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Wakodahatchee Wetlands

The Wakodahatchee Wetlands, located in Palm Beach County, FL, attracts an abundant variety of wildlife including turtles, frogs, alligators and birds. More than 140 different species of birds have been spotted at the site. These species thrive in the various wetland zones found at Wakodahatchee Wetlands. The zones were designed for a mixture of habitat types:

* Open pond water areas to attract waterfowl and diving birds
* Emergent marsh areas for rails, moorhens, and sparrows
* Shallow shelves for herons and egrets
* Islands with shrubs and snags to serve as roosting, nesting, and basking sites
* Forested wetland areas for long-term habitat development

The name, Wakodahatchee, has an interesting history. It is derived from the Seminole Indian Language and translates as "created waters." The created waters at Wakodahatchee Wetlands are an example of people giving something back to nature. Fifty acres of unused utilities land have been transformed into a wetlands ecosystem.

Every day, the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department's Southern Region Water Reclaimation Facility pumps approximately two million gallons of highly treated water into the Wakodahatchee Wetlands. By acting as a natural filter for the nutrients that remain, the wetlands work to further cleanse the water. A three-quarter mile boardwalk winds through three of the wetland's ponds, allowing visitors the opportunity to read interpretive signs and learn about water purification, wetlands ecology, natural history, and the interdependance of people and their environment.
Herons, Egrets and Bitern
:: Herons, Egrets and Bitern ::
Anhingas
:: Anhingas ::
Wood Storks, Comorants, +
:: Wood Storks, Comorants, + ::