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National Geographic : 1967 Oct
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Twilight calls Miccosukee Indian children to the Tamiami Canal to fish for bream or bass. The bridge leads to the tribal council chickeechobee, a great or big house, open-sided and palm-thatched like the shel ter at left. The only Indians left in the park, Miccosu kees run a restaurant, store, and service station, and offer airboat rides into the northern Glades. At a new school and community center (below), Lena Billie baby-sits with her granddaughter, Alberta Jean Billie. back from opposite sides of the channel, to vie with us for another 10 minutes before dis appearing with a final flip of the tail. We knew they were the same two because both had recognizable scars on their backs, one a long, deep old wound that was possibly in flicted by a shark. Sightseeing boats from Flamingo make similar trips, and these are wonderful fishing waters. The brackish shallows make ideal nurseries for shrimp, marine worms, and small fish that feed larger fish, such as sea trout, snook, and tarpon. Nation's Only Crocodile Nearly Extinct By boat from Flamingo one can readily cross Florida Bay to Key Largo, where a resident ranger watches over the breeding roseate spoonbills and the few remaining crocodiles. In the United States these big salt- water saurians now survive only in extreme southern Florida waters. "The other day, in the hope of making some pictures, we went to a place just outside the park where I've sometimes seen croco diles," said Fred. "There were none to be found, and a man living nearby told us he saw some fellows with a rifle shoot three. "A crocodile isn't pretty," he mused, "and he's like the alligator but more so-he'll eat anything that moves, not caring whether it's your pet dog, or you, for that matter. But these are the last crocs in the United States. It took Mother Nature a long time to make them, and once gone they are gone forever. If they'd stay in the park they might have a chance, but they don't-and their future doesn't look good." From Flamingo in the southwest to Ever glades City in the northwest means a drive of 549
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