life-at-the-swamp

[life-at-the-swamp]

  Today will be the third and final installment of our virtual tour. I felt like it was only right to leave our prized mascot, the gator, to be the last wildlife animal I discuss. If the picture didn’t already give it away, then here is me telling you point blank, “Yes, we do have real-life gators living around our campus.” 

  THE FELLOW STUDENTS YOU’LL BE PASSING BY ON YOUR WAY TO CLASS, obviously. Oh, and the reptiles that you can find living in ponds on campus, Lake Alice, Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, and Lake Wauburg. Our school image would be ruined if we didn’t have real alligators in our swamp!

  Although this picture may seem scary with the “Danger: Alligators and Snakes in Area” sign, it is simply there as safety reminder and as long as you keep your distance there is nothing to fret about. Alligators will not pursue you unless they are giving a reason to; don’t be that reason. 

  The University of Florida is one of the best schools in the world and its emblem is seen everywhere. It was in 1908 that Austin Miller’s father, Phillips Miller, visited him in Virginia in which he planned on ordering some pennants for his Gainesville store. The two realized that the school did not have a mascot, and Austin proposed the idea of an alligator because it is native to Florida. After having to find a picture at the library to show the manufacturer, the Florida “GATOR” was born. A real-life alligator was used as the mascot in 1957 and then in 1970, the full-body Albert costume was introduced. 

  They are fascinating creatures, and you will almost definitely see one if you are to go to Paynes Prairie. Located less than 10 miles from campus, it is our state’s first preserve and is a designated National Natural Landmark. 

  Advice: Even if they are still and their eyes appeared to be closed, they are not asleep. If you are to be chased, run in a zig-zag pattern! 

  Fun fact: The distance (in inches) between their eyes and snout are how many feet long their body is. 

  Thank you so much for coming back and participating in my virtual tour of UF’s wildlife. I had a great time creating this, and I hope you enjoyed reading and learning a bit about your new, wild neighbors! 

Later Gators!

Sources: https://goo.gl/cjOan4 and https://goo.gl/Eli3Ea 

//Shot on June 6, 2017.

[life-at-the-swamp]

  Welcome back, Gators! I hope you enjoyed learning about our croaky friend yesterday. Although frogs can reach some serious height (those hind legs are mini trampolines), bats take it to the next level with being winged-creatures and whatnot. Now there is no need to have any qualms about being bitten or turning into a vampire. 

  The bats that are found in Gainesville -- North America for that matter -- are considered microbats which have an eight-to-ten inch wingspan. These are significantly smaller than bats found in Indonesia that can have wing spans as large as six feet. Take a moment and envision what THAT would look like... Actually on second thought, don’t do that! 

  Pictured here is the University of Florida Bat House and Bat Barn which is the world’s largest occupied bat houses! If you have been conditioned to be scared of bats due to movies and cartoons, then I would suggest a bat emergence viewing right when you get to campus to be rid of that fear. It’s an evening event that many newcomers and locals really seem to enjoy. Located off Museum Road, there’s just something special about an orange and blue sunset by Lake Alice, watching the bats emerge in a giant black sweep. 

  The University Athletic Association built the original Bat House in 1991, and then the Bat Barn was built in 2010. You will find three species of bats here: 

The Brazilian free-tailed bat is the most populous in the metropolitan areas of Florida. They are able to fly as fast as 60 mph and are medium-sized. 

The Evening bat is not as populous in the houses but is the most common in Gainesville. 

The Southeastern bat is a small bat that is unique for typically giving birth to twins.

  The best time to see the bats emerge is 15 to 20 minutes after sunset, during spring through early summer. 

Advice: Be on the lookout for falling urine and guano as the bats fly above you. Other than that, ENJOY!

Later Gators!

Sources: Lubee Bat Conservancy, George Marks of the Florida Bat Conservancy, and the Florida Museum of Natural History

//Shot on June 6, 2017.