5 Surprising Facts About the Everglades

Doesn’t everyone love to learn Everglades facts? The Florida Everglades is extraordinary, and it’s easy to see why people come from all over the world to take an Everglades excursion through the wetlands. With unique vegetation and exciting wildlife, the Everglades is amazing to see in person. But with as much attention as the ecosystem has been getting lately, there’s still much to learn about its contribution to South Florida and beyond. Everglades Holiday Park, located in Fort Lauderdale, provides unique and thrilling Everglades National Park airboat tours in Florida. Here are five interesting facts about the Everglades straight from our experts at the park that may surprise you.

No. 1: It’s a river – Facts About the Everglades

Here’s one of those interesting Everglades facts. Believe it or not, the Everglades is actually a river that’s constantly moving, which works great for an Everglades airboat tour . Water trickles from north to south from Lake Okeechobee, forming a slow-moving river that’s sixty miles wide and a hundred miles long. But the “River of Grass” is much smaller than it was in years past. As much as fifty percent of the wetland habitat has been destroyed by construction and related drainage projects.

No. 2: It’s the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist

Both crocodiles and gators live in the Everglades. Crocs are mostly found in small numbers in coastal areas of the ‘glades, while alligators prefer to stay inland, near freshwater. Nevertheless, the Everglades ecosystem provides a natural habitat for both, and it’s the only place in the world where these reptiles co-exist in the wild.

No. 3: Fire is common in the Everglades – and important

When most people think of the Everglades facts they remember, they imagine swampland and trips down the water on Everglades boat tours, murky waters. While that’s true, there’s also a very distinctive dry season where weather patterns create drought-like conditions that are perfect for fire. What many people don’t realize is that fire is actually an essential part of maintenance, clearing the way for a complex system of interdependent ecosystems to thrive.

No. 4: It provides drinking water for 7 million Floridians – Everglades Facts

As the largest subtropical wetland in North America, the health of the Everglades is a big deal. But aside from providing shelter and protection for scores of wildlife, the Everglades is an important asset to humans as well and one out of every three Floridians rely on the Everglades for drinking water as well as a backdrop to Everglades National Park airboat tours.

No. 5: There are 9 habitats providing a home to 16 endangered or threatened species

The Florida Everglades is complex for sure, but it’s this complexity that makes it so spectacular. The Florida panther and the crocodile are just two of the endangered animals the Everglades ecosystem protects. With nine distinct habitats, the Everglades is also home to over 16 species of birds, a variety of mammals, reptiles, plants, and scores of unique flora. America’s wetland is spectacular, and it’s a fantastic Everglades facts learning environment for adventurous families, photographers, and nature enthusiasts alike.

If you’re interested in learning more, and a journey through the Everglades sounds like fun, a narrated tour may be the answer! Visit Everglades airboat tours in Fort Lauderdale for 60-minute airboat tours, alligator show, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet and greet with Florida’s finest.

everglades facts