The majority of the animals at Homosassa Wildlife State Park are rescued animals that are unable to survive in the wild: manatees injured by boat propellers being rehabilitated in the manatee rescue center, animals who were hit by cars, birds unable to fly because of impaired vision or injuries to their wings, endangered squirrels and other rare animals raised illegally in captivity and confiscated from their owners.
The whooping cranes were from a program to reestablish these endangered birds in Florida. The female whooping crane has impaired vision and cannot fly. The male found her at Homosassa Wildlife State Park and joined her in her enclosure. He could fly away, but he stays. Whooping cranes mate for life, and this is a very touching pair!
The tropical bird enclosure, like most of the enclosures, is open at the top. It has a stream running through it and is shaded by lovely trees. I saw egrets, once hunted almost to extinction for their mating plumage, flying into and out of the enclosure. They are free to visit, or maybe they are choosing to live there.
The marine fish seen from the underwater observatory under the main spring migrate seasonally, as do the manatees in the Homosassa River near the hot springs. Public boat travel is restricted in this area to protect these migratory animals.
American flamingos, extinct in Florida for over 100 years, were discovered about ten years ago living in the Florida Everglades. No one knows for sure how they got there, but they probably came from Central or South America. We are thrilled to have them living in the wild in Florida once again. I don’t know if the flamingos in the tropical bird enclosure are rescues or are part of an effort to reintroduce them to their former range.
Alligators, hunted almost to extinction for their hides, are now protected and are once again plentiful in Florida. Programs now collect a few young alligators from their nests, raise them to a size where they can defend themselves from predators, and release them to ensure their continued success in the wild.
The black vultures, handsome lively birds, live at the park by choice, but they are a welcome clean-up crew. We saw them stealing what appeared to be fresh-cut grain from the hippo after they ate the insects from his back. We saw them visiting the black bear and perched in the trees.
The red wolves are endangered and are part of a captive breeding program to reintroduce them into Florida.
Florida Panthers, proud symbol of Florida, are endangered and seriously inbred. Panthers from Texas were brought in a few years ago to refresh the gene pool. Along Route 75, “Alligator Alley,” that runs from east to west through the Florida Everglades, high fences have recently been erected to protect panthers from traffic.
The aging dike at Lake Okeechobe has undergone extensive renovations this year. Nutrient-rich water released from the lake has caused red tides in the Gulf of Mexico and blue-green algae overgrowth in our rivers, sickening people, killing fish, dolphins, endangered manatees and endangered sea turtles. From now on, water will be released from the lake into bodies of water in much smaller amounts. The water from Lake Okeechobe will once again flow into the Florida Everglades as it was intended to do. I think Wildlife numbers will increase there due to this restoration.
I hesitated to provide detailed background information in this post. After all, I only spent half a day walking around the park and reading signs. That is the source of most of the information given about the park. I am not a biologist or expert on the environment, just a retired elementary school teacher and amateur poet who loves animals and cares about wildlife and the environment. I have done some research on wildlife to write my enviromnent-themed book series about Florida animals, Hanging Out with Wild Animals. You can read more about the books on my website.
It is tragic that so many animals have been injured and driven to extinction by human settlement and human activities, but the animals who live at Homosassa Wildlife State Park, though disabled, help to raise public awareness of wildlife and environmental issues. As the sign says, they are “ambassadors of wildlife.”
Animals at Homosassa Springs
Wildlife State Park
Love Birds
Male whooping crane joined
flightless female whooping crane
in her enclosure.
He could choose to fly away,
but he loves her, so he stays.
River Otters
You’ve got to be quick
to capture river otters
with your camera.
Appearing, disappearing
through plants on water’s surface.
Bald Eagle, National Bird
It’s been a long time
since these two injured eagles
soared Florida’s skies
American flag above ,
they watch as life passes by.
Migrating Marine Fish
In the wintertime,
marine fish, like manatees,
migrate to hot springs.
Manatees and marine fish
thrive in seas and fresh water.
Bobcats & Florida Panthers
Florida bobcats
now coexist with humans
in suburbia.
Florida panthers, pride of
Florida, are endangered.
Flamingos in the tropical bird area. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Tropical Birds
Sparkling waters flow
through green paradise,
home of tropical birds.
Pink flamingos and spoonbills,
night herons, and sleeping swans.
Red Wolves
Endangered red wolves
roam a spacious enclosure,
delighting humans.
Procreation their purpose…
red wolf repopulation.
Alligators
Alligators live
in a pond that’s metal fenced…
Visitors are safe.
Prehistoric predators…
fearsome reptiles captivate.
Black Vulture Family
Handsome black vultures
choose to live at the preserve…
welcome scavengers!
Perching on the hippo’s back,
they eat insects, then share his food.
Pippa, the Hippopotamus,
Age Sixty-One
Grandfathered from days
when exotic animals
were in residence.
Citizen of Florida,
world’s oldest captive hippo.
Ambassadors
of Florida Wildlife
Most animals here
are unable to survive
living on their own.
Protected, they now serve
as ambassadors of wildlife.
Rare, endangered squirrel now unable to live in the wild because it was illegally raised in captivity. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Copyright© 2021 by Cheryl Batavia
For more information:
floridastateparks.org
Find a Park:
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Gulf Coast Poet 