More than 1.5 million acres of Everglades ecosystem in South Florida provide a home for myriad birds, reptiles and mammals within the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. The swampy wetlands are an important habitat for Florida flora and fauna but can be inhospitable for humans with seasonal heat, humidity and bugs.
Nevertheless, these wildlands have drawn curious explorers from around the world who wish to see what lies between Naples and Miami. After all, it’s an area where lucky visitors may spot a Florida panther, a crocodile or the fabled Skunk Ape.
And in reality, some humans have also inhabited the Everglades for thousands of years. The Calusa and Tequesta tribes lived in the region before the Spanish occupied the Florida peninsula. Later came the Seminole and Miccosukee Indians, who still reside in the Everglades to this day.
