Wildlife Watch

As a child growing up in the Upstate, it was a rare sight indeed to come across a whitetail deer at Table Rock, so it was a pleasant surprise last week when riding through the park at dusk to see several deer wandering through the forest.

While a common sight at many of your parks, it’s still a treat to see a deer at many of our upstate parks. That same week while visiting at Hunting Island, where whitetail deer are common, that same excitement occurred when a small buck and I stared at each other for quite sometime before the buck lost interest and slowly wandered off.

Deer are just one of the many animals that call a state park home waiting to be discovered on your next trip to a state park.

The many animals of a state park can add to the overall park experience if observed correctly. Always treat the animals with respect and observe them from a distance and with the awe that they deserve. Often times there is so much to learn just knowing that the wildlife are there, even if we don’t see them. Wildlife thrive in your parks, in part because of the unique and diverse habitat they provide.

From the mountains to the sea, parks are home to many of South Carolina’s most watchable wildlife. Along the coast it’s turtle season.

Each year mature females arrive along the coast to lay their eggs; it is believed that they will often return, sometimes over thousands of miles, to the very beach where they were hatched to lay their eggs. It’s quite a remarkable sight, and one that hundreds of state park visitors and volunteers witness each year. Volunteer “turtle patrols” help us to ensure that nests are safe and often times help relocate the nest to ensure a safe hatch. Once hatched, a newly hatched loggerhead making its way to the ocean is an inspiring and humbling sight.

“Are these gators real?” is a common question asked by visitors at Huntington Beach State Park.

If you have never seen a alligator in the wild, Huntington Beach is a must visit. Regardless of the time of year it is rare when you don’t see an alligator at the causeway area of the park. They are a spectacular sight – no fence, and no barrier. It’s their home, so be respectful of their territory. But take a look, you won’t be disappointed, oh and the answer to the question… Yes they're real! So keep your distance!

Part of the fun and challenge of watching wildlife is that it forces you to slow down a bit, to take it all in, kinda of what parks are for. Relax, slow down and reconnect to nature. If you look close enough you may see a fox squirrel just on the other side of that tall pine tree at Santee or Cheraw. You may first say “What is that?!” A fox squirrel is much larger than the familiar gray we’re so use to seeing. Plus, a fox squirrel is often black in color. Quite a treat to see.

And then there’s the quick glimpse of the fox, bobcat and, of course, the deer.

There are also the ones we don’t always see but know they are there, perhaps the most elusive is the black bear.

Bear-proof trash cans and signs let you know that Table Rock has them, as does Caesars Head and Jones Gap. Black bears are rarely seen because they’d rather not be bothered with us, but they are there.

All these wildlife call your state parks home. We’ll do our part to ensure their habitat is protected and enhanced so that on your next visit you’ll have the opportunity to slow down and take a look.

See you in the parks!

Phil