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5 WILDLIFE CRITTERS TO LOOK FOR AT RIVERBEND PARK

2/17/2023

Manatees — Who Says They are Slow?

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OK, that egg-shaped head, floppy fins and wide tail doesn’t make manatees built for warp drive.

But these mammals can hit it — up to 20 MPH in a burst.

Look for them along the ice-clear Jupiter Inlet Waterways and along the Loxahatchee River.

To sign up for a guided tour, click here.

HINT: Manatees hang out near the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse.

Here’s a few manatee facts for your things to do in Jupiter tour:

  • The plant-gulping manatees daily eat up 10 percent of their weight. That’s 100 pounds a day for a full-grown adult.
  • Among mammals like humans and dolphins, manatees have the smallest brains compared to body mass.
  • If they must, manatees can hold their breath underwater for about 15-20 minutes. Usually, they come up for air every 3-5 minutes

 

‘Gators:  Look — don’t feed or approach

Things To Do in Jupiter | crododile

You’ll likely see the generally gentle reptiles lounging on the shore during a Jupiter Outdoor Center guided tour on the Loxahatchee River.

To register for a tour, click here.

Careful kayakers adhere to the old saying: “A fed ‘Gator is a dead ‘gator.”

That’s because when people feed a ‘gator, the animal sees humans as a source for food.

So the next time that ‘gator sees a boater, they will approach.

When that happens, JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER guides and other local officials must call Florida Wildlife officials to capture the ‘gator.

The animal is hauled away.

Euthanization is the usual result.

So enjoy the beautiful animals — we recommend stay at least 100 feet away. Don’t splash, toss food or disturb them during your things to do in Jupiter tour.

Helpful websites:

Alligator Nuisance Program

Video: How to co-exist with alligators

 

Butterflies, spiders, frogs, grass hoppers, waterbugs — check out the little guys

a close up of a green plant

Not all residents are big on Jupiter Inlet waterways and along the the Loxahatchee River.

Check out the rest of the wildlife crew when you take a tour of the Loxahatchee River with one of JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER’S expert guides.

JOC has bicycles, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and canoes. We supply the paddles, helmets, life vests and equipment.

You just have fun on your things to do in Jupiter tour.

Take a Pedal and Paddle tour with JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER and your guide will show you places like Cowpen Lake where they gather and feed.

To make a reservation, click here.

 

Turtles — From the Size of a Hamburger to a Bedroom Bureau

a turtle swimming under water

Yellowbellies — that’s what we call the small turtles you’ll see when you take a group outing on the Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River.

On Jupiter Inlet waterways, you’ll see the larger sea turtles that lumber to shore to lay their eggs.

Leatherbacks, for example, grow to six feet long and can weigh 1,500 pounds.

Your JUPITER OUTDOOR CENTER guide will help you find them during a guided Mangrove Mystery Tour.

Things to do ion Jupiter tours are great for families. Birthdays. Team building for businesses. Reunions.

To register for a tour, click here.

 

Barn owls – Silent hunters 

An owl spotted on tree

Spooky with a white face shaped like a heart, these puffy predators are a pleasure to see in the wild.

Silently they paddle their wings, so they only way to see them is to keep your ears open. They screech sharply as they swoop over marshlands seeking small game like mice and rats.

Barn owls don’t hoot like other owls.

Their cry has been described as a hiss like a snake. The purr of a cat. The squawk of a duck. Fingernails on a chalkboard.

Their wingspan can be as much as three-feet.

 

Check out the Local Leader in Outdoor Activities: Call Jupiter Outdoor Center at 561-747-0063 or go to  jupiteroutdoorcenter.com  
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