Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is a rehabilitation center for injured and orphaned West Indian manatees until they are returned to the wild. The park’s centerpiece is a first-magnitude freshwater spring, which produces millions of gallons of crystal-clear water each hour with the spring outflow creating the Homosassa River. Visitors a given a rare opportunity to observe Florida’s native wildlife in a natural setting and can stroll along the paved trails and boardwalks to see manatees and alligators, black bear and bobcats, and tiny Key deer and otters at close range. Many birds species, from colorful wood ducks and roseate spoonbills to majestic birds of prey and whooping cranes also inhabit the park.
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
You start out taking a pontoon boat down the river to the park.
The park is surrounded by the river, so you take this
boardwalk to the different areas.
The very rare Whooping Crane
Sandhill Crane
BIRDS OF PREY There are two beautiful bald eagles in the park.
I have no idea what this bird was - it looks like
he has on a bad toupee!
Hawks
Red-Tailed Hawk
Barred Owls
Horned Owls
Osprey
FLAMINGOS
Little Night Heron
Roseate Spoonbill
White Pelican
(Life is GOOD if you are a bird living in the park!)
Wood Stork
Flowers
Rare Florida Panther
The sign said this was a Key Deer. I'm going to have to challenge
that though, because these deer were too big. The little one
was little, but it was a baby. The rest of them look like
regular deer. Key deer are very, very small!
See - they are too big!
This hippo is the park's oldest resident. The park used to
be an exotic animal farm. When the State of Florida bought it,
they only wanted native animals. But, "Lou" was so
popular, so he was allowed to stay.
Black Bear (he used to be a stand-in for Gentle Ben
on the TV show. He's like me now - retired!)
Wolf
MANATEES (there were a LOT of them)
This one was huge. I never realized they got so big!
While driving through Citrus County today, 
There was not just one - it was a pair!
This is an osprey nest - same area where the eagles were.
She flew into the nest.
The very rare Whooping Crane
Sandhill Crane
BIRDS OF PREY 
I have no idea what this bird was - it looks like
Hawks 
Red-Tailed Hawk 
Barred Owls
Horned Owls
Osprey
FLAMINGOS 
Little Night Heron
Roseate Spoonbill
White Pelican 
Wood Stork
Flowers
Rare Florida Panther
The sign said this was a Key Deer. I'm going to have to challenge
See - they are too big! 
This hippo is the park's oldest resident. The park used to
Black Bear (he used to be a stand-in for Gentle Ben
Wolf
MANATEES (there were a LOT of them)
This one was huge. I never realized they got so big!
Common, but cute!
REPTILE HOUSE 
Alligators
