Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park is a large natural area that covers the southwestern part of the greater Everglades region in southern Florida. It is the largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States. The park was established in 1947, and was designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1976, together with the Dry Tortugas National Park, and a World Heritage Site in 1979. The area of the park has been extended several times, the last time in 1989. The area covers 6105 square kilometers, including a large part of the Florida Bay, and preserves a unique mix of temperate and tropical species, as well as freshwater and marine environments. Part of the northern boundary shares a border with the Big Cypress National Reserve. To the east, on the Atlantic coast, is Biscayne National Park, and to the southwest, at the western end of the Florida Keys, is Dry Tortugas National Park. The park is a favorite among boating and canoeing enthusiasts, with several marked canoe trails, including the 159 km Wilderness Waterway on the western side of the park. The park is home to thirty-six federally protected animals, some of which face serious threats to their survival. The only habitat of the American Crocodile in the United States is South Florida. They were once overhunted for their skins, but are now protected from hunting, yet they are still threatened by habitat destruction and injuries from collisions with vehicles when crossing roads to reach waterways. There are about 2,000 crocodiles in Florida and about 100 nests in the Everglades and Biscayne National Parks.