Here you'll discover pristine parks, wilderness areas and forests that shelter otters, bobcats, alligators, raccoons and white-tailed deer in addition to the manatees. Woodpeckers, sandhill cranes, burrowing owls, wood storks, eagles, Marion's march wren and Scott's seaside sparrow are attracted by the setting and the food it affords. Bird watching is big here. Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park, at the headwater of the Homosassa River, puts forth millions of gallons of fresh water daily. It's a favorite with kids of all ages and a good place to observe manatees and other wild animals.
Rangers offer educational talks on alligators, crocodiles, snakes and, of course, manatees.
At the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, a 43-acre group of nine islands, government rangers do all they can to preserve the manatees' habitat. Here, where 600 million gallons of water flow daily from 30 or so natural springs, the constant warmth of the 72-degree water provides a natural haven for the gentle manatees that can't survive when water temperatures dip much below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, which they do during winters in the Gulf of Mexico. And don't forget important rivers like the Chassahowitzka, the Homosassa and the Withlacoochee that give the county much of its character, two of its borders and many of its places to play. Here the name tells the story. Tsala-Apopka is Seminole for big fish.