This page is about some native wildlife found in Florida that I've seen in Silver Springs.
Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris)
Aquatic mammals that can have an average weight up to 800 to 1,000 pounds and and can have a length up to 10 ft, they are peaceful and slow-moving creatures with two forelimbs called flippers with three to four fingernails on each one.
They can be found in rivers, estuaries, canals, saltwater bays, and coastal areas, especially where seagrass beds are plenty. In the summer they could be spotted in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina since they are warm-blooded and are sensitive to sudden drops in temperature. During the winter and sometimes in the summer they can be found in Florida. They can also be found near power plants for the thermal discharge areas.
They have a split upper lip for feeding on aquatic plants and can differentiate color, shapes and patterns and have small ear openings behind their eyes. They open their nostrils above the waters surface to breathe.
They were historically hunted for food and hides and oil were sold at a high price. They are protected by the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act, the 1973 Endangered Species Act, and the 1978 Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act.
For more information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Crystal_River/wildlife_and_habitat/Florida_Manatee.html
Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)
It has a rounded, oblong carapace and broad, short toenails with rouded hind feet.
Known for their burrows, they can be found in well-drained habitats like oak hammocks and pine flatwods.
Burrows can run up to 30 ft or more and can get up to 18th ft deep.
They feed on grasses and various plants and sometimes insects or carrion. They feed during warmer parts of the day and go back to the burrows when its cool or extremely hot.
American Alligator
A large aquatic reptile, it is one of two species of crocodilians in Florida. It has a broad snout with no teeth showing when its jaw is closed. The species can grow up to 14 feet and weigh up to over a 1,000 pounds. They range from Eastern Texas to North Carolina to Florida.
They are cold-blooded and regulate their temperature by sitting in the sun. Their diet consists of fish, birds, snakes, and turtles. Females can lay up to 32-46 eggs.
For more information:
https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/reptiles/alligator/