The Everglades is full of both native and, unfortunately, invasive, species. Whether they were let loose or escaped, these species found their way into the Everglades and are having a negative impact on the ecosystem.  

One of these invasive species is the lionfish. Despite being bad for the Everglades’ ecosystem, a lionfish is an attractive looking fish with its pectoral fins, brownish stripes. 

As an invasive species, the lionfish can live and thrive in habitats that are not their true home or region. The lionfish is a venomous predator and its original habitat is from Indo-Pacific waters.  

 Unlike pythons, lionfish are not the biggest problem yet in the Everglades, but their numbers are increasing each year. In 2014, 13 lionfish were removed from Everglades. 

Although the not large in numbers in the Everglades, the lionfish population is growing in nearby waters. It is believed more will appear in the area and in the Everglades. Currently, there is a“Everglades and Dry Tortugas Lionfish Management Plan” in review that will target specific areas within each park to help suppress lionfish from entering. 

The lionfish was introduced to the Atlantic waters around the 1980s. It is believed this fish made its way here either through aquarium trade or through ballast water on international boats. These lionfish can live in water anywhere from 1 to 1,000 feet in mangroves, seagrass, coral, hard bottom, and artificial reefs. 

It is believed they could have a real big impact on the marine ecosystems here in south Florida. Their presence will decrease the number of native and commercial species. Although it doesn’t happen often, their stings are also known to be painful and can lead to serious injury. 

Here are some ways lionfish are bad for the Everglades:  

• They feed primarily on larvae and juvenile fish. 

• They eat and consume a great variety of fishes and crustaceans 
• They eat herbivorous fish that graze on algae.   

With this behavior, the number of fish will dwindle, there will be less fish in the water and less fish for other predators to eat; also with more algae around, the algae can overgrow and keep coral and sponges from growing and thriving. 

Right now, the lionfish is the only known invasive marine fish recognized at having invaded the entire Caribbean and coastal waters around southeastern United States. These fish are slow moving and easy to capture. Netting and spearing are usually used to capture them. 

Book a Ride on an Airboat through Everglades 

If you’re visiting the Everglades and spot a lionfish, report it! You can tell one of our guidesif you spot a lionfish on a tour or call the Park at 305-809-4738 or 305-562-0820. 

Although they are a “pretty” fish, it’s a good thing to remove them from this ecosystem so they don’t do it more harm.  

To book a tour, all Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065  or visit our Everglades Airboat Tours page.  

Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours are open seven days a week 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If paying by cash, adults cost $40 (plus tax) and children 12 and under cost $20 (plus tax. If paying by credit card, adults cost $45 (plus tax) and children cost $25 (plus tax). 

As many people know, the Everglades’ ecosystem is struggling. Between human development, invasive species, and Mother Nature, this area has been through a lot, and it needs help to restore itself back to its original, healthy state.  

The Everglades has a sensitive and precarious ecosystem and even minor changes or damage to the Everglades can have dramatic consequences on the heath of the overall ecosystem.  

Tourism, including fun activities like an airboat tour, is a great way to promote the Everglades and to encourage conservation, as well as a general love for this area. Since the Everglades needs to recover, it’s important to focus on “eco-tourism,” which are environmentally friendly tourism options that seek to minimize damage and negative impacts on the environments they seek to promote. 

One of the best ways to explore the Everglades is also the most eco-friendly: the airboat. Airboats do little to no damage to the surrounding environment and are far more stable and secure than kayaks or inflatable watercrafts.  

Airboats ride one top of the water and the propeller is above the waterline, which means aquatic plants and animals are not threatened by propellers tearing through the water.  

If the airboat encounters a larger animal, it is most likely to slide right over it, leaving the animal and passengers of the boat unharmed. 

An airboat ride is great way to see the Everglades without leaving permanent damage in your wake – something that is incredibly important to such a delicate ecosystem. 

Eco-tourism is so important to the Everglades right now as the community, researchers, and officials are coming together to try and save this special wetland. This area has plants, animals, and other species seen nowhere else in the world, so it’s important that it does not disappear.  

An airboat tour offers the best of both worlds as it allows you to explore this beautiful environment and leave it no worse off than you found it. Airboats are an excellent way to see the Everglades without leaving a huge ecological footprint behind. 

Jump on an eco-friendly airboat ride with Captain Mitch’s Airboat tours in the Everglades today. 

Call  800-368-0065  or visit our Everglades Airboat Tours  page to book a trip!  

Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours are open seven days a week 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If paying by cash, adults cost $40 (plus tax) and children 12 and under cost $20 (plus tax. If paying by credit card, adults cost $45 (plus tax) and children cost $25 (plus tax). 

The Everglades isn’t just home to alligators, it’s home to crocodiles, as well. There are many different types of crocodiles in the Everglades, but there is one species of crocodile that is invasive: The Nile Crocodile. Nile crocodiles are from Africa.  

A University of Florida herpetologist said he isn’t sure how the Nile crocodile got into the Everglades. Obviously, the crocodile couldn’t swim all the way over itself from Africa.  

Nile crocodiles have been captured in the Everglades in 2009, 2011, and 2014. Locals reported strange looking alligators, so this scientist and his colleagues captured and tested the crocodiles. After some DNA testing, it was determined these crocodiles were Nile crocodiles. However, they were not matched to any of the Nile crocodiles in any of Florida’s licensed Florida attractions, including Disney’s Animal Kingdom. 

These Nile crocodiles could have been brought over to the area illegally by an unlicensed reptile collector, or they could have escaped or have been let go. It is believed the crocodiles found may have escaped from Predator World, and that no one released them, but they escaped, according to officials at the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission. 

A male Nile crocodile: 

•  Can be more 16 feet long and weigh more than 1,600 pounds.  
• Has a bronze/brown/yellow coloring.  
• Is more aggressive than the American crocodile or American alligator.  

This crocodile is not good news for the Everglades’ ecosystem if it starts growing in numbers. These crocodiles can live and survive in Florida‘s climate for many years and they can grow and populate quickly. It is believed that cross-breeding between the American crocodile and the Nile crocodile could create even larger crocodiles in the area, which could endanger the smaller breads of crocodiles and the purity of the American breed. 

For now, Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission officials aren’t worried, and believe they have captured all the Nile crocodiles in the area – there have been no other confirmed sightings. These officials conduct regular routine inspections and surveys to look out for exotic and invasive species.  The agency also doesn’t believe these crocodiles mated with any native crocodiles in their time in the wild, because of dissimilar habitat and behavior. 

Explore the Everglades 

Come down to the Everglades and see some native alligators and crocodiles – they are a fan favorite of things to see in the Everglades and on an airboat tour.  

A great way to explore the crocodile’s habitat is with an airboat tour. Call Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours at 800-368-0065  or visit our Everglades Airboat Tours page. Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours are open seven days a week 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If paying by cash, adults cost $40 (plus tax) and children 12 and under cost $20 (plus tax. If paying by credit card, adults cost $45 (plus tax) and children cost $25 (plus tax). 

Did you know adult manatees can eat up to 10 to 15% of their body weight daily? That’s a lot of food! To get in that much food, manatees graze for about seven hours per day.  

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, manatees are a “keystone species” Manatees behaviors can alert researcher to environmental changes and they are monitored by tags.  

The manatee season in the Everglades just ended.  The season begins November 15 and goes until March 31.  

In 2017 the government had to make a decision on whether or not manatees will still have an endangered species status. Over the years, manatees’ numbers have grown, which is why this change of status may occur.  Right now, the manatee is not endangered. In early 2019, a survey estimated at least 5,700 living in Florida waters, which is a jump from the 1,267 manatees counted in 1991, when the first aerial surveys were taken. 

In the last 29 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local governments have helped create more than 50 manatee protection zones, boating rules, and restricted construction of docks in certain habitats. 

Around 95 manatees were killed in 2016 by boats and other watercrafts. With such a high number of manatees being that year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service urges boaters to be extra careful. 

In 2017, there was a proposal to change the manatees from endangered to threatened species. Many scientists are opposed to this change, because it would remove federal protection from manatees in the Caribbean, whose numbers aren’t as high as the ones living in Florida.  However, their status did change in 2017 and was downgraded to “threatened.” 

During manatee season, slower speed limits go in effect for boaters. Boaters are asked to wear polarized sunglasses to better spot manatees and abide by the speed limits put in place. 

Here are some other fun facts about manatees: 

• Manatees sleep on the bottom and float up about every 20 minutes to breath.  
• Manatees can weigh between 1,500 and 1,800 pounds.  
• Manatees can live up to 60 years old in the wild.  
• Manatees live and thrive in warm water above 68 degrees Fahrenheit.  
• Manatees can easily float due to their fat helping with buoyancy and their large lungs filling with air.  

• Manatees squeal under water to communicate.  

Spot Some Manatees on an Everglades Airboat Tour 

Although not guaranteed, you may get the chance to see a manatee on an airboat tour through the Everglades. 

 If not, don’t worry there are so many other animals, birds, plants, and marine life you can spot on a ride 

Book an Everglades airboat tour today with Captain Mitch’s Airboat Tours.  

Call 800-368-0065  or visit our Everglades Airboat Tours  page to book a trip!  

Captain Mitch’s Everglades Airboat Tours are open seven days a week 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. If paying by cash, adults cost $40 (plus tax) and children 12 and under cost $20 (plus tax. If paying by credit card, adults cost $45 (plus tax) and children cost $25 (plus tax).