Gators and Wildlife in the Okefenokee Swamp
The Okefenokee Swamp is one of the most intriguing areas in Georgia. Beautiful Cypress Trees dripping with moss reflect off the black swamp waters. The effect is breathtaking. Visitors to the swamp can expect to find, alligators, racoon, black bear, deer, birds, snakes and several other wild creatures. There are several parks and campgrounds that have trails and guided boat tours to travel around the swamp.
The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1936 to preserve the 438,000 acre swamp. The Okefenokee Swamp is one of the oldest and largest freshwater areas in America and extends 38 miles north to south and 25 miles east to west.
The National Wildlife Refuge holds special annual events, which you can view here : http://www.fws.gov/okefenokee/specialevents.htm
Wildlife Observation: January you will be able to see several different types of waterfowl. In February the Ospreys begin nesting and you can see red tail hawks and turkeys. In March, you can see the alligators sunning on the banks of the water trails. In April, look for the alligators to begin their territorial warning as mating is about to begin. Also look for all the plants to start blooming, including the unusual insect eating pitcher plant. In May Florida soft shell turtles are laying their eggs, and the racoons are quickly digging up and eating those eggs. Also, look for newborn fawns to start to appear. In June you will hear several species of frogs in chorus, bream fishing is good and the white water lilies and sweet bay flowers are in bloom. July, deer are best viewed in early morning, the bucks are showing off their antlers. In August, alligator eggs start to hatch and you can hear the babies “clucking” for their mother. In October, Black Bears are active, feeding on acorns, nuts and berries. December you can find otters playing and the alligators are less active and stop feeding.
There are 27 different species of snakes in the swamp, the water mocassin is one of the largest and one of the few venomous ones.
If you are looking for a great vacation experience, come to the Okefenokee. Here are a few links for more info on places to stay , boat rides, train rides and hiking.
