I Saw My First Alligator!
Our second stop on the Creole Nature Trail was the Cameron Prarie National Wildlife Refuge. The building itself seems to be built into a pond, surrounded by fish, turtles and the sound of bullfrogs.
Next on the list was the Pintail Wildlife Drive, a three mile drive with a half mile walking trail. We did the walk first, and I may have seen a snake.
There was certainly a lot of noise and movement hidden by the tall reeds.
It was on the drive that I saw my first alligator, and then many more alligators.
Now for the next
There is something special about the first time you see a new and exciting animal. Alligators are definitely cool to see in the wild. We just hiked a trail in Jean Lafette NP and saw several alligators from a very short distance. It's still exciting for the whole family even after having seen them several times before. If you ever have an opportunity, go somewhere you can watch them at night when they are more active. We did a night hike in the Everglades last year and it was amazing watching alligators float by right under the bridge we were walking on. And shining our flashlights out over the water revealed hundreds of red eyes out in the dark water.
being from Alaska, I somehow equated alligators with bears, a wild animal you must prepare for and be aware of. Here in Louisiana, I saw people in the water fishing and netting with alligators just a bit up the creek. It was a mental shift for me, and I'm less worried about walking the dog... leashed of course. I dio look forward to seeing one in the dark, maybe this winter when we stay in Florida.
We just left Louisiana yesterday! Now we are in Mississippi not far from Pascagoula.