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Spanning the southern tip of
the Florida peninsula and most of Florida Bay, Everglades National Park is
the only subtropical preserve in North America. It contains both temperate
and tropical plant communities, including sawgrass prairies, mangrove and
cypress swamps, pinelands, and hardwood hammocks, as well as marine and
estuarine environments. The park is known for its rich bird life,
particularly large wading birds, such as the roseate spoonbill, wood
stork, great blue heron and a variety of egrets. It is also the only place
in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist side by side.
No other place combines a subtropical climate, a
broad, shallow river, and a stunning diversity of plants and animals into
such a complex and fragile ecosystem. No other place is so dramatically
defined by annual rhythms of drought and flood, fire and sunshine and
torrential rain.
Everglades National Park is the largest remaining
subtropical wilderness in the United States. Its abundant wildlife
includes rare and endangered species, such as the American crocodile,
Florida panther, and West Indian manatee.
Everglades National Park has been designated a World
Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of
International Importance.
Visit the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center at the main
entrance of the park to see the new park film: "Everglades: River of
Life." The film was produced by Discovery Communications in
partnership with the National Park Foundation and National Park Service.
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