Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Location in Florida
Location	Citrus County, Florida, United States
Nearest city	Homosassa Springs, Florida
Governing body	Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is located near Homosassa Springs, Florida, in the United States. The park is one of the best places in the state to view manatees. Visitors can get close to the animals on a floating observatory. Black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, American alligators, and river otters can also been seen in the park. The park is also home to the hippopotamus Lu, famously known for his performances in many movies for the past 40 years. The park is officially named Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in honor of Elmyra Felburn Schiller (1943 – 2009), a benefactor of the Florida state park system.

History

Native Americans lived in the area of Homosassa Springs, Florida, long before the first nonindigenous people entered the area. Within 200 years of encounter, the original inhabitants of the area were decimated by disease and colonial warfare. Soon after the area was resettled by several groups of Native Americans displaced from other areas, including the Seminoles and Miccosukee.

The springs are a historical attraction with documented accounts of tourism dating back to the 1880s. In the 1920s, the attraction was expanded to several structures that no longer exist, and a public swimming area was located at the spring. The 1940s led to more expansion, along with the construction of the first underwater observatory, which consisted of an iron tank with small windows on each side.

Lu

Lu is the oldest hippopotamus in North America, and the only animal in the park not native to Florida. Lu was born at the San Diego Zoo in January 26, 1960. He appeared in the TV shows Daktari and Cowboy in Africa. He has lived in the park since 1964.

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