Latest news with #FloridaStateParks
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘Cherished' 3-ton animal featured in movies dies at Florida wildlife park at 65
A beloved and massive 65-year-old animal — the oldest of his kind in the Americas — living out his days at a Florida wildlife park has died. Lu the African hippopotamus was known for his 'calm presence and gentle personality' that drew in visitors at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park for decades, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection said. While he attracted a following at the central Florida wildlife park, he starred on the silver screen as well, featuring in movies and TV shows from the 1960s such as 'Daktari,' 'Cowboy in Africa,' the 'Art Linkletter Show' and the 'Herb Albert Special,' according to park officials. 'For more than 60 years, Lu was not just an animal in the park; he was a friend, a fixture and a treasured member of the community,' according to a statement on the Florida State Parks website. 'Children grew up visiting him, and many returned as adults with children of their own to say hello to the gentle giant.' The hippo was so beloved that when the Florida Park Service bought the property in 1989 and planned to rehome the exotic species living there, public support led to the governor making Lu a Florida citizen, helping him stay at his longtime home. He was born at the San Diego Zoo in January 1960, making him the oldest hippo in North and South America at the time of his death, according to Florida State Parks. Longtime park visitors recalled their years of experiences with the 'cherished' 3-ton hippo, who was also known for flinging poop at those who got too close. 'He was an icon that will be greatly missed at the park,' one visitor wrote on Facebook. 'I've been going to the park for over 50 years and he's always been a favorite (all) these years.' Another visitor wrote she was 'devastated' by the news. 'I have been seeing this wonderful guy since I was a little girl and I'm almost in my 30's,' she wrote on Facebook. 'He lived a long life. He is forever loved by me and so many others.' The state park is in Citrus County, about a 70-mile drive north from Tampa.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Replica 1738 fort in Florida a tribute to first free Black community
ORLANDO, Fla. — 'Viva Mose!' shouted the crowd of dignitaries, state park rangers and community members gathered at Fort Mose Historic State Park near St. Augustine on a sunny Friday in early May. The chant — translated as 'Long live Fort Mose!' — celebrated the ribbon cutting of a newly constructed replica of a 1738 fort that holds a special place in America's Black history. In 1738, the Spanish governor of Florida chartered the settlement of Fort Mose as a refuge for those fleeing slavery from English colonies in the Carolinas. Over several decades, an estimated 100 Africans made the first legally sanctioned free Black community in the pre-Constitution United States their home and safe haven from British rule. 'The reconstruction stands as a tribute to the courageous men and women who founded Fort Mose in 1738, ensuring their legacy lives on,' said Charles Ellis, the president of the Fort Mose Historical Society. 'By bringing this fort back to life, we enhance our ability to tell the story through on-site events, group tours, lectures and virtual seminars. Because of this, no longer will our fourth and fifth-grade students ask, 'Where is the fort?'' The reconstruction was made possible due to extensive research of the site that began in the 1970s and 1980s with efforts spearheaded by Dr. Kathleen Deagan, a University of Florida professor of archaeology, anthropology and history, and Dr. Jane Landers, a professor of history at Vanderbilt University. Financial support for the project came from public and private sources, including the Florida State Parks, St. Johns County, Florida Power and Light, Wells Fargo, the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, the Florida State Parks Foundation and more, who all fundraised a total of $3.2 million to turn this dream into reality. 'The reconstruction of the Fort Mose has been a labor of love, dedication and unwavering commitment which began in 2012,' Ellis said. 'When we broke ground on the reconstruction of Fort Mose, we didn't just build walls. We created a tribute to the resiliency and determination of freedom seekers who made the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in North America possible.' In addition to exploring an indoor museum with a timeline of Fort Mose and St. Augustine history, visitors can now walk through a full-scale replica of the 39-foot-tall lookout tower that helped residents of the fort monitor for enemy attacks. Reenactors will help illuminate history and help visitors imagine what life was like in the 1730s during special events and tours complete with drills, pageantry and cannon firing. Construction on the replica fort began in January 2024, 30 years after the site was designated as a national historic landmark. Chuck Hatcher, director of the Florida State Parks, said collaboration is what made this project come to fruition. 'Archaeologists, CSOs, volunteers, park staff, division staff, artists and public officials have all worked together to make this project come to fruition,' he said. 'I would like to think if the people who were the original members of Fort Mose were here, they would be proud of what we've done and the representation of what they had.' While there is no blueprint for how to build a replica 1738 fort, the design was put together with the goal of being as authentic as possible while staying mindful of Florida's climate. The palisade walls and structural support beams that hold up the fort are made to look like wood but are constructed of concrete. Now, state park officials and volunteers who helped this project come together are celebrating the story of courage, resilience and freedom that the fort helps tell. 'Nearly 300 years after Fort Mose stood as a beacon to freedom seekers, it will stand again and be a testament to the power of freedom, bravery and the human spirit,' said Kathleen Brennan, president of the Florida State Parks Foundation. 'May this fort last 300 years and beyond to honor those who made their living here and to inspire visitors from all over the world, who will come here to experience what can only be found here at Fort Mose.' _________ Fort Mose Historic State Park Admission to park grounds is free. To enter the visitor center there is a $2 fee per adult. Children under 6 are admitted for free. Open every day from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Located at 15 Fort Mose Trail in St. Augustine; 904-823-2232; __________
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Looking for something free to do on Memorial Day? How about visit to Florida state park?
Looking for something fun to do or just want to relax on Memorial Day and don't want to spend a lot of money? On Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, Florida State Parks is offering free admission to Florida's 175 state parks and trails. 'Free admission on Memorial Day is a perfect opportunity to discover a new park, revisit a favorite and enjoy everything our award-winning parks have to offer," said Chuck Hatcher, director of Florida State Parks. Here's what you should know. Residents and visitors can visit any of Florida's state parks and trails for at no cost on Monday, May 26. Yes. Free admission applies to day-use entry only. Free admission is excluded at: Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Skyway Fishing Pier State Park' Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Wekiwa Springs State Park The Monroe County surcharge and all other applicable fees, such as overnight stays, concessions and rentals, still apply. There are 175 state parks and trails in Florida, ranging from beaches and springs to scenic trails and historic sites. ➤ Find a park at ➤ Use interactive map to find a park in a specific area Looking for a certain type of park? Here are types you can search for: Beaches and coast Gardens Springs Geological History and culture Rivers and lakes Trails Wilderness Rip currents are powerful channels of fast-moving water that flow away from shore. Lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year. It is estimated 100 people are killed by rip currents each year, according to NOAA. ➤ This advice may save your life at the beach: How to identify, know what to do if caught in rip current This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Memorial Day free admission Florida state parks, trails, historic site
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Egmont Key State Park reopens after months of recovery from hurricanes
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — One of Tampa Bay's most beloved islands has reopened to the public after months of cleanup and recovery from last year's hurricanes. Egmont Key State Park quietly reopened last Friday, officials with Visit St. Pete-Clearwater said. Devastated Redington Beach homeowners in limbo after broken deals Reachable only by boat, the secluded island at the mouth of Tampa Bay is primarily a wildlife refuge but can also be a 'personal refuge' for visitors, the Florida State Parks website states. Many visitors enjoy fishing, swimming, picnicking and viewing the island's wildlife, including a large population of gopher tortoises. The 440-acre remote island also has a significant history as it is home to Fort Dade and a light house built in 1858. According to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, the island's lighthouse was one of the last government-operated lighthouses in the U.S. and still serves as an active navigational aide to ships entering Tampa Bay. Several parks and beaches in Pinellas County were closed for months after officials said they suffered 'catastrophic' damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Trees toppled onto buildings and hundreds of picnic tables washed away at the nearby Fort De Soto campground, which fully reopened in February after an extensive cleanup. With Wednesday's announcement that Egmont Key State Park is back, officials invited visitors to 'Swim. Explore. Relax. But please leave nothing but your footprints.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oil drilling ban along Apalachicola River passes unanimously in Florida House
North Florida beaches including this one at Grayton Beach State Park were among those threatened by the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil spill that polluted the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. (Via Florida State Parks) Amid growing concerns over a plan to drill for oil and gas near the Apalachicola River, a proposal by two North Florida lawmakers to ban oil exploration and drilling in that region passed unanimously in the Florida House on Wednesday. The bill (HB 1143) is sponsored by Republican Jason Shoaf and Democrat Allison Tant. It would ban the drilling, exploration, or production of oil, gas, or other petroleum products within 10 miles of a national estuarine research reserve. There are three such reserves in Florida — the Apalachicola in North Florida, the Guana Tolomato Matanzas in Ponta Verde Beach, and Rookery Bay in Naples. The bill sponsors have said that their legislation is a response to a decision last December by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to permit an exploratory oil well near the Apalachicola River in Calhoun County. 'When this oil drilling initiative was announced in our press, my entire community, all of North Florida, went on fire,' said Tant. 'It was an organic response by people here in this area who just were devastated by this possibility.' Shoaf noted that Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, an event that led to miles of oiled beaches in the Florida Panhandle. 'During the oil spill, just the threat of oil coming to our area completely crippled our economy and now we face another threat that is starting to really scare the entire community,' Shoaf said on the House floor. Pinellas County Democratic Rep. Lindsay Cross also noted the anniversary of the BP oil spill, which lasted for 87 days and was the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 'In just a few days, we will remember the 11 men who were killed during that tragedy and the horrific impact to our natural areas, our wildlife, and also to our economy here in the state of Florida,' she said. 'Despite being hundreds of miles away, tourism in the Tampa Bay area plummeted, and I know that in places in the Panhandle with oil washing onto the shores, this was a real threat.' The bill calls for the DEP to conduct a 'balancing test' when a permit application is submitted. The test must include the community's conditions, hydrological connections, uniqueness, location, fish and wildlife use, time lag, and the potential cost of restoration in case of an explosion, blowout, or spill. The bill has one significant difference with its Senate companion, sponsored by North Florida Republican Corey Simon (SB 1300). That measure does not include language about banning development within 10 miles of a reserve. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
