Guest Column/Highlands Hammock State Park
Dorothy L. Harris, Park Services Specialist

Territories must provide all the basic necessities for survival.
It has been a busy spring filled with many field trips here in the Hammock. Most of our local schools and many surrounding communities have brought their students to explore the wonders of the hammock with a ranger guide. Students have taken walks, tram rides and have learned more about “the Real Floridasm.”
Wildlife, always the popular topic, seemed to focus on habitats and home ranges this year. All the kids wanted to know how the rangers knew where to find the animals. It’s not really a special gift, rather the results of daily observation.
As you might know, all wildlife has specific habitat requirements. These are the factors that are necessary in order to ensure survival. They include den or nesting places, food sources, water, some room to roam, and of course, others of their species.
We talked a lot about habitats during school trips this year. Students seemed very interested in how the park had changed since the storms last summer and how the wildlife was doing in spite of it all. Some areas of the park have changed, but there is enough intact natural space here to afford the bit of “moving around” that was necessary for some. Another part of this popular topic was that special “ranger skill” of knowing where to find the critters.
All wildlife has specific habitat requirements.
These are the factors that are necessary in order to ensure survival. They include den or nesting places, food sources, water, some room to roam, and of course, others of their species.
Here are two examples: Swamp and Scrub
All species have territories or “home ranges” within their habitats. Simply put, these are the places within a habitat that a species visits. As they travel around within a habitat, they create their territory. Think of this territory like the rooms of a house. Some areas are for sleeping, others for eating, some for hunting, etc. Territories must provide all the basic necessities for survival. Leaving your territory due to habitat destruction, loss of food, or danger from predators leaves you vulnerable to starvation or predation. Simply put, for many wildlife species, it’s best to stay home!
This of course exposes that extra-sensory ranger-skill. Since we are here each day, we observe wildlife on a daily basis. Soon patterns emerge in wildlife movement. After a while, you find yourself waiting in expectation for that certain species to show up in a designated area. If you’ve observed carefully, there are times and places where you can almost guarantee a wildlife spotting! This is why it’s so much fun to join a ranger on a tour. We can usually provide that special “wildlife show” that seems to elude many visitors. This of course brings us back to that topic of “home ranges.”
Think of this territory like the rooms of a house. Some areas are for sleeping, others for eating, some for hunting, etc.
Right: 'gator nest.
Eagle's nest: There are times and places where you can almost guarantee a wildlife sighring.
Just this week, I’ve had opportunity to speak to several people out in the community regarding non-typical wildlife sightings. Sometimes animals or birds just show up in places that just don’t make a lot of sense.
Could be that they’ve lost their habitat, been chased out of their territory or are simply searching for food or a mate.
Remember that just because you’ve seen a species in a particular place once or twice, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they “live there.” Perhaps I can explain it better this way; suppose I see you out in the community, maybe while you’re out doing some shopping at Walmart. If I see you there, I wouldn’t automatically assume that you live in the Walmart store! That would be ridiculous. I would know that you are out, visiting this place and know that you do have a home somewhere nearby, even if I don’t know exactly where it is.
Wildlife is like that too. You might see an alligator in the parking lot of your local gas station, but certainly you wouldn’t imagine that they live there at the Circle K! Perhaps there are raccoons in the dumpster, but that’s not where they raise their babies! How about those Florida scrub-jays that mooch peanuts on your favorite central Florida golf course? Needless to say, they don’t nest on the golf course! These creatures are simply out foraging for food or perhaps searching for a mate. It may even be that this area was once part of their habitat, but is now developed and on the fringes of their now shrunken territory.
So keep in mind that to see lots of wildlife, not just these non-typical sightings, you need to know a little bit about habitats. It’s not hard though, just think about the sort of things that you need in order to feel “at home.” A safe place to sleep, good food, good friends-and a little patch of “the Real Floridasm” to call your own. Once you know what they need, you’ll know where to find them!
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