Biscayne National Park is located in southern Florida. While most national parks consist mainly of land, Biscayne National Park consists mainly of water. In total, Biscayne National Park covers 700 square kilometers of which 95 percent is water. The parts that are not water are islands and a narrow coastal strip.
Table of contents
- General information about Biscayne national park
- History of Biscayne
- Flora of the park
- Fauna of the park
- Other attractions of Biscayne national park
- Human influences
General information about Biscayne national park
Biscayne National Park is located in the subtropical part of Florida. Thanks to this location, the water here is relatively warm all year round. This offers the opportunity for different species of flora and fauna to survive here. The mainland, which is only 5 percent of the total area, is divided over ten islands and a coastal strip on the mainland. The water is generally very shallow which ensures that it is heated quickly and evenly. This ensures that there are beautiful coral reefs here, with relatively little biodiversity. The biodiversity, species richness, is relatively small due to the small surface area. Many animals and plants that grow and live here live here permanently or are predators.
The rest of the mainland consists of mangroves and beaches. Canals run from the interior to the sea, which means that crocodiles also live here. There is also a chance of seeing special birds, you can read more about this under the heading ‘fauna’.
History of Biscayne
The history of this area dates back to the year 8000 BC. At that time, the first Native Americans came here and moved around this area and in this area. Just west of the park, a pit has been found where several bones of Pleistocene animals have been discovered. Bones of Indians have also been discovered here that are probably 10,000 years old.
The Indians who came to live here still traveled around a lot at the time. They rarely stayed in one place, but moved around to hunt and find food. Around that time the water was much lower. This was because there was an ice age at the time and therefore part of the water was frozen. This ensured that there was more space to live and this meant that there was more fauna here than today. About 4,000 years ago the water rose and this area became unfavorable to live in. The Indians therefore left.
It is known that Indians came to live here again about 2,500 years ago. Pots and shards have been found in this area and some can be found in the ‘visitor centre’.
Flora of the park
Thanks to the subtropical climate, with some cold moments every now and then, this park has a fairly select flora. The plants must not only be able to withstand heat, but they must also be able to withstand frost. Mostly aquatic plants are found in the area.
On land one mainly sees mangrove. There are stretches of virtually impenetrable mangrove on the islands and the coastal strip. Next to the mangrove you will find palms and also very special palms. An extremely rare palm is the Sargent’s palm. Only 150 of this palm were left at one time. Nowadays there are more palms again, but thanks to the unpredictability of hurricanes, there can suddenly become much fewer.
Fauna of the park
The fauna consists mainly of fish and birds. You will find 200 different species of birds here. Relatively many of these birds are non-migratory birds. Many birds migrate, but approximately 70 to 100 species of birds live here permanently. Some birds of prey that occur here are the sparrowhawk, the falcon, the kite and the American sea eagle. This last bird is a national symbol. In the past, the white-tailed eagle was threatened with extinction, but nowadays the bird breeds again in many different areas, including in this national park.
Special, larger animals that live here include the American crocodile and the alligator. While the crocodile is still often sighted, the alligator is much less so. The alligator only occurs sporadically here and one should therefore not count on seeing this animal. The best chance of seeing crocodiles is on the coastline or in the mangroves. This also applies to different types of birds. One of these is the yellow-crowned night heron, a small heron.
The American snake-necked bird is mainly found in open water. This applies to many different birds. Manatees can also be found here. Manatees are currently protected animals and the opportunity to see them here is therefore special. Very special, rare animals that live here in the open water are sea turtles. These animals also lay eggs on the islands and occasionally on the mainland.
Various animals can be found on the islands that can also be encountered on land. This includes the rattlesnake, the swamp rabbit and some birds such as the brown pelican.
Other attractions of Biscayne national park
The biggest attraction is probably Biscayne Bay. This area, which is not entirely within the national park, is known for the large number of birds that live here. You can also sail through the sand through channels and into the mangrove to get a good look at the mangrove.
The islands, the so-called keys, are sights in themselves. The islands contain beaches, mangroves and all kinds of other sights, such as a lighthouse.
One can participate in all kinds of water sports. For example, you can take a boat with a glass bottom. There is also the option of snorkeling or diving here, with a good chance of seeing sea turtles, dolphins and fish.
In the park it is possible to join a ranger for a walk, a boat trip or something completely different. You must inform the visitor center in advance about this.
Human influences
Man pollutes the area with their boats. Boat trips pollute the sea and therefore the habitat of the animals. Walks and trails that have been constructed also cause damage to the flora. Houses and other facilities that humans have built for themselves to live in also damage the flora.