Fauna
Over 270 species of birds can be seen in the park as well as American Alligators and small herds of Florida Cracker Horses and Florida Cracker cattle, first herded by the Seminole. The Plains Bison were reintroduced to the park from Oklahoma in the mid 1970s, as part of the park service goal of restoring Florida's natural resources to pre-European settler conditions; they roamed this area until the early 19th century. When bison sightings occur, they usually appear along the Cone's Dike trail. The buffalo herd reached a peak of 70 animals in 2011. The park began culling excessive animals in 2012, allowing a target population of about 8 to 10 bison to be free to roam the Florida prairie.
Read more about this topic: Paynes Prairie
Famous quotes containing the word fauna:
“The whole fauna of human fantasies, their marine vegetation, drifts and luxuriates in the dimly lit zones of human activity, as though plaiting thick tresses of darkness. Here, too, appear the lighthouses of the mind, with their outward resemblance to less pure symbols. The gateway to mystery swings open at the touch of human weakness and we have entered the realms of darkness. One false step, one slurred syllable together reveal a man’s thoughts.”
—Louis Aragon (1897–1982)