There are very few places on earth that are as filled with wildlife as the Everglades, which are located in South Florida.  The total acreage of the Everglades including expansion, land and water, are 1,509,000 acres (2,358 square miles), located in the Dade, Monroe, and Collier counties.  From the American alligator to the rare Cape Sable seaside sparrow, the wildlife in the Everglades is abundant.

In terms of the amount of Everglades wildlife, there are nearly 45 species of mammals that frequent the areas around the Everglades, in their numerous bays, sounds, coastal estuaries, and offshore waters.  There are hundreds of different species of fish and thousands of species of marine, estuarine, and freshwater invertebrates that call the Florida Everglades ecosystem their home.  There are also in excess of 50 types of reptiles and almost 20 different types of salamanders, frogs, and toads that live in the wetlands in South Florida.  With all the wildlife that is found in the Everglades, it can be said that the area is one of the most biologically rich areas in all the United States.

Just a fraction of the teeming Everglades wildlife includes snail kites, peregrine falcons, wood storks, bald eagles, short-tailed hawks, smooth-billed anis, mangrove cuckoos, tree snails, and manatees.  One of the more famous species that the Everglades, and most of Florida for that matter, is associated with is the alligator. 

There are also some rare and endangered species of wildlife that inhabit the area of the Everglades, such as the Florida panther and the Cape Sable seaside sparrow.  It may be that the bird species represents the biological diversity of the Everglades better than any other form of wildlife.  There are almost 350 species of birds, both temperate and tropical, that have been found living in the area.

In the beginning of the 20th century, there was a strong feeling to protect wading birds in the area for future generations to enjoy, and because of this, a plume-hunting ban came into effect in 1910.  Further desire to protect the wildlife in this biologically rich area brought about the creation of the Everglades National Park in 1947.  Recently, the protection of the Cape Sable seaside sparrow is one of the main factors that drives decision-making when it comes to water management in the Everglades.  The many types of wildlife in the Everglades continue to flourish, as many different and fascinating species of animals call the Everglades home.