A Louisiana Swamp Tour

 

To be honest, I had low expectations about the tour given that I had just been on the most amazing wildlife tours in Costa Rica.  I doubted I would see many animals. I was just there to see new scenery and enjoy the ride. I would take what I could get, I told the captain. Some people said they’d like to see crocodiles or alligators, but he quickly corrected their mistaken notion that crocodiles live in the area. Only alligators live in the swamp. The hour and a half tour starts on the river and then goes into the swamp. The captains bring with them a bag of marshmallows and some dog food to feed any animals they see. I wondered the ethics of that? The tour was in a protected area. We spotted an otter swimming in the water before we came across a raccoon standing in the water. He seemed to know the captain and showed off his cuteness to earn himself some treats. I nervously squirmed in my seat as the raccoon came within two feet of the boat. “Please don’t jump on,” I thought. We continued on our ride and soon saw another raccoon that also wanted marshmallows. In the trees we spotted several woodpeckers, and white snow egrets also roamed the swamp. Minutes later, we came across 15-20 wild pigs. They barreled through the water toward the boat. The captain called them his wife and kids, because he’s fed them for years. It seemed like something was off about this. We watched the spectacle for a while before it was time to head back. The captain told stories of pigs being devoured by alligators during tours, including one with a bunch of terrified third-graders. I couldn’t imagine the carnage.