Dive a little deeper and you’ll discover Pensacola Beach hosts a fragile and diverse eco-system with abundant wildlife and plant life: from the inquisitive Bottlenose dolphin to the mighty Bald eagle to the rarest of all sea turtles – the Kemp’s Ridley. All call our pristine beach home. Did you know we even have carnivorous plants on Pensacola Beach? (Don’t worry – Sundews prefer to eat insects.)

The SRIA recently launched a new, content-rich website showcasing the many unique creatures and features of Santa Rosa Island. The Pensacola Beach Eco Trail website is an extension of the physical “Footprints in the Sand” Eco Trail on Pensacola Beach, which consists of nearly three dozen informative, educational signs scattered across the island. An interactive map hosted on the website guides visitors along the physical trail, which stretches from just outside the Gulf Islands National Seashore Fort Pickens gate to Park East – just before the Opal Beach area.

Stunning imagery and videos illustrate the wide variety of plant and animal life that can be found here. Nearly all of the photos and videos showcased have been graciously shared by 21 local photographers and videographers, and the written content for the site was contributed by subject matter experts.

So, dive in here to discover the many natural wonders of Pensacola Beach. Or, better yet, grab your hat and binoculars and go explore the actual trail along our beautiful barrier island in person, with the aid of the virtual map embedded on the site.

Read the full article HERE.