Even though we really hated to leave the Keys, we knew we must. Our next adventure lay just ahead at Everglades National Park. This park covers only 1/5th of the 1.4 million acres that make up the Everglades. The entire Everglades ecosystem is basically a giant; slow-flowing river that is 50 miles wide but only a few inches deep.We camped at Long Key Pine campground. This quiet and peaceful park, surrounded by tall pines, as the name suggest, has large spacious sites, and although it is only boondocking, there is access to water and a dump if needed.
This national park contains several hiking and biking trails, an informative visitor center, and very interesting and educational ranger led activities, tours and talks. We found it to be a paradise for wildlife, with a wide range of fauna, including 400 species of birds.
We spent one of our days on a 5 hour car caravan, as 2 rangers walked us through hardwood hammocks, onto numerous boardwalks, explained the history, gave us several opportunities to view many alligators and several species of birds, as well as, informed us of the threat from the disrupted flow of water from Lake Okeechobee. They explained how easily the lack of water could prove to be disastrous to this delicate ecosystem if it is not maintained. To our surprise we discovered just how diverse the everglades are, and learned so much more than we could ever have imagined.
Our biggest surprise came in the form of an unwelcome, non-native inhabitant of the park, a 15 foot Burmese Python.
Apparently, these snakes have been let loose by their owners when they became to large to be kept as "pets". Unfortunately, their numbers have exploded to over 5,000 and pose a serious threat to the native wildlife in the Everglades. When one is found it is killed and that is where our story begins. At one stop our ranger had just explained to us the problem with the pythons and what the park was doing to eradicate these snakes. Not 5 minutes later our group came upon one beside the road. Frank asked the ranger if he would like him (Frank) to run over the snake with his car. The ranger's response was YES!! And Rambo Frank was all business as he roared into action, and took dead aim at the reptilian. Oh my gosh what a sight to see, we were all quite amazed by the shock and awe as the boa constrictor and the Jeep collided. I'm not sure who was more in shock, me, Frank or that snake as he quickly retreated. Oh well I guess the snake won this battle.
This national park contains several hiking and biking trails, an informative visitor center, and very interesting and educational ranger led activities, tours and talks. We found it to be a paradise for wildlife, with a wide range of fauna, including 400 species of birds.
We spent one of our days on a 5 hour car caravan, as 2 rangers walked us through hardwood hammocks, onto numerous boardwalks, explained the history, gave us several opportunities to view many alligators and several species of birds, as well as, informed us of the threat from the disrupted flow of water from Lake Okeechobee. They explained how easily the lack of water could prove to be disastrous to this delicate ecosystem if it is not maintained. To our surprise we discovered just how diverse the everglades are, and learned so much more than we could ever have imagined.
Our biggest surprise came in the form of an unwelcome, non-native inhabitant of the park, a 15 foot Burmese Python.
Apparently, these snakes have been let loose by their owners when they became to large to be kept as "pets". Unfortunately, their numbers have exploded to over 5,000 and pose a serious threat to the native wildlife in the Everglades. When one is found it is killed and that is where our story begins. At one stop our ranger had just explained to us the problem with the pythons and what the park was doing to eradicate these snakes. Not 5 minutes later our group came upon one beside the road. Frank asked the ranger if he would like him (Frank) to run over the snake with his car. The ranger's response was YES!! And Rambo Frank was all business as he roared into action, and took dead aim at the reptilian. Oh my gosh what a sight to see, we were all quite amazed by the shock and awe as the boa constrictor and the Jeep collided. I'm not sure who was more in shock, me, Frank or that snake as he quickly retreated. Oh well I guess the snake won this battle.
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