Blinkers

The old time gator hunters and Swampers used to hunt alligator at night by torch or spotlight. The shiny crystals … More

Gray Catbirds of the Okefenokee Swamp

One of the most common sounds to break the silence of the Okefenokee Swamp is that of the Gray Catbird. … More

Okefenokee Species Spotlight: Double-crested Cormorant

I can’t recall a trip to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge when I haven’t seen a Double-crested Cormorant. Although more … More

Floating Peat Islands: The Land of Trembling Earth

Although fiction, this excerpt from an 1895 adventure novel is a perfect illustration of why the Okefenokee is named “The … More

Okefenokee’s Exceedingly Rich Hammock Land

Excerpt from the 1875 Okefenokee Exploration by The Atlanta Constitution: BILLY’S ISLAND, OKEFENOKEE SWAMP, November 27, 1875 – “Lee and myself are … More

We’re in a Gator Hole!

An exciting excerpt from Louis Pendleton’s 1895 book, ​In the Okefenokee… Accordingly, as soon as they were opposite another island, Joe … More

Nauseous Effluvium Musk

A description of the American Alligator from an 1829 publication describing the wild animals in the zoos of London… “The … More

The Okefenokee: an Uninhabited Wilderness

In the early years of our nation, the Okefenokee Swamp was thought to be an uninhabitable wilderness never to be … More

An Alligator’s Quick Snapping Jaws

Excerpt from E.A. McIlhenny’s 1935 book, The Alligator’s Life History: “How quick an alligator can snap its jaws, was proven to … More

Overwhelming Okefenokee

Every time I dip my oars into the blackwaters of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, I am overwhelmed: overwhelmed by … More