Moccasin Lake

Moccasin Lake Nature Park

Kai Sacco

August 27^th, 2015

Temperature was 78 degrees Fahrenheit, 100% overcast with a slight breeze.

Moccasin Lake Nature Park was reclaimed in 1982 from being a borrow pit, where soil from the area was taken to other places. Ever since, the park has acted as an education and activity center for the public. Florida is known for its diversity, and our trip was not short of that. In the main building, our class stopped in to see the reptiles and amphibians housed there. Among those found were White’s Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea), a slimy little Australian native that was hanging out. His natural habitat ranges from Australia to New Zealand to New Guinea.

The red rat snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) was in the process of shedding his skin, so he wasn’t very active. However, those of his species can be found widely found in all the counties of Florida.

Two American bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), whose natural habitat spans from the Mexican border through Canada, were waiting for us next to Elvis the black vulture (Coragyps atratus).

On the nature trail we saw a variety of fauna including (but of course not limited to):

Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides)- native

Magnolia tree (Magnolia grandiflora)- native

Air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera)- invasive

Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)- invasive

Saw palm (Serenoa repens)- native

Beauty berry (Callicarpa americana)- native