The Atlantic loggerhead, which commonly nests at night during the summer along Highland Beach at Cape Sable and Sandy Key in Florida Bay, is a nationally threatened species. If you are walking the beach at night and sight any one of these marine turtles nesting, do not disturb them, they are all protected species. Snakes Many of the snakes found in Everglades National Park are adapted to survive in the water. The striped crayfish snake is considered the best swimming snake in Florida, but you're not likely to see one unless you look carefully among the marsh plants in the northern part of the park. Much more common is the brown water snake which is the most frequently seen snake along the Anhinga Trail.
People often mistake it for the poisonous Florida cottonmouth which is found in the same area.
The water snake, if cornered or mistreated, will bite - but it is not poisonous. While most of the snakes living in or near the water are adapted to a fresh water environment, some, like the cottonmouth and mangrove salt marsh snake, can survive in the mangrove swamps and salt water marshes. Some of the snakes in the park are beautifully colored, standing out in their surroundings, while others are drab colored and blend in perfectly with their background. The black snout is the coral snake's most distinguishing feature. It is found in hardwood hammocks and pinelands under leaves, rocks, and logs.