Sawgrass Lake in St. Petersburg, Florida is a highly diverse area with a boardwalk that explores wetlands. Maple trees, Cypress trees, and various pine and oak trees provide homes for birds, skinks, snakes, turtles, and a large population of alligators. Red-shouldered Hawks and pileated woodpeckers are common. Butterflies, bees, and moths flutter among the numerous flowering plants. It’s a great place for a picnic or short morning saunter.
According to the book “Mangroves to Major League: a Timeline of St. Petersburg, Florida,” in 1869, cattle ranchers in Pinellas county saw bears and panthers as a threat and organized efforts to eradicate them from the area. Today, we have better technology such as electric fences that keep wild animals out of areas where there are domestic animals and/or crops.
