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Biscayne National Park Facts

Biscayne National Park Facts
Biscayne National Park is a 172,971 park located south of Miami, Florida. 95% of this national park is water, with coral reefs, mangroves, islands, and Biscayne Bay. Humans have inhabited the region encompassing Biscayne National Park for at least 10,000 years. Native Americans once lived in the area when Biscayne Bay had no water, until 4000 years ago when water levels rose. Juan Ponce de Leon landed in the Biscayne area in 1513, and Spanish explorers followed. There are at least 44 shipwrecks in Biscayne National Park, some dating back to the 1500s. In 1968 Biscayne National Monument was established due to protest against development in the area. In 1980 it was re-designated as Biscayne National Park.
Interesting Biscayne National Park Facts:
Biscayne National Park protects one of the world's most extensive coral reefs on earth.
Biscayne National Park also protects the east coast's longest mangrove forest stretch.
Some of the best scuba diving in North America is found in Biscayne Bay. It is also great for snorkelling.
There are four ecosystems in Biscayne National Park. These include the Coral Limestone Keys, the offshore Florida Reef, the Shallow Waters of Biscayne Bay, and the Shoreline Mangrove Swamp.
At one point the islands of Biscayne National Park were used for farming but hurricanes made this difficult to sustain.
In 2012, 495,613 people visited Biscayne National Park. In 1972 there were only 78,147 visitors the park.
Temperatures at Biscayne National Park have reached 98 degrees Fahrenheit on several occasions, which is the highest recorded temperature on record.
Bottlenose dolphins are inhabitants of Biscayne National Park's waters, as well as whales, and the West Indian manatee, which is an endangered species. Other endangered species found in the park include the eastern indigo snake, peregrine falcon, piping plover, the American crocodile, and the swallowtail butterfly.
Reptiles known to inhabit Biscayne National Park include crocodiles, American alligators, loggerhead turtles, leatherback turtles and a variety of snakes.
The brown pelican is a common sight in Biscayne National Park but it is considered to be endangered in many other places.
Vegetation on land includes rare cactus, as well as mangroves and palm trees.
Because of how shallow the water in Biscayne National Park is, it is easy for snorkelers to see bright coral and tropical fish.
Biscayne National Park is the largest marine park in the United States under the National Park System. It is also part of the only tropical coral reef that is alive, on the mainland of the United States.
Biscayne National Park's coral reef is susceptible to environmental damage that can kill or sicken the coral. As the nearby Miami area continues to grow pollution does as well, and this is a threat to the reef system's survival.
Visiting Biscayne National Park in the summer is not the best time as mosquitos tend to be bad and thunderstorms are frequent. June to November is hurricane season. December to April is considered the best time for tourists.
Tourists that visit Biscayne National Park can enjoy boating, island trips, snorkelling, canoeing, scuba diving, kayaking, and camping.


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