A showcase for Florida wildlife, Homosassa Springs
State Wildlife Park enchants the visitor with its native animals and beautiful scenery.
Formerly a tourist attraction, the Florida State Park System was fortunate to acquire
the park for use as a rehabilitation center for injured manatee and other native
Florida animals. The beautiful natural spring creates a perfect setting both in
terms of appeal to the visitor and excellent habitat for the manatee, and visitors
will especially delight in the underwater observation deck.
The park's biggest attractions, the manatee,
are always on hand to delight the visitor. Rangers offer interesting programs several
times daily featuring these gentle giants. Alligators are the stars in another of
these programs, which includes their feeding time, and other offerings include information
on native snakes, otter and other wildlife. A unique underwater observatory offers
one of the best ways to observe the manatee as well as the thousands of fish in
the spring. An easily walked trail takes you past the park's other inhabitants,
which include deer, otter, cougar, bear, alligators, crocodiles, birds of prey,
and a hippopotamus (left over from the tourist attraction).
In addition to the animal attractions, Homosassa
Springs State Wildlife Park features scenic boat tours on nearby Pepper Creek, as
well as a snack bar and gift shop. If you want to pack your own lunch, several picnic
areas in the park offer great scenery to go along with your meal.
