Junior Ranger Day at Shark Valley

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On Saturday, the 11th of April, I took my Girl Scout and Cub Scout troop to Everglades National Park to take part in their 2009 Junior Ranger Day, held at the Shark Valley entrance. It was a FABULOUS day!! The Park Rangers were GREAT with the kids...

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There were tables set up displaying different shells, bones, and skins of animals found all over the Everglades. The kids were allowed to touch and explore and ask lots of questions, which they loved.

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Then they met Ranger Rick (no, seriously), a law enforcement Park Ranger who told them about what he does for National Parks.

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Then Ranger Nate and Ranger Greg played some games with the kids and we all got to go on an awesome tram ride through the park.

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We stopped at a tower that you could climb and see 15 miles in any direction all around the park.

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The view was AMAZING...and there were so many animals to see (especially those incredible gators!!)

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We also went on a little hike in a Hardwood Hammock, where our VERY observant Abi spotted a baby Burmese Python lounging in a tree. Burmese Pythons are invasive species and NOT GOOD for the Everglades...but they have pretty much started to take over. The little guy was less than a foot long, and so well camouflaged, I'm just REALLY impressed that Abi spotted it!!

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Then it was back to the Visitors Center for lunch, and a meeting with the Everglades mascot, Alisha the Alligator!
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We had a little ceremony where the kids got a badge, a certificate, and an AWESOME new patch. After that, everyone got cake!!

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I had taken my own kids to Junior Ranger Day LAST year, and it was so fun that I just KNEW I had to get my troops out there this year. We had a lot of VERY last minute cancellations, and so several kids missed it, but boy!! They sure missed something AMAZING!! This is an activity that I would do again and again...

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Now that my girls and guys have been through Big Cypress AND Everglades, they just need to visit Biscayne national Park to earn their Junior Ranger patch from the National parks service.

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Keep posted...we'll be working on THAT soon!!!