A preserved fauna
The fauna is very rich and you will notice it very quickly: in the gardens, where your senses are seized by unusual sounds, movements and colors, while walking in the countryside or in the swamps.
Birds.
Thousands of species of birds have adopted Louisiana as their home for the winter and even the entire year. From April to May, the return of migratory birds is a breathtaking sight. The swamps are then a real carpet of feathers and colors to make the Parisian cabarets die of jealousy! The hunters of freshwater game, ducks and various chickens have a great time when the regulations allow them, of course. The brown pelican, emblem of the state, breeds on the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico. And since you're still in North America, you'll come across the golden eagle nesting on top of cypress trees in the swamps. As for sparrows and blackbirds, you will notice the very restless and noisy blue jays, as well as the very assertive red cardinals or the omnipresent egrets. The naturalist and ornithologist Jean-Jacques Audubon painted here a true anthology of the birds of America, in four volumes. The magnitude of the task obviously took him several years.Aquatic fauna. Lakes, bayous, marshes and Gulf waters are teeming with fish (bass, bluegill, king mackerel, blue marlin, catfish, yellowfin tuna, speckled trout...), crustaceans (crab, shrimp, crayfish, oyster...) and reptiles such as water turtles, some of which are gigantic and incredibly carnivorous. These turtles even attack alligators and don't hesitate to slice their limbs with their extremely powerful and sharp jaws. Obviously we will not forget the inevitable alligator (population of about 2 million). The word comes from the Spanish el lagarto, which means "lizard". We often put crocodiles and alligators in the same bag. This is a big mistake! The alligator belongs to the family of alligatoridae. There are two species: Mississippiensis, which lives in the southeastern United States, and Sinensis
, which haunts the Yangtze River Valley in China. The crocodile (family Crocodilidae) is an animal of the tropics, so it is found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Alligators have a flatter and wider mouth than crocodiles. However, both like to show off their impressive teeth: even with their mouths closed, four gigantic teeth remain visible. Both species use them in the same way, to grab and tear, not to chew. When they catch a prey, they drag it under water to drown it, then wait until it decomposes before swallowing it whole. Finally, the alligator hibernates while the crocodile remains active all year round. An alligator can live up to 70 years (more if it is in captivity) and reach up to 3 or 4 meters for the oldest.NEVER feed an alligator
in a natural area and do not condone unscrupulous tourist operators who do so. It is dangerous for humans, because the alligator will assimilate human and food, and for the alligator that we will have to kill to protect itself. So don't go near them. On the one hand, you are disturbing them in their natural habitat and you risk disturbing the balance of the bayou. On the other hand, if the alligator is aggressive, you risk being attacked (which is rare but does happen, especially with females, which are extremely aggressive when they are brooding their offspring). Contrary to popular belief, the alligator is not clumsy on land: it moves at the speed of a galloping horse, like the giant lizard that it is.Mammals.
Louisiana also has a large number of mammals: squirrels, coypu, raccoons, opossums, armadillos, water rabbits, otters, white-tailed deer, foxes, coyotes, Louisiana black bears, etc. Some of them, like the coypu, are imported species and Louisianans bitterly regret it because they are real calamities. For those who like to hunt game, the Sportsman's Paradise area is known as the Louisiana Mecca for game hunting.Some species to stay away from.
No matter how harmless they may seem, it is strongly discouraged to catch small wild animals such as raccoons, opossums or coypu: their claws and sharp teeth will give you nasty wounds. Also beware of the following dangerous species because they are highly venomous: water moccasin, cottonmouth, copperhead, canebrake rattlesnake and the famous black widow spider. But don't worry, you really have to look for them to find them. These species flee from humans more than they attack them and you will be more bothered by mosquitoes, flies, roaches and red ants.A luxuriant flora
Fertile soil, warmth and intense rainfall: all the qualities are present to ensure abundant vegetation. With its thousands of plant species, Louisiana is a tribute to nature. The mixed forest of the southeastern United States is represented here by the pine forest (various species of pine, black gum, oak, carya, etc.) and the magnolia forest (magnolia, oak, holly and American beech in the higher elevations, and bald cypress, maple and epiphytic plants in the lower swampy areas).
In the swamp region, willows line bayous covered with water hyacinth. Accidentally imported from South America, the hyacinths are dangerous for boat propellers and choke the local flora. This is why the authorities sprayed a powerful weed killer to destroy them, without much result. The bald cypress, rot-proof, lives with its feet in the water without any problem. It is often covered with Spanish moss (so called by analogy with the beard of the Spaniards in colonial times). It is not a parasite, it lives only on air and water and is very soft to the touch. It was once used to stuff mattresses.
Drained land favours the cultivation of cotton and sugar cane. The marshy grounds see the growth of cypresses, elms, dwarf palms. Water lilies, irises, hibiscus, honeysuckle, reeds, pines, pecan trees, oaks, beeches, bamboos, gum trees, city flowers and field flowers are legion. The magnolia is the queen of Louisiana flowers. In full bloom, it fills Louisiana with a sweet fragrance. Azaleas are also a springtime flower that you will see covering every Louisiana garden in brilliant color.
Observation and interpretation
Throughout Louisiana, interpretive and local wildlife viewing experiences are at your fingertips, including state parks, wildlife preserves, refuges and conservation areas. Recommended sites include the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge (where you'll see huge alligators) on the coast southeast of Lake Charles, the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas border, and the Kisatchie National Forest north of Alexandria
. Other natural sites worth visiting include Grand Isle State Park in Grand Isle, located at the junction of Barataria Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, with more than 11 km of white sandy beaches, fairways and marshes, as well as being a renowned birding site; Barataria Preserve in Marrero, a wetland conservation site covering more than 9,000 hectares, home to reptiles and amphibians and frequented by more than 200 species of birds; Jungle Gardens on Avery Island, a lushly vegetated garden that is also home to Bird City Bird Sanctuary; Atchafalaya Basin in Cajun Country, a massive swampy expanse of more than 100,000 acres known for its cypress and black gum forests, waterfowl habitat, countless migratory birds and famous alligators.
Speaking of alligators, they are the undisputed stars of Louisiana. Swamp tours, offered in abundance in Greater New Orleans and Cajun country, allow you to see them up close, although this is never guaranteed. Note also that they are less present in winter when they enter a lethargy similar to hibernation. You can also admire them and learn more about them at Insta-Gator Ranch & Hatchery in Covington, Kliebert & Sons Gator Tours in Ponchatoula and Gator & Friends in Greenwood, three fun and interactive attractions that are sure to please young and old.
To meet animals from here and elsewhere, Louisiana has several sites of interest, starting with the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans, which focuses on the various species that inhabit the waters of the Americas. In the southwest of the city, the Audubon Zoo is a must-see, especially for its habitats such as the Louisiana swamps or the jaguar jungle, or to see the mysterious white alligators up close. Bonus: the zoo is located in the heart of Audubon Park, one of the best birding spots in the Greater New Orleans area. There's also the Alexandria Zoo, in the Crossroads area, where you can meet about 160 species from all over the world, or the Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, north of New Orleans, where the animals are free to roam while visitors discover them on a guided safari. You can even feed them!
