Do not feed alligators. It's illegal - and dangerous.

Lee County abounds in wildlife – everythng from nesting birds to creatures of the sea.

Among them:

Burrowing Owl

The burrowing owl, previously Cape Coral’s unofficial mascot, was named the city’s official bird in September 2005. It stands nine inches tall and weighs in at about four ounces, but has long legs. The burrowing owl digs its home in the Cape’s sandy soil or lives in nests left over from other animals. Extensive tunnels house families of four to six. Nesting season is from February through July, and Cape residents are encouraged to fix “starter” burrows for the owl. The females lay about six to eight eggs, which take one month to hatch. Young owls stay in the nest for about 42 days. Burrowing owls eat large insects and occasionally a small snake or rat. Other native owls include the screech owl, barred owl, and great horned owl.

Gopher Tortoise

The gopher tortoise, which lives in burrows, is a protected species.

Another burrow resident, the gopher tortoise, uses tunnels to stay cool in the summer. The tortoises have a rounded back and powerful front legs for shifting soil. Burrows can be up to 40 feet long. The tortoises, which are protected, grow to be up to 14 inches long. The tortoises are vegetarians, eating grass and plants. Mating season begins in early spring, during which time the gophers make various noises to attract mates and scare off other suitors.

Indigo Snake

Best known for its placidity, these massive snakes are the longest in the United States, reaching almost nine feet. The Eastern Indigo Snake is listed as “threatened,” and it’s often assumed that they live in burrows dug out by the gopher tortoise. The snakes are often described as secretive and are found in forested areas such as buffer preserve.

Bald Eagle

Florida has the largest concentration of bald eagles in the country – about 70 percent of the occupied nests in the southeast United States. The endangered bald eagle is especially protected in Cape Coral where a city ordinance protects nests from encroachment, including construction. The majestic bird, symbol of America, mates for life and uses the same nest year after year.

Ospreys are a common sight.

Osprey

The osprey, often referred to as the “fish hawk,” is a large bird of prey, ranging from 21 to 24 inches in height, with a five- to six-foot wingspan. The osprey eats fish exclusively. It hunts from up to 100 feet in the air, then dives head first into the water. It commonly hunts saltwater catfish, mullet, spotted trout, shad, crappie, and sunfish. The birds build large stick nests located in the tops of trees. They also frequent man-made structures such as utility poles, channel markers, and platforms. The incubation and nesting period lasts into the summer months, and a clutch typically is two to four eggs. Permits are required to remove a nest.

Alligator

The alligator plays an important role in the ecology of our wetlands by creating holes that support fish and wildlife during times of drought. It’s an opportunistic feeder, grabbing anything that happens by – thus, it’s important to keep children and pets away from the fresh and brackish water environments it inhabits. The alligator is fairly harmless if left alone, but loses its natural fear of humans when fed. Feeding alligators is against the law – violators are subject to a $500 fine and/or 60 days in jail.

Manatees & Dolphins

Burrowing owls - tiny owls that live underground and frequently can be seen during the day - are a Cape Coral mascot.

Dubbed the ‘gentle giant,’ the manatee can be found in the Gulf during the summer months where it feeds in shallow seagrass beds. It can also be found hanging around docks and shallow mangrove areas. In the winter, it migrates inland to warm springs and even power plants. The playful dolphin can be found frolicking offshore and even swims alongside of boats.

Lizards & Iguanas

The cute little lizards that you see hanging around on pool enclosures doing “push-ups” are called anoles. The push-up proceeds a show of its dewlap, an orange fan under its throat that is spread when defending their territory and during courtship. Although both male and female have dewlaps, it is much larger in males. Females also have a white line down their backs.