Turtle Sunning Itself Along Juniper Run, Florida - 1/18/09

Keep a keen eye open for wildife, and you'll likely spot it- after all, you're travelling through a state forest on Juniper Run. You'll likely see plenty of turtles, possibly some deer eating berries along the stream, or drinking from it. If you're lucky enough, you' even catch a gimpse of a wild gator sunning himself on the muddy, sandy banks of the stream.

Don't worry, though, because gator sightings are somewhat rare on this canoe trip. I've only seen a couple myself, and they've generally been on the smaller size. But, bring your camera and be ready!

Gators are naturally afraid of man, so one gator by himself against two or three people in a large canoe... you have to admit that a small gator would likely feel fairly intimidated. If you do see one, just leave him alone, and do nothing to agitate him. Just take a few minutes to take a picture or two, then move on. Leave them alone, and they'll leave you alone.

And NEVER NEVER NVEVER NEVER NEVER FEED THEM!!!!! No matter how cute they look, or how hungry they look, you NEVER WANT TO THROW FOOD AT THEM. It's illegal, for one, but even more importantly, you DO NOT want them learning to associate people with food!!! Follow my logic?

So even though the left-over half-eaten ham sandwich in your cooler may be tempting to throw to a gator to watch him pounce on it, it is just better all the way around not to feed them.

You simply don't want wild animals associating humans with a food source... or worse yet, AS A FOOD SOURCE!

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Juniper
• Run
• Florida
• Canoe
• Trip
• Springs
• Turtle