Florida Wildlife at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

On my recent trip to Florida I spent a wonderful morning at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Homosassa, Florida. Bill and I have family in the area and they’d mentioned Homosassa Springs as a place we might visit in the past. Then when a photographer friend of mine heard I was heading to Florida he said I really should visit Homosassa Springs. So we finally made our first trip to Homosassa Springs – and we’ll likely head back there next time we’re in the area.

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park highlights the native wildlife of Florida. From flamingos to manatees, otters to Florida panthers – they have it all. There is an elaborate boardwalk and series of paths that take visitors through the park where you can see the native flora and fauna of Florida. It serves as a rehabilitation center for injured wildlife including manatees. Many of birds and other residents of the park have injuries that prevent them from surviving in the wild. So the park provides them a home and allows visitors to see these amazing birds and animals.

With one exception – all the residents of the park are native to Florida. Lu (short for Lucifer) the hippo is the only non-native wildlife in the park – and he was made an honorary citizen of the state when Homosassa Springs became a Wildlife State Park.

Here are some of my photos of the wildlife who live at Homosassa Springs

A Bobcat

A Red-Shouldered Hawk

A Bald Eagle

A Great Horned Owl

A pair of Barred Owls

A pink Flamingo

The bobcat and all of these birds are year-round residents at Homosassa Springs. The owls, hawks and eagles were all rescued from the wild where they had been injured. Since none of the birds are able to fly, they are on display in exhibits without bars or wires – which made it fairly easy to photograph them.

I’ll post some of my photos of wild birds that were visiting the park next week.