What kind of wildlife can you expect to see while boating with 321 in Indian River Lagoon and its surrounding waters? The answer is: lots! The lagoon actually has more species of plants and animals than any other North American estuary, making it a fascinating location to observe the wildlife of all kinds. From turtles to birds, from fish to aquatic mammals, Indian River Lagoon is one of the best places to spot Florida wildlife, including animals listed on IUCN’s Red List of threatened and endangered species. For example, the seagrass beds in the lagoon are the only place left in the world where the threatened Johnson’s seagrass can be found, with a huge number of species that rely on these grass beds for food, protection, and nurseries for their young. The islands in the lagoon also form the largest barrier island chain in the United States. Read on to see some of our favorite wildlife visitors who frequent the lagoon.
West Indian Manatees
Manatees are one of our favorite Florida residents and certainly one of the most voracious eaters. They can eat one-tenth of their own body weight within 24 hours and will spend up to 8 hours a day grazing on aquatic plants. They can live up to 40 years in the wild. Many people assume that they’re related to other aquatic mammals like dolphins, but they’re actually more closely related to elephants. Unfortunately, these beautiful and gentle animals are listed as an at-risk, threatened species. Many have been hit by a speeding boat and bear the propeller scars to prove it, and they can also become entangled in fishing nets. Please help protect our manatees while boating in the lagoon: there are signs that mark low-wake areas to protect the gentle giants that frequent those areas, and we greatly appreciate your observation of them! With an average speed of 5-15 miles per hour, the West Indian Manatee simply can’t move out of the way of a boat that’s speeding.
Dolphins
Dolphins are common and easy to spot around the river estuary, coast, and lagoon. They love to chase boats and are very curious, so don’t be surprised if they approach your boat to check you out. These animals are intelligent and social, living within groups called “pods” and communicating with each other using a complex language of clicks and whistles. They use their sonar-style echolocation to track down fish, squid, and shrimp to feed on. Moving at more than 18 miles an hour at times, they’re very fast and effective hunters. They can jump up to 16 feet out of the water and, if they’re feeling playful, they may even show you some of their spectacular tricks and flips!
Nurse Sharks
Have no fear; the nurse shark is a fascinating animal to observe and is uniquely harmless to humans. That’s because they’re shy, gentle animals that are specifically built to prey on one kind of food: crabs and other crustaceans. They have developed specially adapted, strong jaws with tiny teeth that only pose a threat to the unlucky crabs they crush between them. These slow-moving bottom-dwellers spend most of their time in warm, shallow waters. They can grow to be up to 14 feet long, but most adults are between 7 and 10 feet. Another feature that makes them unique among sharks is their skin, which is smooth to the touch rather than rough like other sharks. Nurse sharks leave people alone and, while you should try to avoid bothering them in the water, they’re fun to observe and won’t bother you.
Sea Turtles
The juvenile Loggerhead Turtle and the Green Sea Turtle both venture into the lagoon frequently, and you should consider yourself lucky if you have an encounter with one of these shy, rare creatures! Green Sea Turtles are among the largest turtles in the world, weighing in at up to 700 pounds. Adults are herbivores, but juveniles will eat jellyfish, crabs, and sea sponges. This endangered species undertakes long migrations when they breed, traveling from their feeding grounds to the sandy beaches where they nest. The Loggerhead Sea Turtle, listed as threatened, is a carnivore that enjoys jellyfish, conchs, and crabs. They commonly weigh in at around 250 pounds, but adults have rarely been found weighing over 1,000 pounds. They make a similar migratory journey to lay their eggs.
Snowy Egrets
During chick-rearing seasons, there are a huge number of nests located on the islands in the lagoon’s estuary, where you can see parents catching fish to feed their babies in the waters below the trees. They stand in shallow water shuffling their feet and watching for prey to dart out where they can catch it. Snowy Egret populations were endangered until 1910 because they were over hunted for their beautiful feathers, which were a popular addition to clothing items like women’s hats. However, after legislation was passed to protect these birds and others, they made an incredible comeback and are now abundant in the lagoon and throughout the Florida coast.
Great Blue Herons
The largest heron in North American, Great Blues wade through the shallows looking for prey. These still and silent hunters can easily be mistaken for a statue. Their range is large because they’ll eat just about anything they can catch and will hunt during night or day, making them adaptable to different environments. Both parents sit on nests, incubating eggs and later feeding their young.
Roseate Spoonbills
These birds are hard to miss with their beautiful, uniquely shocking pink color. Their color comes from their diet, just like flamingos, so their color can vary slightly depending on factors like age and location. They use their unusual bills to sift through the mud in shallow waters while searching for food. They share the same diet as the Snowy Egret, eating small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. They also nest alongside the Snowy Egret on the islands of the Indian River Lagoon in the mangroves and trees.
Brown Pelicans
Brown Pelicans were seriously endangered before the early 1970’s, when the conservation groups succeeded at making pesticides that were affecting their breeding habits illegal. They’ve made a spectacular comeback and are now a common sight. Watching them hunt is incredible: they dive down into the water from great heights to scoop up a fish, then tilt their beaks forward to drain out the water before throwing their heads back to gulp down their prey. Pelican parents nest alongside the other birds and wildlife on the islands located within Indian River Lagoon, teaming up to raise their chicks together.
Tarpon
These ‘living dinosaur” fish have roamed the planet’s waters for over 100 million years and can grow to be over 8 feet long and 350 pounds. They love the mangrove lagoons and can even live in freshwater, often venturing up into rivers. They can also live in very oxygen-poor water as they have the unusual ability to breathe air from the surface. Tarpon is protected by extensive legislature regarding fishing, so do your research if you have the urge to fish for the “Silver King”.
