Wilder.
The Anhinga Trail boardwalk in Everglades National Park, Florida
Photo: Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

National park · USA

Everglades Animal Checklist

Everglades National Park in south Florida is a vast, slow-moving river of grass, famous for alligators beside the Anhinga Trail, wading birds such as Roseate Spoonbills and Wood Storks, manatees and the American crocodile. It is the only place where alligators and crocodiles live side by side. This checklist covers 62 animals. December to April, the dry season, is best.

The park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the USA. Water levels drive everything: as the marsh dries in winter, fish, birds and alligators crowd into the remaining pools, which is when viewing is easiest.

Tick them off in Wilder Print the checklist

Free A4 PDF, no sign-up. Wilder is free to start and works offline.

See all 62 animals
The Everglades checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked
Animals to find
62
Where
USA
Best time
Dec to Apr
Only place where
Alligators and crocodiles live side by side

Headline animals in the Everglades

  • American Alligator, one of the animals to look for in Everglades

    American Alligator

    Almost guaranteed on the Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm and along the canal at Shark Valley in the dry season. They bask on banks on cool mornings.

    Photo: Trish Hartmann from Tampa, Florida, USA, CC BY 2.0

  • American Crocodile, one of the animals to look for in Everglades

    American Crocodile

    Greyer and narrower-snouted than an alligator, living in salty water. The marina at Flamingo is the best place, where they often rest on the banks.

    Photo: olekinderhook, CC BY 3.0

  • Manatee, one of the animals to look for in Everglades

    Manatee

    Visit warmer, sheltered water in winter. Check the Flamingo marina and the Buttonwood Canal from the dock, especially on cool days.

    Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Roseate Spoonbill

    Pink birds sweeping bills through the shallows. Look at Eco Pond near Flamingo and on the mudflats of Florida Bay, especially in winter.

  • Wood Stork

    North America's only breeding stork. Nests in colonies from winter to spring and feeds in drying pools along the main park road.

  • Anhinga

    The 'snake bird' swims with only its neck showing, then dries its wings on a branch. The trail named after it is the best place.

  • Snail Kite

    A rare hawk that eats only apple snails. Scan the marsh along the Tamiami Trail and near Shark Valley.

  • Bottlenose Dolphin

    Often seen on boat tours from Flamingo into Florida Bay, and in the Ten Thousand Islands on tours from the Gulf Coast side.

  • Burmese Python

    An invasive snake that has spread across the park and seriously reduced small mammals. Rarely seen; report any sighting to park staff.

All 62 animals to spot in the Everglades

Grouped the way you'll meet them. Tips show where to look.

Mammals 6

Sea mammals 2

Wading birds 14

Water birds 11

Birds of prey 8

Other birds 6

Reptiles 9

Amphibians 3

Fish 2

Butterflies 1

  • Last reviewed September 2026.
  • Sources are listed below the questions.
  • Wild animals only. Please give them space.

Best time to see wildlife in the Everglades

The dry season, from December to April, is the best time to see wildlife in the Everglades. Water drains from the marsh, so fish gather in the remaining ponds and sloughs and draw in alligators and wading birds. Temperatures are mild, humidity is low and mosquitoes are much reduced. Wood Storks and other wading birds nest from late winter into spring, and migrant birds from further north swell the lists. The wet season, from May or June to October, brings heat, afternoon thunderstorms, hurricanes and intense mosquitoes. Animals spread out across the flooded marsh, but the landscape is lush and many birds, like Swallow-tailed Kites, are breeding.

  • Dec-FebPeak dry season, crowded pools, manatees in warm water
  • Mar-AprWading bird nesting, Swallow-tailed Kites return
  • MayHot, rains begin, last of the easy viewing
  • Jun-OctWet season: storms, heavy mosquitoes, animals dispersed
  • NovWater levels start to fall, visitors return

Tips for spotting wildlife in the Everglades

  1. Start at the Anhinga Trail

    This short boardwalk near the Homestead entrance is the park's best wildlife walk. Go early in the morning for alligators, herons, cormorants and the anhingas themselves.

  2. Protect your car from vultures

    Black Vultures at Royal Palm peel rubber seals off parked cars. The park lends tarps and cords at the car park for this reason.

  3. Take the Shark Valley tram or bike

    A 15-mile loop road off the Tamiami Trail runs beside a canal with alligators, herons and turtles, and ends at an observation tower over the grasslands.

  4. Drive to Flamingo

    The 38-mile road from the main entrance ends at Florida Bay. Look for crocodiles and manatees at the marina and spoonbills at Eco Pond.

  5. Never feed or approach alligators

    Feeding wildlife is illegal and makes alligators dangerous. Keep well back from any alligator or crocodile and keep children and dogs away from the water's edge.

The Wilder app

Take the Everglades with you

Visiting the Everglades? Tick off alligators, spoonbills and crocodiles in Wilder as you go. It's free to start and works offline out on the trails.

  • Tick off as you goOut in the field with no signal, too.
  • Add your photosEach sighting keeps its date and picture.
  • A summary of the tripEverything you saw, day by day.
  • A passport stampOne for the Everglades, kept in your Wilder passport.
Start the Everglades in Wilder
Or scan with
your phone

Free to start. This list and the printable PDF are free.

The Everglades checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked

Everglades wildlife FAQ

What animals can you see in the Everglades?

In the Everglades you can see American alligators, American crocodiles, manatees, bottlenose dolphins, turtles and snakes, plus a huge range of birds, including herons, egrets, ibises, Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Stork, Anhinga and Snail Kite. Mammals such as White-tailed Deer, bobcats and river otters are present but harder to find. Alligators and wading birds are almost guaranteed in the dry season.

Where is the best place to see alligators in the Everglades?

The Anhinga Trail at Royal Palm is the best place to see alligators in Everglades National Park, followed closely by the Shark Valley loop. From December to April, when water levels are low, dozens can be seen on a single visit. Mornings are best, when they haul out to warm up in the sun.

Can you see crocodiles in the Everglades?

Yes, American crocodiles live in the salty and brackish water of Florida Bay, and the marina at Flamingo is the most reliable place to see them. They are shy and less common than alligators. The Everglades is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles naturally live together.

When is the best time to see wildlife in the Everglades?

The best time to see wildlife in the Everglades is the dry season, from December to April. Animals concentrate around the remaining water, the weather is mild and mosquitoes are few. The wet season, from late May to October, is hot and stormy, with heavy mosquitoes, and animals are spread across the flooded marsh.

Are there manatees in the Everglades?

Yes, West Indian manatees live in the coastal waters and mangrove channels of the Everglades. The Flamingo marina is the best place to spot them, especially in winter, when they move into warmer, sheltered water. They surface slowly to breathe, so look for a round snout and a swirl on calm water.

Sources

Last reviewed September 2026

Photo credits

All photo credits. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Nearby checklists

All North America
Save them to Wilder