Everglades National Park
🇺🇸 United States
🐊 Alligators in the River of GrassEverglades National Park is a massive wetland preserve located at the southern tip of Florida, defined by dense mangrove forests and winding coastal waterways. This protected wilderness is famous for the American Alligator, its signature species, which surfaces slowly in the murky shallows throughout the day.
25.256° N 80.870° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
★ 
American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
★ 
West Indian Manatee
Trichechus manatus
★ 
Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
📊 Most Spotted
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
Great Egret
Ardea alba
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
African Redhead Agama
Agama picticauda
Palm Warbler
Setophaga palmarum
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Bottlenose Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Coyote
Canis latrans
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
Tadarida brasiliensis
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Great Egret
Ardea alba
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Palm Warbler
Setophaga palmarum
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Boat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus major
⭐ Iconic Species
★ American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
★ American Crocodile
Crocodylus acutus
📊 Most Spotted
Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
African Redhead Agama
Agama picticauda
Green Iguana
Iguana iguana
Northern Curly-tailed Lizard
Leiocephalus carinatus
Florida Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon conanti
Florida Softshell Turtle
Apalone ferox
Green Anole
Anolis carolinensis
Florida Redbelly Turtle
Pseudemys nelsoni
Tropical House Gecko
Hemidactylus mabouia
North American Racer
Coluber constrictor
Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus
Banded Water Snake
Nerodia fasciata
📊 Most Spotted
Cuban Treefrog
Osteopilus septentrionalis
Southern Toad
Anaxyrus terrestris
Eastern Cane Toad
Rhinella marina
Greenhouse Frog
Eleutherodactylus planirostris
Southern Leopard Frog
Lithobates sphenocephalus
Green Treefrog
Dryophytes cinereus
Pig Frog
Lithobates grylio
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
Gastrophryne carolinensis
Squirrel Tree Frog
Dryophytes squirellus
Oak Toad
Anaxyrus quercicus
Southern Cricket Frog
Acris gryllus
Two-toed Amphiuma
Amphiuma means
Recent sightings in Everglades National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
3Manatee Season
West Indian manatees seek warm water from , gathering in the park's coastal canals and Florida Bay around Flamingo.
1Dry-Season Alligator & Crocodile Concentration
As water levels drop in the dry season, alligators and crocodiles concentrate at shrinking pools and canal banks, creating the densest reptile viewing in the continental US.
2Wading Bird Nesting Congregation
The Everglades Protection Area hosts the largest wading-bird nesting effort in South Florida (tens of thousands of nests); dry-season water drawdown concentrates fish and triggers mass nesting and feeding congregations.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Dry-Season Alligator & Crocodile Concentration
- 2Wading Bird Nesting Congregation
- 3Manatee Season
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
We also saw the Florida box Turtle and assorted geckos.
We also saw manatees at the marina and watched a nearby osprey family all week.
We encountered a very large Osprey nest that had two active parents and two chicks that were starting to fledge.
We stopped at the Pa-Hay-Okee overlook: We hiked the Mahogany Hammock Trail: Then we headed to Flamingo to try to see some manatees...unsuccessfully: Then we headed to another visitor center to pick up a tram tour where we saw our first alligator!
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Everglades National Park?
The most likely sightings are American Alligator (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Turkey Vulture (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Northern Mockingbird (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Brown Anole (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Great Egret (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 847 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Everglades National Park for wildlife?
March has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see American Alligator in Everglades National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a American Alligator sighting in Everglades National Park, based on 5,626 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see American Crocodile in Everglades National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a American Crocodile sighting in Everglades National Park, based on 1,569 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see West Indian Manatee in Everglades National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a West Indian Manatee sighting in Everglades National Park, based on 1,020 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Roseate Spoonbill in Everglades National Park?
Yes — about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Roseate Spoonbill sighting in Everglades National Park, based on 2,851 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
ExcellentHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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