Page 22 - Abacoa Community News - July '24

Page 22, Abacoa
Northern Notes Commissioner’s Update from page 21 Palm Beach County also offers three splashparks with free

Alligators And Rattlesnakes can rise rapidly, even with the windows slightly open, and can admittance, located throughout the county: Glades Pioneer
Park, John Prince Park and Westgate Park. Each park offers
And Their Importance In be life- threatening. multiple water features and more information can be found at:
https://discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Aquatics/Splashparks.aspx.
Residents of Palm Beach County are not strangers to

Preserves our hot summers and even when our area is not under a Don’t forget that the Palm Beach County Libraries are a
heat advisory, we are always looking for ways to keep great place to stay out of the heat while enjoying a great book
By Katie Roundtree, cool. The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation to read. There are currently 17 branches open in the county
Director of Finance and Department provides various amenities to cool off while and more information can be found at: https://pbclibrary.
Administration, Northern enjoying time outside. bibliocommons.com/v2/locations.
Palm Beach County Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation maintains By following these tips, residents of Palm Beach County
Improvement District six pools that are open to the public: Aqua Crest Pool in can better manage the challenges posed by record-breaking
Northern’s preserve areas Delray Beach, Gleneagles County Club Aquatic Center temperatures. Remember, staying cool is not just about comfort
are designed to preserve and in Lake Worth, Lake Lytal Family Aquatic Center in – it’s also about health and safety. Take care of yourself and
conserve native ecosystems, West Palm Beach, North County Aquatic Complex in others and enjoy the summer while keeping the heat at bay.
and the American alligator Jupiter, Pioneer Park Aquatic Center in Belle Glade, and Be well and be prepared. If I can assist you, please contact
and the Eastern diamondback Santaluces Aquatic Center in Lantana. More information me at (561) 355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbc.gov. For
rattlesnake are essential regarding hours open to the public and admission fees can more information on how to prepare for extreme heat, please
members of that community. be found at: https://discover.pbcgov.org/parks/Aquatics/ visit: https://community.fema.gov/ProtectiveActions/s/article/
The American alligator, North America’s largest reptile, Pools.aspx. Extreme-Heat.
has no natural predators except humans. This species has
been around for about 200 million years and has adapted to
numerous changes in the Earth’s environmental conditions.
Their existence was threatened when hunters began killing
large numbers of these animals for their exotic meat and
their supple belly skin, used to make shoes, belts and
pocketbooks. Other people considered alligators to be useless
and dangerous and hunted them for sport or out of hatred.
Between 1950 and 1960, hunters wiped out 90 percent of
the alligators in Louisiana, and by the 1960s, the alligator
population in the Florida Everglades was also near extinction.

Alligators are not just members of their ecosystems
but keystone species that play a unique and crucial role. A
keystone species is an organism that helps define an entire
ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem
would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether.
Alligators, with their deep depressions, or gator holes, that
collect fresh water during dry spells, serve as refuges for
aquatic life, and supply fresh water and food for many
animals when water is scarce, are a prime example of this.
Their large nesting mounds provide nesting and feeding sites
for herons and egrets. Alligators also eat large numbers of
gar (a predatory fish) and thus help maintain populations of
game fish such as bass and bream. They also prey on invasive
species, helping the native species survive. As alligators move
from gator holes to nesting mounds, they help keep areas
of open water free of invading vegetation. Without these
ecosystem services, freshwater ponds and shrubs and trees
would fill in coastal wetlands in the alligator’s habitat, and
dozens of species would disappear.
Contrary to popular belief, alligators are less aggressive
than many other species of crocodilians. They have a
surprisingly well-developed ability to remember things like
sources of food. If they see movement in the water, they will
approach the source simply because they are curious. They
pose little threat to humans as they are typically not aggressive
unless they feel threatened or are in danger. It’s important
to respect their space and understand their behavior. This is
why it is crucial for residents to stay high up on the banks or
sidewalks, be aware of their surroundings, teach children to
stay clear of the lakes and keep all dogs on a leash, promoting
a harmonious coexistence with these fascinating creatures.
Like alligators, snakes, including rattlesnakes, are essential
to our ecosystem. They help control small mammal populations
such as mice, rats and rabbits. Rattlesnakes can also help
disperse seeds because their digestive systems don’t have the
enzymes to break down certain foods. Seeds can germinate
while still in their digestive system. Rattlesnakes may travel
eight to 10 miles before passing the seeds through their system.
The Eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a native snake in
decline in much of its native range and could soon see federal
protections under the Endangered Species Act. They pose little
threat to humans as they are typically not aggressive unless
threatened or in danger.
As conservationists, we know all species are connected
and equally valuable to a healthy ecosystem. Our job is to
preserve as many species as possible and develop a sense of
shared responsibility to keep this planet at least the same, if
not better than it was left to us.
NPDES tip: Please pick up after your pet. When pet
waste is washed into lakes or canals the waste decays, using
up oxygen and sometimes releasing ammonia. Low oxygen
levels and ammonia combined with warm temperatures can kill
fish. Pet waste also contains nutrients that encourage weed and
algae growth. Overly fertile water becomes cloudy and green –
unattractive for boating and fishing. Perhaps most importantly,
pet waste carries diseases which make water unsafe.