Congaree National Park flora and fauna · Flora and fauna in Congaree National Park
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Flora and fauna in Congaree National Park
Flora and fauna in Congaree National Park
Flora - Pines dominate in the higher areas, but on the floodplain proper, cypress and tupelo dominate. Because the forest was never timbered, the several of the tallest cypress trees in the world can be found within the park - ask rangers for help locating them. Other species of tree include sassafras, holly, sweetgum, and oak.
Fauna - Birders love Congaree National Park. Pileated woodpeckers abound, even on the boardwalk near the visitor's center. Other small songbirds are easy to find. Hawks are uncommon, but sometimes spotted, and farther into the park, wild turkeys have been seen. If you're lucky, you may see an osprey or two by the river. Squirrels abound, and larger mammals, such as white-tailed deer and coyotes may be heard, if not seen. All the wildlife here isn't the cuddly variety. Snakes are endemic to the area, and poisonous variety include the rare coralsnake, the copperhead, the canebrake rattler, and the ubiquitous cottonmouth. Use caution in areas that snakes may frequent, such as warm rocks, holes, and downed trees. The Congaree Swamp is also one of the most northern parts of the river with alligators, and wild pigs roam the area. These aren't fuzzy little porkers, however - they're frequently hunted in other parts of South Carolina and are known to be rather protective mothers. If you hear snuffling and cloven hooves on the forest floor, be careful.Fishing may or may not be allowed in parts of the park, depending on the sign you consult. Check at the visitor's center before toting your pole into the backcountry. The lakes have lots of turtles - including snappers - and with a pair of polarized glasses, you'll likely see long-nosed gar, bass, perch, and a variety of sunfish.
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Congaree National Park Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.