Florida Wildlife Park

Florida had a tradition of commercial roadside wildlife parks. Public opinion soured on this particular exploitation of animals and the park's part in the tourist trade. The State took over one park, in Homosassa Springs, and built a state park featuring native animals. If you use the main parking, you ride a boat or tram to the entrance. Three hours + and 75 photos later. . .  Here are some highlights. Most of the photos are of birds. The large animal (panther. wolf, etc) enclosures were not photo-friendly.

The boat ride. It is a nice transition from the road work to the wild.

Even before the actual park a couple of Osprey posed at extreme zoom.

Red Fox

Flamingos of course.

"The Bird, Mister Spade."

"He's nothing but a dandified buzzard, . . . dandified."

Canebreak Rattlesnake.

River Otter.

Florida Black Bear.

The boat driver said that the TV producer, Ivan Tors (Sea Hunt, Flipper, Science Fiction Theater, AND Gentle Ben, among others) owned or had something to do with the old park. Gentle Ben (it was his screen name) wintered there. (A "snowbear?") Anyway Ben wander about loose and would go across the highway (19) and knock on the back door of a restaurant and the cook would feed him. Heck, it might be true.

Ya just never know when you might make a new friend

So I am walking along the back road at the park and I looks up to see a curiosity.

What's that, says I, hanging out of the hole in the tree?

This is the first snake I have seen with a hangover. I commiserated with him as I have had a few experiences with the condition.  I don't think it helped.

Sometimes you just got to go crazy

"Tacky" is not a word used in RV land (or it would be overused) flamingo lawn decorations are considered high art. It never gets boring,

We are proud to announce a new member of the family!

Clancy, our mascot, found a true love. He said her ears set his stuffing aflutter. (Koala thing I suppose.) So here are Clancy and Sheila, our Mascot and Mzcot.

Horsing Around

Down the road from us is the Sumter Equestrian Center. This weekend they hosted The Florida Ranch Horse Club. Unlike the hoity-toitie jumpers and dressage types, these cowpersons and horses compete in events associated with ranch work. We spent a couple of hours watch "ranch trail."

First, rope the sawbuck calf. Then ride around the palmetto cones

On to a ride across some debris and approach the bridge (a wood platform).

Next, unhook the gate, ride through and re-hook the gate.

Horse does not like rope gate.

But you have to prove who is the boss, it is a cowboy law.

Put the nag into reverse and prove you can park it.

Finally, into the trailer.

For extra points the Florida test. Horse and rider fall into a sink-hole and have to ride out.

Most of the riders were skilled and it was fun to watch. Even more exciting was the cowperson fashion. Everyone could have gone straight to a country and western music concert.