of herps around especialy gators may even go down towards everglades and stay there also, one more where is a good place to see the Caimans that are now establishing them selves
Thanks in advance
Tony
East Tennessee
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Tony Collins
The Croc Page
"Life is to short to have regrets"

Definitely the Everglades. Some caimans were killed in Holiday Park in the Everglades, so I would check around there. Am crocs can be seen at the Flamingo boat loading ramp. Gators are everywhere in FL, you can't really miss 'em! Caimans are also around Homestead military base, but I'm not sure if you can get around there. There are lots of canoe trails, airboat tours, etc in the Everglades. Even if you don't take an airboat tour, if you happen to find a good guide, he might tip you off to a specific location for caimans. I know they are in Dade and Broward counties, but the extent of established breeding is not widely reported. I believe they were trying to eradicate caimans for a time. Heck, you might see a Burmese Python or two as well...

Ya I went to the everglades several years ago and saw the American crocodiles at the boat launch (AWESOME) I have been to florida alot prob 30 time but it was when I was alot younger i am 20 now last time I went I was 15 (everglades) and then it was usual a couple days in a hotel with my dad (he would drop me off some times at some of the state parks and stuff) but this time I am just staying in a tent the whole trip and just wasnt familiar with that ya know, thank you very much for the tips I will put them to good use I have mixed feelings about seeing the caimans and burmese I would love to however I think its a shame they have been released the way they have destroying native wildlife
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Tony Collins
The Croc Page
"Life is to short to have regrets"

It really depends on what area of Florida you going to. If your going South Florida youll get the best of both worlds glades and coastal marshes. I live in the Miami are and once a month travel down through the keys. Along the way there are several great State parks with great manages trails which will give you some great photo opps as well as enjoy some great country with out getting too "country" Around the key areas you will be able to get to see both crocodiles and gators co-habitating. Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge was is one such park which protects critical breeding and nesting habitats for the endangered American crocodile and other wildlife. The refuge is located in north Key Largo and is currently comprised of 6,700 acres including 650 acres of open water. It contains a mosaic of habitat types including tropical hardwood hammock, mangrove forest, and salt marsh. These habitats are critical for hundreds of plants and animals including six federally-listed species.

Crocodile Lake NWR is unusual in that not all of the critical habitat areas are in a pristine, undisturbed condition. A large portion of the refuge was going to be a residential development complete with canals for boating access. The dredge-spoil from the canal system was piled up in berms on the banks of the canals and became an important nesting area for the federally-listed American crocodile. American crocodiles are fairly wide-spread throughout the tropics, however, in the U.S. crocodiles are only found in south Florida and the Keys.

The refuge protects one of the largest remaining tracts of tropical hardwood hammock which is a globally threatened habitat type. These diverse forests are home to hundreds of plants and animals including the federally-listed Key Largo woodrat, Key Largo cotton mouse, Schaus swallowtail butterfly, Stock Island tree snail, and Eastern indigo snake. These species require hammocks in order to survive. Unfortunately, most of the hammocks in Key Largo have been eliminated by development which has lead to considerable population declines in these already imperiled species