What is the Everglades? It is flat, swampy and filled with rare animals seldom seen. Perhaps it is the sense of the unknown which hides the true beauty and mystery of the Everglades at first glance. However, the Everglades hold some spectacular sights for the casual visitor.

The Florida Everglades covers a vast portion of the southern half of the state. They stretch 100 miles south from Lake Okeechobee down through Cape Sable, Florida Bay and the inner Keys.

The Everglades is comprised of swamps, towering mangroves and endless sawgrass. The true meaning of the word Everglade is best explained by dividing the word in half. The second half comes from an old Anglo-Saxon term, glyde or glaed, meaning a bright, shining, open space in the forest. The first part of the word promises an eternity of grass and shining water without limit.

The Everglades offers a protective area for some fascinating mammals and reptiles to flourish. One such animal is the sea cow or manatee, aquatic mammals which normally inhabit saltwater. During the winter months, when the waters of the Gulf and Atlantic Ocean grow cold, they will enter the rivers and clear springs for warmth.

Their formidable size and weight can run up to 13 feet and 1,300 pounds. Although their size is intimidating, the manatee is known as a timid mammal with a mild disposition.

One of the most famous reptiles of the area is the alligator. Floating like a half-submerged log or lounging in the sun on the edge of a canal, no where is the alligator more at home than in the Everglades.

The alligator can be found in most of the bodies of water in the swamps of the Everglades. It is a protected species in Florida, although there is a limited hunting season on the alligator, which is done on a lottery system (to control the species).

Alligator tail is a long-time delicacy of the South Florida area. The meat is tender, juicy and low in cholesterol.

Hopefully this brief summary of the Everglades has explained the beauty and mystery which surrounds the area. The animals and birds which are abundant here are unique to the Everglades. There is more to see than meets the naked eye.