Florida Wildlife

If you have been to Orlando more than once you may feel like doing something completely different from visiting all the theme parks. Are you interested in wildlife?

If so, Florida has an abundance of exotic wildlife much of which you will be able to see from you villa’s back yard. But to really appreciate all that Florida has to offer in the way of wildlife you will need to go and look for it. So pack a picnic and off you go.

Among its unique species is the alligator. Mainly found in Florida swamps, rivers, canals and lakes, these creatures can grow up to 15 feet long and bite with a force of 3, 200 pounds per square inch, nearly double that of the great white shark. (I learnt that snippet of information from a ranger in the Everglades). The Florida Everglades is home to one of Florida' s endangered species, the American crocodile. Although smaller in comparison you can distinguish them by their pointed snouts. Taking a boat trip on the Everglades will give you all this information that you can impress your friends with back home. (Who needs the crocodile diaries)!

To see the Everglades though, you will need to book a motel for the night as it is nearly down as far as Miami. Theoretically, if you left home early enough and don’t mind a very long drive, you could do it in a day, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Did you know that the state of Florida has more species of snakes than any other state in the United States? This information came from the Gatorland Zoo. If you' re curious about these and other Florida reptiles, yet would rather see them in a controlled environment, plan a trip to the Gatorland Zoo in Orlando or the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine.

Gatorland Zoo is in Orlando so will only take a few minutes to drive there. The snakes you will see there very rarely make an appearance near villas though so do not panic – you are most unlikely to be sharing your pool with one. They prefer to stay well hidden in the undergrowth – hence, golfers are told never to look for a lost ball in the undergrowth on a golf course, they do not like being disturbed! You will see Alligators being fed and watch them from safety in their natural habitat.

Bird watchers are in luck. Florida has a spectacular bird life. Species include songbirds, finches, larks, woodpeckers, ospreys and the American bald eagle. It is one of the main reasons we ask guests to put all their rubbish in dustbins as the vultures or buzzards are just waiting for a good feed from your leftovers which are not secure in a bin with a lid. The mess in the morning will not be very pretty.

Florida has numerous ecotourism hot spots to explore. With 11 National Parks and approximately 150 State Parks we guarantee eco and nature lovers will not get bored. Your management company should be able to help you locate some of these parks especially the ones nearest to Orlando.