Home > Facts > US National Landmarks Facts > Everglades National Park Facts

Everglades National Park Facts

Everglades National Park Facts
Everglades National Park is national park in the state of Florida, in the United States, that encompasses more than 1.5 million acres in Dade, Collier, and Monroe counties. Everglades National Park protects the habitat and wetland of many endangered species in the Everglades. The Everglades once served as boundary between two Native American tribes - the Calusa, and the Tequesta. By 1800 the Spanish explorers and settlers had decimated the tribes, but evidence of their existence in the park still exists. In the 1880s attempts were made to drain the Everglades and eventually it became necessary to implement protection for the wetlands through foundations and the Everglades National Park.
Interesting Everglades National Park Facts:
Everglades National Park is a World Heritage Site, a Wetland of International Importance, and is also designated an International Biosphere Reserve.
The Everglades National Park was once 11,000 square miles in size but is only 2,357 square miles today.
Everglades National Park was established in 1934 in an effort to protect the Everglades as canal projects and other building plans were initiated.
Endangered species that live in Everglades National Park include the Florida panther, the manatee, and the American crocodile.
There are nine threatened species in Everglades National Park and 14 endangered species. In total at least 36 species that live in Everglades National Park are protected, threatened, or endangered.
Everglades National Park includes mangrove swamps, estuaries at Florida Bay and the Gulf Coast, dry tropical hammocks, pinelands, and wet sawgrass prairies.
Tropical hardwood hammocks are found in Everglades National Park. Hammocks are dry land that rise from the grassy river. Tropical and subtropical trees such as the southern live oak can grow on hammocks.
Everglades National Park is the most important tropical wading bird breeding ground in North America.
Everglades National Park is the only North American subtropical preserve.
Everglades National Park has the largest continual sawgrass prairie stand in all of North America.
Everglades National Park has the western hemisphere's largest mangrove ecosystem. It also has the south-east's largest designated wilderness area.
The only place in the world where the American crocodile and American alligator live together in the wild is in the Everglades.
The sawgrass that is common in the Everglades is so sharp that its razor blade edges can cut through clothing.
Roughly 33% of the people living in Florida rely on the water in the Everglades for their fresh water supply. Protecting the Everglades is extremely important for Floridians.
Everglades National Park is home to at least 300 species of saltwater and freshwater fish, at least 350 species of birds, 50 different reptile species, and 40 different mammal species.
The restoration of the Everglades in South Florida is an issue that drives much political debate in the region today.
Every year more than one million people visit Everglades National Park.
There were roughly 900 jobs created by, or sustained by Everglades National Park because of initiates in 2005 and 2006 to improve visitor attendance.
Everglades National Park is its busiest in December to March each year. There are less mosquitos and it's not as hot at this time of year.


Related Links:
Facts
US National Landmarks Facts
Animals Facts
Florida's Geography Quiz
The Grand Canyon Facts