Come See What You're Missing

Cypress Gardens is an 170 + acre swamp garden and wildlife education park. We are celebrating our 75th anniversary this year. Take the time to come and see us soon!!

We have heard so many people in the past few years that say they have lived in the Charleston Area all their lives and have never been out to Cypress Gardens. I think to myself, what a shame, but I know we are all guilty of not taking the opportunities that our towns afford us. We chose instead to travel to another city and see what is there, thinking that we will eventually get around to seeing those places which are much closer to home. Let me tell you a little bit about what you are missing by passing up Cypress Gardens for one more weekend. First, the magnificent peace and quiet you find here. We are at most 45 minutes from most Charlestonians even though for some the mere mention of a Moncks Corner address keeps them away. We are between Goose Creek and Moncks Corner, but feel like a world away from all the hustle and bustle of your daily lives. With all of the growth in the area, the wildlife is getting pushed farther and farther out and we provide a sanctuary for more kinds of birds, butterflies, dragonflies and mammals than you can find anywhere else in the area. We plant for these animals to insure that they stay healthy and happy and enjoy being at home here. Butterfly gardens are everywhere with host and nectar plants that have the butterflies and bees all atwitter. If you don’t see enough of them outside, head into the Butterfly House and get help identifying what you’ve seen. There are 4 ½ miles of walking trails, some quite remote for the adventure seekers. Please be aware that we call them nature trails and if you don’t want to see nature (spiders, snakes, an occasional biting insect – although surprisingly very few) stay off of them. There is also the opportunity to paddle through the 80 acre Cypress and Tupelo swamp that is home to more than 50 species of fish and countless other natural wonders. There are days where the dark tannin-stained water is so still that it reflects the trees and sky with such perfect mirrored beauty that many folks can’t tell which way is right side up when they get their pictures developed. As your curiosity peaks as to what might dwell in the dark water an alligator pops his nose up, giving you a small glimpse of his shy nature and a hint that there is way more here than meets the eye. A short stroll to the aquarium, which is home to almost every species of fish, reptile and amphibian in our swamp allows you a full view of the hidden wonders that make their home here. One of the animals not on display that you just can’t miss if you try is the Carolina Anole. They are the small green and brown lizards you see on the benches, trees and fences in the park. (They are not chameleons, but that is another blog all together.) People are surprised to see the numerous non-native parrots, snakes and crocodiles that we have on display. We were surprised too as we started receiving calls from all over the tri-county area (and beyond) from people whose exotic pets needed a good home. It started with a few parrots and a rather large python and grew to enormous dinner plate sized Pacu, and a 16 ft anaconda. And before you ask, yes they were all once pets. We even received a call from a small zoo owner pleading with us to rescue the 10 or so crocodiles he had on display. The funding was getting tight and he didn’t know what to do with them, so we quickly built Crocodile Isle in order to save them from euthanasia. I have watched Cypress Gardens blossom over the last 8 years and marvel at the beauty every morning. It is a phenomenal place to work and study nature. It is full of staff who love what they do and treat each other like any other American dysfunction family. Anywhere else we would seem like misfits and our animals would be odd and out of place, but here it truly and magically works. Every one of us loves to share our knowledge, so just grab anyone who works here with your questions about your day. If they don’t know they can find a Biologist or Horticulturist who does. Plan to pack a lunch and a few drinks and come spend the day with us. Many visitors come in the afternoon and soon realize they should have given themselves more time. A whole day of family friendly entertainment that is great for granddads and grandbabies alike.

Admission prices and other info can be found on the Cypressgardens.info website as well as directions to the park from just about anywhere.

Until then,
Life's a Swamp!

The Tracks

One early morning, as the animals at Cypress Gardens were waking up, Melanie and I saw some interesting mud tracks on the path near Pedro’s exhibit. They contained what looked like elongated feet and a tail slide, so our first thought was small alligator. Now this would not be incredibly unusual. We had Tripod, as you probably guessed a three-legged four foot gator, living there for 3 years. He felt misplaced and out-competed in the big swamp and decided his uniqueness was better suited in a smaller space with no competition. One year he just stopped coming. Maybe he found a new home getting too big for the little pond or maybe….. , well this is a happy tale so I won’t dwell on the other options. Anyway back to the tracks. As we studied the tracks some more we finally found some front foot prints. These prints had definite pads and right away we knew it was an otter.
The search was on. No luck. So we figured we missed him and would need to come out earlier the next morning to see him. No luck. How early must you get up to see an otter? We figured they probably get up and hunting before the alligators begin hunting them, so 7 a.m.? Melanie tried it a few days later and eureka! I tried it for a week, even once getting out there by 6:45, not even a track, so I left my camera at home. It’s a sort of rain dance like when you wash your car and there is a downpour. Leave your camera at home and you will see an eagle swoop down out of the sky and catch a fish that just happened to be leaping out of the river at the same time (I know you nature lovers all know what I mean). I snuck out of the Aquarium front door and sat on the walkway with my coffee and up pops the otter. Wow! Sleek and dark with intense eyes seeming to question my presence. His playful nature got the best of him and he snorted water at me. Figuring I guess that I wasn’t much of a threat, he went on about his day and eventually headed off to his hiding place in the swamp.
Those of you who have had the pleasure of witnessing an otter at play know what its like to see true happiness. The otter looks as though he has not a care in the world. They are naturally curious and, if approached calmly, may even involve you in the festivities. That is why it has been such a treat to follow our friend’s tracks around in the morning in hopes that we will catch a glimpse of him slipping through the overgrown pond, or watch as he pads around on land, nose constantly on the ground in search of a snack or a fun rock to push. That is the way of the otter see; he never takes life and lunch so seriously that he overlooks the joy of the simple things. Well looky there, a take home message. Live life like an otter. Until next time,
Life’s a Swamp!

Love is in the Air

On a recent Sunday morning I heard a small child ask his mother and father, "Why is that turtle standing on top of the other one and making so much noise?" The staff of Cypress Gardens often hear this question in its many forms. Such as, why is the big alligator trying to drown the little one, why is that green lizard biting the neck of the brown one, and why are those two butterflies stuck together? For me there is a simple answer to these simple questions, they are mating. For the parents of a small child that has not yet been given the 'Birds and the Bees' talk it can be quite embarrassing. As many of you know, children are always going to ask or say the most outrageous things when they are in the biggest crowd and with their loudest voice. I have had some mothers scowl at me as they usher their children away from the amorous tortoise as he expresses his enjoyment of the moment. These parents however used this moment to simply tell the young child that the mommy and daddy tortoise were making baby tortoises. The child said "Oooohhh" and the family moved on. Adult groups often gawk in amazement because they didn't know that tortoises were capable of making sound at all.
We have many creatures on display that are happy enough to make nests, defend them with mouth wide open (like the mama Dwarf Crocodile or the daddy Tilapia), and produce young, all right in front of our guests. Who are we to discourage them from doing what nature intended for their survival? We are also happy to say that many of the wild animals on the 170 acres of Cypress Gardens feel at home enough here to raise families. Every summer the guests get to see baby alligators sunning on the logs while their moms keep vigilant watch. Some early springs, as the cold of winter begins to hint at warmer weather, we are graced with the presence of the newest otter family. The Bluebirds and Wood Ducks use the boxes we provide, and we get to enjoy the antics of the wayward exploring youngsters as their parents try to keep them together. It is a really marvelous place to be when the great Pileated Woodpecker swoops overhead and brings a large grub to the hole in the old dead pine as the hole emits the sound of hungry young woodpeckers. We invite you to come and bring the little ones for an education they can get no where else. Come and be embarrassed with the rest of the parents as they stutter through an explanation. To add to the embarrassment of the family that came out that Sunday morning there was good ole Sunshine, the African Gray Parrot. She is notorious for being able to hear a wild bird sound once and repeat it. The Parrot exhibit is right across from the Tortoise exhibit. As many of you have guessed already, she can now reproduce the sound of a very happy "Homer the Tortoise" (who some affectionately call Humpy) and she did so, right on cue.
Oh Well,
Life's a Swamp

Alligators- cont'd

Evolutionarily, alligators have perfected the art of deception. They lie perfectly still until a bird, turtle or small mammal walks by, mistaking them for a rock or fallen tree. This also worked on a very good friend of mine who tried to touch a Caiman's teeth. ( A caiman is in the crocodilian family along with alligators and crocodile.) After it snapped at his finger causing a pretty fair loss of blood, but no major lasting damage, my friend said, " but he looked so still and calm". Alligators prefer this lie in wait approach to caching food because it wastes less of the precious little energy they have. Alligators can be dangerous when they are taught to associate humans with food. We become "human vending machines" when we knowingly (throwing marshmallows at the cute baby gator in the local pond) or unknowingly (emptying the crab pot of leftover chicken) feed them. The cute baby alligator grows into a 10 foot male who still expects food and grows impatient with the small human fishing on the dock. We only have to be smarter than the animal with a brain the size of a walnut. I can't imagine it should be that difficult. We don't nee to say to our friends "hold my beer watch this" and get to close to an alligator to prove we are tough (this goes for you folks trying to handle venomous snakes as well). The alligator will be forced to defend itself if it can't get way. We don't need to get to close to the baby alligators, their moms are the only known reptiles that protect and care for their young for as many as 2 years. We don't need to feed the alligators, they to just fine on their won. We also don't need to make small prey-like noises on the edge of the pond or river. Gators often grab first and ask questions later when it comes to a meal. It is instinct guided my the small sensory bumps on the sides of their jaws. It has no way of knowing you are not a large yummy raccoon until after it tastes you and spits you out. This is usually little consolation to the one being spat. Alligators can only eat 5 months out of the year, otherwise it is too cold. They are cold-blooded, unable to thermoregulate, meaning they have no way of creating their own body heat. Pick up a toad or a lizard one cold morning and see how much energy it has. They rely on the sun for energy hence the reason they are often seen basking in the sun. If their body temperature is not above 65 degrees, they can't digest their food. This is the reason why Alligators are rarely seen above Columbia SC. It is just too cold for them to survive the winter and shorter feeding seasons.

The largest recorded alligator was 19ft long found in 1890 before they were almost hunted to extinction. They were labeled endangered and have been protected since 1967. In 1987, the Fish and Wildlife Service pronounced the American alligator fully recovered and consequently removed the animal from the list of endangered species. This had not been enough time to grow to the sizes they once attained and alligators today rarely get above 14 ft and the females usually top out at 9-10ft. These animals haven't changed since they roamed the earth with the dinosaurs. Whatever they have been doing has been working for them. They could long out-survive us if we quit trying to eradicate them and destroy their homes. They help control what would otherwise be out of control populations of mammals and they help preserve out wetlands during times of drought. They do this by creating 'gator holes' along the edges of the banks. Often times these water holes are teaming with young fish and microorganisms that are preserved when the pond and small rivers run dry. When it finally rains again these creatures rebuild the ecosystems and restock our ponds. Because of the protection they are still bestowed, alligators are more plentiful than I have seen in all my 30 years. This doesn't mean just anyone should be allowed to shoot them. Imagine the cruelty they would endure from poor aim. You can apply for a permit to hunt alligators and there is even talk of opening up a 'gator season'.The permit would be accompanied by specialized training, which is certainly needed. The DNR and US Fish and Wildlife are trying hard to balance management versus witch hunt. I applaud them. They recognize the importance of proper and well thought out wildlife management so that we do not single- handedly and inhumanely wipe out our last remaining dinosaur.

We have 3 alligators on display all year round and quite a few wild alligators out in the swamp. Many sunny days in the summer reveal basking alligators on logs as you paddle through the swamp. Please keep in mind they are wild. They are real, no we do not go out everyday and lay out stuffed alligators on the logs. Their is a $500 fine for harassing or feeding alligators, but our visitors are so respectful of wildlife that we rarely have to remind them of this. Hint Hint! We do not boss our wildlife around or try to control it so you may see alligators on the trail occasionally, Please just go the other way and let him enjoy his day too. You may also see an occasional otter, snake, or spider. It is their home first and foremost. We are trying to save a place for them as the homeowners and builders continue to push them out. If you find yourself not wanting to see nature please do not walk on our nature trails! If you love nature and appreciate the beauty of a perfectly spun spiderweb, please come visit us!

Until then,
Life's a Swamp

Alligators -Ally or Enemy

We have been getting more and more interest in the Meet the Keeper talk/ Alligator feeding recently. I would like to think it is because people are so curious in our last living dinosaur. I have come to realize that some people just want to see if I will keep all of my fingers this week. Well this will be a 2 part blog about Alligators with lots of facts and some funny. If you want the full experience you will just have to come out one Sunday and see for yourself. Please call ahead, sometimes the alligators are not hungry. The giftshop staff will be able to tell you Sunday morning by 9am whether or not their will be a feeding. The next one is scheduled for July 29th. Mention this blog during the feeding for your very own alligator tooth!

I once read an article by a lady named Anne Boone of Hollywood, SC. It was possibly the worst thing I had ever read. She began the article by saying she was "an almost fanatical animal lover" and then she listed the 3 or 4 animals she liked, which to her credit included one slimy creature - frogs. Most of her list was cute and fuzzy. She then listed the rest of the animals, not cute and cuddly, that should in her mind be eradicated from the earth. Now of course I am taking some creative licence in describing her thoughts, because I do not know what they really are, but that is how I felt after reading her words. Her particular hatred of Alligators scared me to death. She believes that she should be allowed to "shoot an alligator that is on her property" as well I suppose as any venomous snake that happens to pass through as well. She boasted she had disposed of a Cottonmouth in such a way. I am sure that some of you agree with her. I am also sure that if alligators could think like this, the one on her property was saying, "I don't understand why I can't just shoot any humans that happen on my property." (My boss is cringing right now if he's reading this. ) After all, I wonder who really owned it first. I understand that not everyone thinks it is as cool as I do that you live in such a fabulous place that wild animals still feel safe there. I will try hard not to be too judgemental. This lady lives on the inter coastal waterway in one of the last few remaining wooded and rural places around Charleston. I would ask her, " Ma'am where are they supposed to go?" It seems not even nature preserves are a good enough answer, because she was highly upset to find an alligator sunning along the path at Caw Caw Interpretive Center. (Located on Hwy 17 S just outside of Ravenel. Go Caw Caw!) Wow! I would have loved to have heard the thoughts of the guy she protested to. If I try really hard, I can understand the fear. For most people it is fear brought about by lack of information or too much misinformation. I don't think we should fear them, but have a healthy respect for them. I don't think we should hate them, but look at them in awe. They are very strong. The armor plated hide and their muscles make up 80% of their body weight. They can exert over 1300 pounds of PSI or more with their jaws depending on their size. They can move faster than some of us couch potatoes at 11mph for short bursts. Really short bursts... they are extremely lazy and tire rapidly. They can hold their breaths much longer than we can, as one awfully cruel experimenter boasted a record 6 hours. Typically though, these animals are not dangerous to humans. Every alligator feeding we prove just how lazy alligators are by dropping a chicken leg-quarter in front of our 13 ft male, respectfully called Boss, and he refuses to make the effort to pick it up.

Part 2- next post until then,
Life's A Swamp

Making the News -Again

The story of Jack and Jill is really getting around. I have now been quoted in several newspapers. See todays Post and Courier the state and local section--http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/jul/11/jack_jill_give_us_thrill_come_home/
and on several news broadcasts. I really just want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support that you are showing for our Jack and Jill. It really amazes me how nice people can be, especially in the face of how horrible people can be (after all it was "people" who stole my birds.) So Thank You... from the bottom of my heart, Thank You.

My missing Toucans - Jack and Jill

Feeling helpless really doesn't even describe the state I am in today. I received a call from work this morning and one of the animal care staff gave me some really terrible news. Some one broke into the Parrot house last night and stole my Toucans. Jack and Jill are their names. (Scroll down for pictures of them). They are Chestnut Mandibled (or Swainson's) Toucans. We have had them for close to 7 years now. We purchased them from a road- side zoo that was being closed down in Florida. They were not very healthy at the time, but are very healthy now except for the fact that they are getting to be pretty old birds. Most experts believe 15 years - 20 years is the life expectancy and Jack and Jill are at least 13. They are set in their ways and eat only very specific things, like many older people. Jack is extremely outgoing, he loves to nibble on his female caretakers and whisper sweet rattles into our ears. He finds joy in hunting for treats in your pocket and getting a good beak tickle. Jill is quiet and reserved. She enjoys a good game of catch with us and preening Jack. She becomes nervous very easily and will quite possibly die from this stress. These birds are no longer valuable in the pet trade. They are past the point of reproducing and would most definitely not survive being shipped anywhere. They were retired and happy at Cypress Gardens. They were not forced to perform and could escape from the heat of the day in their air conditioned house whenever they wanted. I believe they were very happy and now, beside myself with grief, I imagine what horrors await them. I just can't understand why anyone would do this to them. I have been trying to get the word out today, calling vets offices and pet shops. If you know anyone in the pet trade, please help us get the word out. I hope that someone will try to sell them locally and we can get them home. I can't bear going to work tomorrow without them there. If anyone knows anything, please call Cypress Gardens. I am sure that whoever did this doesn't read happy blogs about the joys of animal care, but just in case, please return them. We will ask no questions if you drop them at any vets office or bring them to Cypress Gardens, or take them to any pet store. We just want them to be safe and healthy.
thank you

Cypress Gardens Animal Care

Well hi Ya'll. I am so sorry that it is taking me so long to get this situated. I am relatively computer savvy, but not really all that fond of sitting in front of the computer for very long. I promise that soon you will have more to read and see about the world of animal care than you can hope for. I also hope to be putting together a Friends of Cypress Gardens group that will get special perks throughout the year and special notice to particular events. We have such a wonderful place and so little is out there about us, that really you just have to bite the bullet and take the drive towards Moncks Corner to see all that we offer for the family. If we find that there is enough interest, my husband will be designing a Life's a Swamp bumpersticker. We encourage those of you who love Cypress Gardens, and whose children love it as well, to stay on top of what is going in Berkeley County. It is a County run facility and unfortunately not immune to politics. Those of us who love Cypress want it to remain as is, with all of it's parts, for years and years to come.
Until we meet again check out the Cypress Gardens website at http://www.cypressgardens.info/ ...

Life's a Swamp !