A white heron is perched upon a moss-covered branch of a twisted cypress tree; the peering eyes of a 14-foot alligator gaze on the bird as the native reptile skims across the top of the swampy waters, mouth slightly agape. Swamps, considered dangerous and mysterious by many, should be appreciated for their natural beauty and their amazing plant and animal life.
New Orleans is a city surrounded by swamp land. It is second to only Death Valley as the lowest area in the United States, and the swamps of Louisiana are one of its most beautiful attractions. The dark, foreboding territory of the bayou offers some of Earth's wildest nature.
In the last several hundred years, many of New Orleans' swamps have been drained by settlers who wanted to convert the area into sites for homes and by lumber barons who have exploited the area for its resources. Because of its resistance to rotting, cypress is in great demand as timber.
The bayou swampland is also renowned for its lore. It is said that Jean Lafitte, a pirate noted for his heroic efforts in the Battle of New Orleans, buried booty worth millions in the marshes. Perhaps the most famous stories of swamp lore are the reported sightings of the legendary Sasquatch. Sightings of "Big Foot" date back to the earliest reported contact with Native Americans.
Learn more about the Jean Lafitte Swamp Tour on page 171 of your AVMA Convention Program.
Take a personalized narrated nature tour into Honey Island's 250-square-mile swamp.
It remains a pristine wilderness; nearly 70,000 acres of permanently protected wildlife (the Nature Conservancy's first Louisiana nature preserve) highlight a swamp that retains much of its original condition.
From the comfort of your tour boat on the Honey Island Swamp Tour, you'll enjoy some of the richest wildlife the bayou has to offer. You may see alligators, red wolves, deer, feral hogs ... and possibly a Florida cougar. A myriad of exotic birds call Honey Island home, and an active bald eagle nest has occupied the swamp since 1910. Honey Island is located in southeast Louisiana, less than an hour from New Orleans. Tours run year-round, and transportation is available from New Orleans' hotels. Call (985) 641-1769 for reservations.
Only 20 minutes from downtown New Orleans, you'll find Westwego Swamp Boat Tours. Here you'll embark on an adventure into Bayou Segnette with Westwego's native "Cajun Captains." This swamp is home to a variety of wild animal species, including snowy egrets, alligators, raccoons, nutria (large semiaquatic rodents), and many species of snakes. Luckily for conventioneers, most species are more abundant in the summer months.
From the comfort of a custom-made tour boat, you'll enjoy an environmental and ecological experience that exists in this truly unique environment. Before each tour you'll attend a presentation that introduces you to the mysterious ecology of the swamp environment. Westwego Tours holds special exhibit permits to house and care for wild animals, so you will also experience firsthand encounters with swamp owls and birds of prey and even get the opportunity to hold a baby alligator.
Westwego Tours run twice daily, and transportation is available from the local hotels. Call (504) 581-4501 for reservations.
Before embarking on any of these interesting and unique tours, just remember one thing: bring your camera!
