Royal Palm and Anhinga Trail — The First Protected Core
Listen at the stop, then read the transcript and follow the sources behind the story.
Listen
Transcript
Royal Palm was protected before Everglades National Park existed. In 1916, Royal Palm State Park was established on Paradise Key, creating an early refuge within a wetland that many developers still regarded as land waiting to be drained.
The later Anhinga Trail became famous because wildlife is unusually easy to observe along the artificial and natural waterways here. Alligators, wading birds and anhingas concentrate where water remains available.
That visibility can mislead visitors into thinking abundance is automatic. In fact, Everglades wildlife depends on the timing, depth and duration of seasonal water.
Royal Palm therefore connects two conservation eras. Early protection focused strongly on spectacular birds and tropical vegetation. Modern Everglades science focuses on hydrology: if the water regime fails, the visible wildlife eventually follows.