Shark Valley

The Shark Valley is located on the Tamiami Trail in Florida ( USA), about 35 km from Miami. It is a part of the Everglades National Park. Compared to the Miccosukee Village & Cultural Center is the entrance of the Shark Valley. Accessible is a 24 -mile circular tour through the inner part of the Everglades. At the half-way point of the round trip takes you to a 20-meter high observation tower, the Shark Valley Observation Tower, from which you have a good overview of the whole environment, you can see for example the Shark River Slough and the Saw Grass Prairie. In the period from May to November, it can also come by, heavy rains cause flooding along the paths, because in these months is the rainy season in Florida.

Another way to explore the Shark Valley, is a boardwalk with names Otter Cave Walk. This way - partly from planks but also partly of coarse limestone - performs a piece of tropical mixed forest and offers an insight into the vegetation of Florida. The Otter Cave Walk It crosses small streams and bridges.

Flora

The Shark Valley in the Everglades offers a unique vegetation, with some 2,000 different plant species. These plants, such as mangroves, cypress, palm and pine trees thrive through the tropical vegetation and 45 of these plants are found only in the Everglades. An important factor in the natural cycle of plant life form the mangroves, because the foliage is used as fodder for small microorganisms, which in turn are eaten by fish or birds living there.

The special feature of the flora of the Everglades is that the plants benefit from the mixture of salt and fresh water, the water is nutrient- rich and so the plants can thrive particularly well.

Fauna

Well known for the Everglades are the alligators, which sometimes may be due to the developed cycle paths and footpaths in the Shark Valley before. You then should remain calm and quiet walk past them, then nothing can happen. But Shark Valley is home to many more animals, such as up to 300 different species of birds, such as waterfowl and migratory birds. These include, for example, the famous bald eagles, pelicans - which are a constant feature in all of Florida - gulls, herons, owls, roseate spoonbills, ibis and falcons. Depending on the season and also depending on the time of day you can watch the birds in their natural environment.

Rarely seen is the Florida panther, there are not many of the animals and they hide in the jungle and not reach the touristy paths. But not only the Florida Panthers is under threat, but also the American crocodiles, which find their habitat in salt water, but also certain turtle species, such as the green sea turtle. In Shark Valley there are also many small mammals that are encountered time and again, including raccoons, squirrels, marsh rabbits, possums or skunks.

Trails

In Shark Valley there are several access roads that lead through a part of the Everglades. Depending on the tour, you can explore up to 24 km, exploring tours are walking, possible with a tram or bike. There are a Shark Valley Observation Tower, from which you can overlook the Shark Valley from the air and so can obtain an overview of the width of the tropical landscape. There is also a boardwalk through the Shark Valley, which has the name Otter Cave Walk. This boardwalk leads through a dense tropical mixed forest and you go partly coarse limestone and must pass small streams and bridges.