Florida Ring Snakes are about 10-14 inches long, and are harmless to humans. They are so small that it is nearly impossible for them to bite you, but in the unlikely event that they do, their venom is too weak to harm you. Some people keep them as pets. Their coloring varies from gray to black, and the ring around their necks may be white, yellow, orange or red. Some of them don’t have any ring. Their underside may be a vivid yellow, orange, or coral. When they feel threatened, they curl the ends of their tails. Too small to prey on rodents or amphibians, they live on worms and insects.
This poem was written a few years ago for my Hanging Out with Wild Animals series, but I didn’t use it. Like all poems in that series, it was inspired by my real-life encounter with a Florida animal.
Update
For over a week now, I have been apartment hunting online for my son. His current rent has nearly doubled in the last two years, and he is looking for something affordable that will accept his dog, a pit bull. The search has been a challenge! Next week, Robert will be having his surgery. I am behind on my emails. Thank you for your patience. ❤
Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Robert found a successful treatment, and he is so much better that his surgery has been cancelled. The doctor said it could be rescheduled if symptoms return. Joe was approved for an apartment today. He will be moving to Louisiana where rents are more affordable.
Thank you for your support during this difficult period. It means a lot to me.
This morning I was mesmerized by a spider web constructed very much like this one. Photo by Alexy Demidov from Pexels.
Spider’s Psychedelic Masterpiece
Suspended in space,
densely coiled gossamer disk,
buoyant in the breeze.
Pulsating neon colors
iridescent in sunshine.
In the morning sunshine, each damp strand of the spider’s web became a tiny prism, shimmering in the breeze. The colors of the web were vivid like those in this soap bubble. As the web dried, the colors slowly faded. I wish I could have captured the moment in a photo. Maybe one of the photographers out there has such a photo. I found only pastel-colored webs online.
I just purchased a new email with Word to use on some writing projects. I will share those projects on this post at some point in the future. For the moment, I am struggling with a learning curve and technical issues. I will try to be present on WordPress as much as possible!
My daughters, Katey and Ellen in front of Pippa, the Hippo’s, cage. Pippa is the only exotic animal at Homosassa Wildlife State Park. The beloved sixty-one-year-old hippo was granted official Florida citizenship by the governor of Florida when the zoo transitioned to a wildlife park for Florida animals many years ago.
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
Endangered whooping crane. Photo by Amber Langeloni from Pixabay.
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 otter. Photo by Jack Bulmer from Pixabay.
River Otters
You’ve got to be quick
to capture river otters
with your camera.
Appearing, disappearing
through plants on water’s surface.
Bald eagles. Photo by Jonathan Cooper from Unsplash.
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.
A school of snook viewed from the underwater observatory at the main spring of Homosassa State Wildlife Park. Photo by Ellen Maher.
Migrating Marine Fish
In the wintertime,
marine fish, like manatees,
migrate to hot springs.
Manatees and marine fish
thrive in seas and fresh water.
Florida bobcat. Photo by Meg Jerrard from Unsplash.
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.
Egret and roseate spoonbills. Photo by Kurt Anderson from Pexels.
Tropical Birds
Sparkling waters flow
through green paradise,
home of tropical birds.
Pink flamingos and spoonbills,
night herons, and sleeping swans.
Red wolf. Photo by Lucie Sa Vi from Unsplash.
Red Wolves
Endangered red wolves
roam a spacious enclosure,
delighting humans.
Procreation their purpose…
red wolf repopulation.
American alligator. Photo by Katey Batavia.
Alligators
Alligators live
in a pond that’s metal fenced…
Visitors are safe.
Prehistoric predators…
fearsome reptiles captivate.
Black vultures. Photo by Ellen Maher.
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 hippo at Homosassa State Wildlife Park. Photo by Katey Batavia.
Pippa, the Hippopotamus,
Age Sixty-One
Grandfathered from days
when exotic animals
were in residence.
Citizen of Florida,
world’s oldest captive hippo.
American black bear. Photo by Katey Batavia.
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.
Katey Batavia & Ellen Maher in their wetsuits and ready to board the pontoon boat.
Swimming with Manatees
During the summer, manatees
wander widely in warm seas.
Manatees throw fall and winter parties
in warm springs near seventy degrees.
Hundreds of manatees socialize in Kings Bay
near Three Sisters Springs on November days.
These marine mammals enjoy each other’s company.
They don’t compete for territory.
Vegetarians, they live on sea grass…
How peacefully, how gracefully their days pass!
Nursing calves swim beside their mothers.
They have no predators, no fear of others.
Though manatees bear the scars
of encounters with boat propellers,
they still seek humans as their playmates.
Snuggles and belly rubs are appreciated.
As I climbed down the boat ladder,
a manatee waited in the water.
A thousand pounds of curiosity
and sweet manatee eyes greeted me.
The moment we came face to face,
I knew there was hope for the human race.
At that moment it was clear to me
that people could learn from manatees.
How happy life would be
if we could live in harmony
with nature and our fellow creatures.
Manatees are charming teachers!
A friendly manatee. g7b148…-Suo02VjEllen meets a manatee at Three Sisters Springs in Kings Bay, Crystal River, Florida. DCIM\100GOPRO\GOPR0196.JPGA manatee asked Katey for a pat. Note the harmless algae growing on the manatee’s back. DCIM\100GOPRO\GOPR0250.JPGTime for my belly rub, Katey! DCIM\100GOPRO\GOPR0156.JPGCheryl. Photo by Katey.
West Indian Manatees
West Indian Manatees are endangered marine mammals whose closest relatives are elephants. They require a minimum water temperature of sixty-eight degrees. Interestingly, they have no front teeth, only molars for chewing tough sea grass. They swim gracefully at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. At 1,000 to 1,200 pounds, they have no natural enemies, but many are injured by propellers of fast-moving boats. Boaters can protect manatees by observing posted speed limits in manatee areas.
Personnel at Kings Bay in Crystal River tag and monitor injured manatees. They are transported to a manatee rescue center in Homosassa Springs for rehabilitation if they are unable to recover on their own.
Florida has numerous hot springs where manatees spend the Fall and Winter months. Kings Bay has a constant year-round temperature of sixty-eight degrees and some manatees are year-round residents there. Other springs may be a little warmer, about seventy-two degrees.
When you swim with the manatees, you are instructed not to disturb resting manatees. As you would get to know a strange cat, you should let them approach you. Ellen had a manatee hug her arm. A manatee wanted Katey to pet it and give it a belly rub. One manatee swam up against me, and another manatee put its nose against my mask and gazed into my eyes. These are moments we will always remember!
Manatees have been called “sea cows” because they graze on sea grass and other aquatic plants. Very lonely mariners in the early days are said to have mistaken them for mermaids. There is another species of manatee in Africa.
A flock of five loudly shrieking swallow-tailed kites flew by as I was sitting on the front porch one morning last week. Kites live in wetlands and along rivers and canals in the Southeastern US and Central and South America. They feed on lizards and other small reptiles. We live between two canals and there are vacant wooded lots with many pine trees across the street. I have seen individual kites there many times, but a flock of them flying by was a very exciting experience!
Gulf Coast Poet 