Everglades National Park, National park in South Florida, US.
Everglades National Park is a subtropical protected area in southern Florida that includes vast grass plains, dense mangrove forests, and open water expanses. The area stretches from the mainland coast to Florida Bay and forms a connected ecosystem of freshwater and saltwater zones.
Ernest F. Coe led a campaign in the 1920s to protect these wetlands, which eventually resulted in the establishment of a national park in 1947. This park was created as the first protected area in the United States intended to preserve a subtropical landscape.
Rangers at the park's visitor centers often display live examples of small reptiles and explain how early inhabitants of the region navigated through the shallow water. The Anhinga Trail boardwalk at Royal Palm Visitor Center remains a popular route for visitors wanting to observe wading birds and alligators at close range.
Visitors should bring plenty of drinking water and apply insect repellent, as mosquitoes are especially numerous during the warmer months. The different entrances to the park are widely separated, so planning your route in advance makes sense.
The park protects 36 threatened animal species, including the American crocodile, Florida panther, and West Indian manatee. These three species live together here in one of the few subtropical areas of the country.
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