Sweetwater Wetlands Park

10/22/2026

Good morning Sweetwater fans! Please enjoy this quiet morning moment brought to you by the waking wetlands. If you listen close, you might be able to hear a couple of our great horned owls!
Hope to see you at the park!

10/21/2026

Happy National Reptile Day, Sweetwater Fans!
We are lucky to have so many amazing reptiles that call the park home! From providing shelter like the Gopher Tortoise and rodent control from snakes, to creating watering holes during drought like alligators, reptiles play a huge role in providing and maintaining a healthy ecosystem! Which of our fantastic Sweetwater reptiles is your favorite?

10/19/2026

Sweetwater Snapshots!
Hope to see you at the park!

10/16/2026

Please enjoy this quiet morning moment brought to you by a snail! We hope you have an easy going Friday, Sweetwater Fans!

10/15/2026

Night Hike season is back! Join our rangers for a guided hike or mobility tram tour as we explore the wetlands after dark. Learn about nocturnal animals like owls and bats, spot the reflective eyes of the alligators, and learn what adaptations it takes to thrive in the hours from dusk to dawn! Registration is open for our November dates, including a special star gazing experience with the Alachua Astronomy Club! We are so excited they will be joining us with opportunities in November, December, and January for our night hike guests to learn about the beauty that can be found above. New dates will be posted each month and registration is required. Check out Eventbrite.com for more information on how to join us for our night events!

10/09/2026

10/03/2026

Citizen science programs are some of the best tools that scientists and researchers have to collect and analyze massive amounts of data all the while getting the community involved and engaged! You may have heard of the largest and most popular ones like eBird, iNatualist, and Merlin. But a new and exciting CSP has been created and the technology behind it is pretty incredible! Project Monarch is a revolutionary program using 60 milligram solar powered transmitters detected by everyday smartphones, to track the migration of the Monarch butterfly!
Read more about this amazing program and how you can join in to help follow these beautiful butterflies!

Over 400 ultra-light transmitters deployed by over 20 partner organizations deliver unprecedented, individual-level view of monarch migration using…

10/01/2026

Hello Sweetwater Fans!
Some of you may recognize this gator, the one that's been stationed between the sediment basin and the fore bay for over three months! A prime example of "work smarter, not harder", this alligator is taking advantage of a choke point in the park system. This is a common strategic ambush technique that alligators use to catch prey with minimal effort expended. They recognize the funnel effect created here that can force fish, frogs, turtles, and other animals right into their slightly open waiting mouths. You might be able to spot the small dots on the upper and lower jaws. Those are dermal pressure receptors that can detect ripples and pressure changes in the water that are associated with approaching prey. Alligators also have a specialized flap at the back of the throat that allows them to sit for long periods of time at these choke points with their mouths open without swallowing or inhaling the turbulent water.
Hope to see you at the park!