Conservation of the Everglades National Park Research Paper

Conservation of the Everglades National Park - Research Paper Example The Park is home to several species of wildlife such as herons, egrets, wood storks, red-shouldered hawks, snail kites, wild turkeys, woodpeckers, and warblers. In addition, it is the only Park in the world with two contrasting species of animals coexisting in the same ecosystem. For example, alligators, commonly found in temperate climatic zones, live with crocodiles, only found in tropical zones. Since the Park receives both freshwater and saltwater from different sources, plants and animals from temperate and tropical climatic zones are a common feature. Funding from external sources is necessary to support conservation programs aimed at preserving the existing ecosystem, as well as develop lasting solutions to slow down the effects of global warming on the Park’s flora and fauna. Diversity and biological interrelationships among the life forms in the area During the dry season often experienced between December and April, the alligator digs out large holes in the limestone that provides shelter for turtles, insects, wading birds, and fish. These holes provide a secure place for these animals to cool down during the day before returning to their habitats at night (Spoolman & Miller, 2011). Moreover, during the wet seasons, alligators spread out the marshes floating on the water to make way for wading birds and other freshwater animals. The life cycle of the snail kites is dependent upon the availability of the apple snail, which is its staple prey in the Park. Due to the seasonal water flow affecting the Park, the population of the apple snails is diminishing, endangering the survival of the snail kites. Thus, conservancy strategies have been put in place to control the use of water in the Park so as to reverse the current seasonal dry spells that, for years, have disrupted the Park’s ecosystem. For there to be a stable balance between the predators and their prey, conservancy programs should be modeled towards reversing the effects of global w arming currently affecting the flora and fauna native to the Park (Balint, Stewart, Desai, & Walters, 2011). Mangrove trees provide nesting grounds for different species of birds living in the Park. Furthermore, snakes prey on these birds for survival, thus keeping the mangrove forest intact would strengthen this food chain, providing a balance between the two species dominant in the Park. Human intrusions threatening the Park Although the Park is protected from the inside, its surroundings are constantly being destroyed by human activities, such as building canals to redirect water from the river for irrigation. The water channeled off the Park is being utilized by the neighboring communities to water their plantations, as well as for domestic use. Besides, the canal’s major objective is to control flooding during the rainy season when water from the springs overflows to the plantations surrounding the Park (Parrish, 2011). Water from the â€Å"River of Grass† is curr ently being used to irrigate sugarcane plantations located between the Park and Lake Okeechobee. It is said that the river no longer flows to the Park as it used to when the Park was opened since most of the water is being tapped for domestic and industrial use.