Where to See Everglades Icons: 3 Parks Ranked by Real Odds

Q: Where is the best place to see Everglades Icons?

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. In Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, United States, the chance of seeing all 4 (alligator, roseate spoonbill, anhinga and manatee) on the same day is about 10%, the highest of the 3 parks where all of them live, and over a three-day visit it rises to about 70%. Next come Everglades National Park (under 5% a day) and Big Cypress National Preserve (under 5% a day). It multiplies each animal's daily chance, as if they were independent, so read it as a rough guide.

Q: Which of Everglades Icons is hardest to see?

Manatee. In Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the best park for Everglades Icons, about about 40% of wildlife watchers report the manatee on a given day, against about 70% for the alligator. The hardest one decides how many days you need.

Q: How do you complete Everglades Icons on Wallace's Line?

Mark them as seen. Tick ✓ Seen on each animal's card, add your trips, or link your iNaturalist account. Your passport counts Everglades Icons three ways: anywhere in the world, all in one park, and all in a single trip.

The checklist: 4 animals

LC Endemic

Alligator mississippiensis

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

LC

Platalea ajaja

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

LC

Anhinga anhinga

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

VU

Trichechus manatus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Where to go

Chance of seeing in

Month by month at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

~50%

Jan

~70%

Feb

~80%

Mar

~60%

Apr

~50%

May

~50%

Jun

~30%

Jul

~30%

Aug

~20%

Sep

~20%

Oct

~60%

Nov

~50%

Dec

Time of day

Where they are recorded most Parks with some of them Cities with some of them

Parks

#	Park	Country	Animals	All 4 in 3 days
1	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	4 of 4	~70%
	American Alligator			>90%
	Roseate Spoonbill			~90%
	Anhinga			>90%
	West Indian Manatee			~80%
2	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	4 of 4	~40%
	American Alligator			>90%
	Roseate Spoonbill			~50%
	Anhinga			~90%
	West Indian Manatee			~90%
3	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	4 of 4	~30%
	American Alligator			>90%
	Roseate Spoonbill			~70%
	Anhinga			>90%
	West Indian Manatee			~50%
4	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	3 of 4	Missing: Alligator
	Roseate Spoonbill			~20%
	Anhinga			~20%
	West Indian Manatee			~70%
5	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~80%
	Anhinga			>90%
6	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~90%
	Anhinga			~80%
7	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~80%
	Anhinga			~80%
8	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 4	Missing: Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	American Alligator			~90%
	Anhinga			~30%
9	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~70%
	Anhinga			~60%
10	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~80%
	Anhinga			~40%
11	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~70%
	Anhinga			~40%
12	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~60%
	Anhinga			~30%
13	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~40%
	Anhinga			~30%
14	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			>90%
15	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~90%
16	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~60%
17	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~60%
18	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~50%
19	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~50%
20	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~40%
21	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~40%
22	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~40%
23	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Anhinga, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~30%
24	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Anhinga, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~20%
25	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%
26	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%
27	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%
28	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%
29	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%
30	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Anhinga
	West Indian Manatee			~20%
31	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Anhinga, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~20%
32	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Anhinga, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~20%
33	Jaragua National Park	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Anhinga, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~20%
34	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%

Cities

#	City	Country	Animals	All 4 in 3 days
1	Miami	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4	Missing: Manatee
	American Alligator			~50%
	Roseate Spoonbill			~20%
	Anhinga			~80%
2	Orlando	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 4	Missing: Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	American Alligator			~50%
	Anhinga			~70%
3	Houston	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 4	Missing: Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	American Alligator			~40%
	Anhinga			~20%
4	Guayaquil	🇪🇨 Ecuador	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~40%
	Anhinga			~20%
5	Santa Cruz de la Sierra	🇧🇴 Bolivia	2 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~30%
	Anhinga			~20%
6	Mesa	🇺🇸 United States	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Anhinga, Manatee
	Roseate Spoonbill			~50%
7	Goiânia	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~50%
8	Campinas	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~30%
9	São Paulo	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%
10	Campo Grande	🇧🇷 Brazil	1 of 4	Missing: Alligator, Roseate spoonbill, Manatee
	Anhinga			~20%

Zoos & centres

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Zoo Miami	🇺🇸 United States	4 of 4 in captivity
2	Disney's Animal Kingdom	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
3	SeaWorld Orlando	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
4	Busch Gardens Tampa	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
5	Pairi Daiza	🇧🇪 Belgium	3 of 4 in captivity
6	ZooParc de Beauval	🇫🇷 France	3 of 4 in captivity
7	Aquarium du palais de la Porte Dorée	🇫🇷 France	3 of 4 in captivity
8	Audubon Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
9	Bronx Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
10	Florida Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
11	Fort Worth Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
12	Gatorland	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
13	Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
14	Mote Marine Laboratory	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
15	ZooTampa	🇺🇸 United States	3 of 4 in captivity
16	National Zoological Park	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 4 in captivity
17	Tierpark Berlin	🇩🇪 Germany	2 of 4 in captivity
18	Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden	🇺🇸 United States	2 of 4 in captivity
19	Le Pal	🇫🇷 France	2 of 4 in captivity
20	Paris Zoological Park	🇫🇷 France	2 of 4 in captivity

Show all 20 Show fewer

Before you go

Where is the best place to see Everglades Icons?

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

In Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, United States, the chance of seeing all 4 (alligator, roseate spoonbill, anhinga and manatee) on the same day is about 10%, the highest of the 3 parks where all of them live, and over a three-day visit it rises to about 70%. Next come Everglades National Park (under 5% a day) and Big Cypress National Preserve (under 5% a day). It multiplies each animal's daily chance, as if they were independent, so read it as a rough guide.

Which of Everglades Icons is hardest to see?

Manatee

In Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the best park for Everglades Icons, about about 40% of wildlife watchers report the manatee on a given day, against about 70% for the alligator. The hardest one decides how many days you need.

How do you complete Everglades Icons on Wallace's Line?

Mark them as seen

Tick ✓ Seen on each animal's card, add your trips, or link your iNaturalist account. Your passport counts Everglades Icons three ways: anywhere in the world, all in one park, and all in a single trip.

← All challenges

Everglades Icons

The checklist: 4 animals

American Alligator

Roseate Spoonbill

Anhinga

West Indian Manatee

Where to go

Month by month at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Month by month at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Month by month at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Month by month at Big Cypress National Preserve

Month by month at Big Cypress National Preserve

Month by month at Big Cypress National Preserve

Time of day

Parks

Cities

Zoos & centres

Before you go

Where is the best place to see Everglades Icons?

Which of Everglades Icons is hardest to see?

How do you complete Everglades Icons on Wallace's Line?