Mangrove Animals, Shorebirds
and Marine Life

Heron perched in mangrove branches

Our Florida mangroves support a great variety of species, from the swamp animals roaming the wetlands, the shorebirds making their homes in the branches and taking refuge amongst the roots, and tons of marine species big and small that thrive along the mangrove coastline and muddy flats supported by the nutrient rich waters.

Here's what to look for and where.

Some of the most often seen animals in the mangrove swamps are:

Mangrove Animals: Crocodile

Crocodiles

Crocodiles are found along the mangrove-lined shores of Everglades National Park, we have seen them at the Flamingo area, at the southern tip of the park, resting nearby the marina and also the Mangrove Backcountry tour offers a great chance to see them. Crocodiles inhabit salt water coastlines as opposed to the alligators which live in fresh water terrain.

Mangrove Animals: Raccoon

Raccoons

Raccoons are quite common, not only around the mangrove areas but also around the pine forests and swamps and just about any habitat where water is available. You will often see them scavenging food around beach parks and picnic areas, but as cute as they might look, stay away as they could carry rabbies. Do not feed them and secure your trash.

Mangrove Animals: Iguana

Iguanas

Iguanas are not native to Florida and in fact considered invasive. They are highly adaptable and often seen in the mangrove trees resting on top of the branches. You can see them while canoeing, just strolling around the boardwalks and sometimes you spot them just sitting by the side of the road, like this one we encountered at John Pennekamp Park.


Mangrove Shorebirds and Nesting Birds

These are some of the most common shorebirds that live in the mangrove habitat. You find these coastal birds often in the shallow water looking for fish.

If you look up, then you see the birds that have made their homes in the mangrove branches.

Best times when birds are in abundance are in the winter dry months, November through April.

Great places for finding these common mangrove birds are Biscayne National Park and the mangrove shores of Everglades National Park at Flamingo. So stroll the boardwalks or take a canoe out, bring some binoculars and enjoy the wilderness:

Mangrove Waterbirds: Ibis

Ibis

Mangrove Waterbirds: Egret

Egret

Mangrove Waterbirds: Green Heron

Green Heron


Mangrove Waterbirds: Blue Heron

Blue Heron

Mangrove Waterbirds: White Pelican

White Pelican

Mangrove Waterbirds: Anhinga

Anhinga


Mangrove Waterbirds: Brown Pelican

Brown Pelican

Mangrove Waterbirds: Cormorant

Cormorant

Mangrove Waterbirds: Osprey

Osprey


Rich Marine Life in the Mangrove Coast

Besides sheltering animals and birds, mangroves also provide protected areas for fish, crabs, shrimps and all sorts of small critters. They contribute to the mangrove food web and provide a rich environment for many marine species. Get a snorkel and start exploring.

Our favorite place to find all sorts of critters big and small is off the beaches of John Pennekamp State Park. This is what you're likely to see:

Small Critters: Crabs, Sea Stars, Soft Corals

Mangrove Marine Life: Hermit Crab

Hermit Crabs

Mangrove Marine Life: Upsidedown Jellyfish

Upsidedown Jellyfish

Mangrove Marine Life: Sponges

Sponges


Mangrove Marine Life: Anemone

Anemone

Mangrove Marine Life: Crab

Mangrove Crabs

Mangrove Marine Life: mussels

Clams, Mussels, Oysters


Mangrove Marine Life: Tunicates

Tunicates

Mangrove Marine Life: soft corals

Soft Corals

Mangrove Marine Life: sea star

Sea Stars


Algae and Grasses

Mangrove Algae:Three Finger Leaf

Three Finger Leaf Alga

Mangrove Algae: White Scroll

White Scroll Alga

Mangrove Algae: Mermaid's Wineglass

Mermaid's Wineglass Alga


Mangrove Algae: Fern

Fern Alga

Mangrove Algae: Mermaid's Fan

Mermaid's Fan Alga

Mangrove Sea Grass

Sea Grasses


The Big Guys

Manatees by mangrove coast

What are the chances of being face to face with one of the big guys? Quite good, I would say.

Nurse sharks we see often but not so much in the shallow water. We have seen plenty of barracuda snorkeling off John Pennekamp's beach, and for some of the big critters it's a matter of knowing WHEN the best chances of sightings are.

Manatees congregate in the winter months when they are looking for warmer waters for example.

For some, it's just a matter of luck, we love the stingrays gliding by, and the snook darting off in a hurry, you never know what you will run into, such is life in the mangroves...

And remember you don't even have to get wet, you can often see manatees, stingrays and some of the big fish from the boardwalks and on kayak or canoe.

Mangrove Marine Life: Manatees

Manatees

Mangrove Marine Life: Nurse Shark

Nurse Sharks

Mangrove Marine Life: Southern Stingray

Southern Stingray


Mangrove Marine Life: Yellow Stingray

Yellow Stingray

Mangrove Marine Life: Barracuda

Barracuda

Mangrove Marine Life: Snook

Snook


Tropical Fish

Although we do see some of the little colorful fish around the mangrove coast, your best bet if you want to see tropical fish are the offshore coral reefs.

We see angelfish and yellow grunts often, many times trunkfish as well and parrotfish, and almost always the sergeant majors appear, the little zebra-like striped ones.

Mangrove Marine Life: Sergeant Majors

Sergeant Majors

Mangrove Marine Life: Gray Angelfish

Gray Angelfish

Mangrove Marine Life: trunkfish

Trunkfish


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