Moccasin Lake Nature Park

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Moccasin Lake Nature Park
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Type Nature preserve
Location Clearwater, Florida
Coordinates 27°58′33″N82°43′24″W / 27.9757°N 82.7234°W / 27.9757; -82.7234
Area51 acres (21 ha)
OpenedAugust 7, 1982 (1982-08-07)
Operated byCity of Clearwater
StatusOpen

Moccasin Lake Nature Park is a 51-acre park and nature preserve located at 2750 Park Trail Lane in Clearwater, Florida. Opened on August 7, 1982, [1] [2] the park features trails, boardwalks, an interpretive center, a sanctuary for birds of prey, a playground, [3] a butterfly garden and turtle pond, [4] and the man-made [5] lake for which the park is named. Pets, with the exception of guide or assistance dogs, and fishing are prohibited in the park. [6]

Contents

History

Prior to its conception, Moccasin Lake Nature Park was a wetland wilderness area that was being considered for use as a space for low-income housing, before the City of Clearwater decided to turn it into a nature preserve. [5] The lake for which the park is named was a result of the construction of the nearby U.S. Route 19 in the early 20th century, when engineers removed large amounts of dirt to build an embankment to form an overpass between Florida State Road 590 and Drew Street; the pit that remained filled with rainwater and became Moccasin Lake. [5] During its development, Moccasin Lake Nature Park was vandalized several times. [1] The park opened to the public on Saturday, August 7, 1982; between 800 and 1,000 people visited the park in its opening weekend. [1]

In 1983, analysis of water samples taken from Moccasin Lake found deficient levels of oxygen, which can lead to fish kill. [7] In May 1984, the City of Clearwater installed a $2,000 water aeration system to increase the lake's oxygen levels. [7]

Raptor Sanctuary

Located in the park is Moccasin Lake Raptor Sanctuary, an area that houses various injured, human-dependent, or otherwise non-releasable birds of prey in enclosures. Among the sanctuary's residents are Elvis, a black vulture from Homosassa that imprinted on humans and was adopted by the sanctuary in 1987; [5] Penelope, a bald eagle; Lulu, a great horned owl; and Sunshine, a swallow-tailed kite. [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Moccasin Lake Nature Park opens". Tampa Bay Times . St. Petersburg, Florida. August 10, 1982. p. 8. Retrieved March 19, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Florida Scouts Clean Unusual City Nature Park". Boys' Life . January 1983. p. 44. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  3. ↑ Ramos, Jillian (October 28, 2021). "Clearwater's Moccasin Lake Nature Park home to dozens of birds of prey". ABC Action News . Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  4. ↑ "The unexpected beauty of Clearwater's Moccasin Lake Nature Park". Fox 13 News . November 18, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Schulte, Eileen (July 25, 2003). "A sanctuary in the middle of suburbia". Tampa Bay Times . St. Petersburg, Florida. Retrieved March 19, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Moccasin Lake Nature Park". MyClearwater.com. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Nickens, Tim (May 27, 1984). "City to do monthly tests of lakes, creeks". Tampa Bay Times . St. Petersburg, Florida. p. 1. Retrieved March 19, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Our Residents". Moccasin Lake Raptor Sanctuary. Retrieved March 19, 2024.

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