Our Wildlife and Local Ecology

In Southwest Florida we have a huge diversity of life. Some, like the Manatee, are endangered species while others like the alligator are quite plentiful. It is because of this incredable wildlife that we here at Extreme Family Fun do whatever we can to diminish the inpact on the eco system while at the same time getting wildlife lovers a chance too get close to it. Our boats run only 4-stroke engines (no oil burners here!) that are rated 3-star or ultra-low emission by the EPA. And of course our Segway Tours, Kayaks, Bicycles and Paddleboards are the greenest form of transportation around.

Below are just some of the local critters you may incounter along the Naples/Marco Island waterways:

West Indian Manatee

West Indian manatees are large, gray aquatic mammals with bodies that taper to a flat, paddle-shaped tail. They have two forelimbs, called flippers, with three to four nails on each flipper. Their head and face are wrinkled with whiskers on the snout. The manatee's closest relatives are the elephant and the hyrax (a small, gopher-sized mammal). Manatees are believed to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating animal. The average adult manatee is about 10 feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds. There are believed to be between 2,800 and 3,500 manatees in and around the state of Florida. For more info see our friends at : http://www.savethemanatee.org/manfcts.htm  

 

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

The familiar bottlenose dolphin is around 8 feet (2.5m) long and weighs between 440-660 lbs (200-300kg). Dolphins consume a variety of prey including fish, squid and crustaceans. Dolphins are well known for their agility and playful behavior, making them a favorite of wildlife watchers. Many species will leap out of the water, spy-hop (rise vertically out of the water to view their surroundings) and follow ships, often synchronizing their movements with one another. Scientists believe that dolphins conserve energy by swimming alongside ships, a practice known as bow-riding.

Dolphins live in social groups of five to several hundred. They use echolocation to find prey and often hunt together by surrounding a school of fish, trapping them and taking turns swimming through the school and catching fish. Dolphins will also follow seabirds, other whales and fishing boats to feed opportunistically on the fish they scare up or discard.

Gulf Brown Pelican

The brown pelican has an 18-inch long bill and large throat pouch. Its head is white in front and dark brown behind, extending down the neck and back. During the breeding season, the white plumage turns a vibrant yellowish-gold color. Silver-gray feathers cover the rest of the pelican's body. The brown pelican weighs about 9 pounds and has a 6-foot wingspan. When feeding, pelicans soar in the air looking for fish near the surface of the water. When a fish is spotted, the pelican goes into a dive, plunging 30 to 60 feet bill-first into the water. The impact of hitting the water would kill an ordinary bird, but the pelican is equipped with air sacs just beneath the skin to cushion the blow.

The loose skin on the underside of the bill extends to form a scoop net with an amazing capacity of 2.5 gallons. The pelican drains the water from its pouch and tosses its head back to swallow the fish. Their diet consists of menhaden and mullet fish. They lay 2 to 4 white eggs during breeding season, and live up to 30 years or more. Young pelicans are fed for about 9 weeks. During this time, each nestling will eat about 150 pounds of fish.

Southern Stingray

Like many other rays, D. americana prefers shallow coastal or estuarine habitats with sand/silt bottoms, although they have been observed in depths to 180 feet (53 m). As a bottom dweller, the southern stingray avoids walls and large reef structures where it is difficult to feed. The southern stingray reaches a maximum disc width of 79 inches (200cm) and weight of 214 lbs (97 kg).  The southern stingray is a non-aggressive animal, posing little threat to humans. However, when stepped on, the ray will use its spine in defense.  So remember when you are in our waters always do the "Stingray Shuffle".