There were alligators everywhere. The park ranger assured us they are more afraid of people. They are only aggressive towards people when they are fed and lose that fear.
Most gators were between 4-6 feet. They are consider adults when they reach 6 feet in length. Something I didn't know.
There were even baby gators. Mama was nearby. These are siblings. The larger one is a year old, and smaller one on top was just born a few weeks ago. What I didn't know is that reptiles sex is determined by the temperature of incubation. Because they have hatched in the "winter" and the temperature was below 86 degrees, all the gators born are female. Summer hatchlings are all males.
The one below is a 13 foot gator. The largest we saw today.
And lastly, Mama gator and her babies. A typical nest hatches about 50 babies. Only about 3 survive because they are eaten by predators including other alligators.
We also saw manatees. We saw 5 total, but the most special was the mom and her baby.
Then of course there was lots of water fowl. Many birds had migrated from Canada and the Midwest.
The the common sight of turtles on the log.
Next time I visit, I would like to return to this park and explore the hotel and hiking trails. They even have a dive platform in the Springs. Sounds like a good time!
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