| Re: 08.16.19 |
Subject: Re: 08.16.19 by TommyT-Bone on 2019/8/16 19:11:41 Here is a post written by one of my neighbors about the other. James Eric McDonough wrote: "When America’s Crocodile Hunter, Mark Parry, ask you to go flying around Everglades National Park jumping out of helicopters and wrestling alligators with him, there is only one proper response, heck YEAH!!! This is somewhat in jest, as we weren’t actually planning on wrestling any alligators (at least I wasn’t anyway). But even better we were going to open up alligator nest to monitor their egg development and check for losses due to flooding. Come to think of it wrestling alligators may be safer than rooting around in momma gators nest. What did I sign myself up for? Thankfully, it was late in the season and their protective instincts were greatly diminished. Of the roughly dozen nests we physically checked, only twice did the momma come to check us out. Even better news, for the baby gators, only a few were flooded, and many had hatched already. Yeah for conservation! As a safety precaution, I always made sure to keep Mr. Parry between me and the gators. My strategy here is kind of like my swimming with sharks theory, you will be OK as long as one person in the group swims slower than you. In this case it was who could run faster, which was a question I was not sure of, so I decided it would be best would give myself an advantage through a head start. LOL Now before anyone starts thinking it is time to call FWC to report me, I was volunteering with Mr. Parry who is a biologist for the Park. We were collecting data as part of a multi-year study on habitat suitability that has great promise to be useful in other monitoring and restoration projects both inside and outside of Everglades National Park. The study as explained to me, during refueling and lunch stops, was fascinating and gives hope for our ability to manage sensitive habitat and critical and/or endangered species for future preservation. In short, the hydrology and topography of the Everglades, after tampering with the flow by man, leaves some places with too much water and some places with too little. Years with either excess or shortages in rainfall negatively affect alligator nesting in different areas. In dry years only the deep sloughs have enough water, but in wet years they flood. The alligator is the most important keystone species in the Everglades and creates and maintains habitat necessary for the survival of other species. Either condition, too wet or too dry, is detrimental for the baby alligators in some parts of the Park. What is found is that spatial distribution is highly important to their continued survival. When all the alligators were concentrated only in the slough the eggs kept flooding. Now that their distribution is wider once again many of the babies survive in other places when the slough floods. Yet, by maintaining nesting in the slough some babies survive even in the dry years when those outside of the slough don’t make it. As a lab scientist with a biology background it is always exciting to participate in field work. And I must say it was an adventure of a lifetime. My only problem is figuring out what was more adrenaline provoking flying in the chopper or getting so close to gators. Mr. Parry is tagged in this post, and hopefully will explain the work in greater depth for our interested reads and/or provide information in the comments. Here in Homestead we are surrounded on two sides by national Parks, Biscayne to the east and Everglades to the west. It is highly recommended that you visit these treasures, and if given the opportunity to volunteer make sure you take it. National Parks, America’s best idea." |
