West Florida Keys

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Greene

This content is a part of the Greene Foundation within the Strataverse.

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The West Florida Keys (not to be confused with Key West) also known as Challenger's Key is a are a coral cay archipelago in Florida, U.S.A, sheltered within the Gulf of Mexico. The entire island chain is a protected Wildlife Preserve owned and managed by the Greene Foundation, where it is internally known as Prehistoric Paradise.

History

The West Florida Keys were completely stripped of life from the 1940’s through 1970’s by Nuclear and Space research/experimentation. They were then abandoned and left to erode, but not before they were removed from all maps. For twenty years they barely recovered with very few plant species taking root on it and even fewer animal species returning

That was until 1993, when Thaddeus Greene and the Greene Foundation purchased the islands. In a few years, the island was completely terraformed from a lifeless wasteland into a lush, thriving ecosystem, ideal for many species, prehistoric or otherwise. Once the environment was suitable, Thaddeus Greene and his carefully selected team, including John Beery and Cipher Ambrose, could finally begin rescuing ancient creatures doomed to extinction.

Geography

The Key is made up of 5 islands with only a one ,Paleo Key, having been developed with necessary facilities and the rest being reserved for nature.

Facilities and Infrastructure

Paleo Key is the only island on the key with developed infrastructure, as such all facilities on the list below can be assumed to be there.

• North Docks - The North Docks are the best way to get to and from the island, ships travel here to the town of Seasideville and back every day dropping off supplies and people as well as occasional animals whether they be wildlife rescues or members of captive breeding programs the park is engaged with
• Lighthouse - the Paleo Key Lighthouse is bright and keeps any ships from crashing
• Time Portal and Holding Pens - The place where the magic happens, the portal can be programmed to any time and location and will instantaneously transport someone to the desired era upon passing through. The portal is connected to a series of heavy duty holding pens to allow staff to keep an eye on how the creatures are acclimating as well as giving any unexpected arrivals a place to stay while an enclosure is built.
• Veterinary Compound and Animal Nursery
• Aquatic Facility - a gigantic aquarium that houses the park's cetaceans and Mosasaur pair
• Administration Building
• Staff and Keeper's Village
• Pleistocene Conservatory Domes
• Florida Panther Rehab Compound
• Marine Life Hospital and Rehab Center
• Crocodile Pens - home to the parks breeding populations of American and Cuban Crocodiles as well as the park's sole Rhinesuchus
• Small Animals Building - a large building filled with specialized habitats for the park's smaller residents Anurognathus, Lagerpeton, Marasuchus, Massetognathus, Didelphodon, Cistecephalus, Diictodon, Procynosuchus, Indigo Snakes, Frogs and Lemurs
• Workshop and Garage
• Dicynodont Fields - home to two large herds of Dinodontosaurus and Elorhynchus
• Luperosuchus Creek - home to the Luperosuchus pack
• Indohyus Marsh
• Azhdarchid Aviary - a large covered habitat where the stork-like Infernodrakon and Quetzalcoatlus live
• Central Plains - the park's largest habitat home to the park's herd of Alamosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus and Triceratops
• Tyrannosaur Forest - home to the park's family of Tyrannosaurus rex
• Gorgonopsid and Therocephalian Breeding Center - a special, state-of-the-art facility built specifically to promote the park's Inostrancevia and Moschorhinus to breed.
• Pareiasaur Prairie - home to the park's Pareiasaurus herd
• Eocene Carnivores Compound - a series of four pens for the park's Entelodon, Nimravus, Metahapalodectes and Hyaenodon
• Embolotherium Creek - home to the park's Embolotherium and Urtinotherium population
• Southern Plains - houses the park's population of Astrodon, Falcarius, Sauroposeidon, Tenontosaurus and Zephyrosaurus

Maintained Wildlife

Animals Introduced to the island, be it through conservation programs, rescues or temporal relocation, whose populations are actively monitored and maintained. Usually kept in Enclosures, though a few species have free-roam over the islands

Mammals

• Ambulocetus
• Anthracobune
• Attockicetus
• Awamokoa
• Didelphodon
• Embolotherium
• Entelodon
• Florida Panther
• Gandakasia
• Gujaratia
• Horopeta
• Hyaenodon
• Ichthyolestes
• Indohyus
• Khirtharia
• Mammalodon
• Mauicetus
• Matapanui
• Metahapalodectes
• Nalacetus
• Nihoroa
• Nimravus
• Otekaikea
• Pakicetus
• Ring-tailed Lemur
• Tohoraata
• Tokarahia
• Tohoraonepu
• Toipahautea
• Urtinotherium
• Waharoa
• Waipatia
• Whakakai

Reptiles

Dinosaurs

• Acrocanthosaurus
• Alamosaurus
• Ankylosaurus
• Archaeopteryx
• Astrodon
• Edmontosaurus
• Falcarius
• Juravenator
• Marasuchus
• Pachycephalosaurus
• Sauroposeidon
• Tenontosaurus
• Triceratops
• Tyrannosaurus
• Zephyrosaurus

Synapsids

• Cistecephalus
• Diictodon
• Dinodontosaurus
• Inostrancevia
• Massetognathus
• Moschorhinus
• Procynosuchus

Other Reptiles

• American Crocodile
• Anurognathus
• Cuban Crocodile
• Eastern Indigo Snake - A captive breeding program for this species is held on one of the developed isles, with many of the babies produced released into suitable habitats across the preserve. Yearly, staff track down as many snakes as possible to tag new ones and record data on already tagged individuals
• Elorhynchus
• Infernodrakon
• Lagerpeton
• Luperosuchus
• Mosasaurus
• Pareiasaurus
• Quetzalcoatlus

Amphibians

• Kihansi Spray Toad
• Panamanian Golden Frog
• Rhinesuchus

Wildlife

Animals who were already living on or near the island before the Greene Foundation’s acquisition.

Results taken from the July, 1993 biotic survey. Accuracy is not certain.

Mammals

• Common Bottlenose Dolphin
• West Indian Manatee

Birds

• American Black Vulture
• Black Skimmer
• Brown Pelican
• Tricolored Heron

Reptiles

• American Crocodile - Was one of the few animal species to return after the military left. The population was further bolstered by introductions from the Florida Keys, Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula.
• Green Sea Turtle
• Hawksbill Sea Turtle

Saltwater Fishes

• Atlantic Tarpon
• Bonefish
• Common Snook
• Green Moray Eel
• Northern Red Snapper
• Permit
• Redfish
• Sergeant Major
• Spotted Seatrout

Sharks and Rays

• Blacktip Reef Shark
• Sand Tiger Shark
• Southern Stingray

Rebounding Wildlife

Wildlife that has returned to the island after Greene Foundation acquisition without the aid of humans.

Birds

• Bald Eagle
• Great Blue Heron
• Limpkin
• Osprey
• Reddish Egret
• Roseate Spoonbill
• Wood Stork

Introduced Creatures

Animals who have been re-introduced to the island and whose populations are not actively monitored or maintained.

Mammals

• North American Raccoon

Birds

• American White Ibis
• Anhinga
• Belted Kingfisher
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Loggerhead Shrike
• Mangrove Cuckoo
• Northern Cardinal
• Northern Mockingbird
• White-crowned Pigeon
• Wild Turkey - The most common bird in the keys, they are a popular food source for many carnivorous dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals
• Yellow Warbler

Reptiles

• American Alligator
• Five-lined Skink
• Green Anole - the most common lizard on the islands. They are prey for nearly every carnivorous species.

• Common Musk Turtle
• Painted Turtle
• Spotted Turtle

Amphibians

• Greater Siren
• One-toed Amphiuma
• Three-toed Amphiuma
• Two-toed Amphiuma
• American Bullfrog
• Northern Leopard Frog
• Oriental Fire-bellied Toad

Freshwater Fishes

• Bluegill
• Silver Arowana
• Smallmouth Bass

Insects

• Nine-spotted Ladybird Beetle
• Scarce Seven-spotted Ladybird Beetle
• Seven-spot Ladybird Beetle

Flora

Acanthaceae

• Black Mangrove

Anacardiaceae (Cashew and Sumac Family)

• Florida Poisontree
• Mango

Araucariaceae (Araucarias)

• Monkey-puzzle Tree

Arecaceae (Palms)

• Coconut Palm
• Florida Thatch Palm
• Saw Palmetto

Bromeliaceae (Bromeliads)

• Pineapple
• Spanish Moss

Burseraceae (Torchwoods)

• Gumbo-limbo

Combretaceae

• White Mangrove

Cupressaceae (Cypresses)

• Coast Redwood
• Dawn Redwood
• Giant Sequoia
• Swamp Cypress

Fabaceae (Legumes)

• Florida Fishpoison Tree
• Royal Poinciana
• Wild Tamarind

Fagaceae (Beeches, Chestnuts and Oaks)

• Southern Live Oak

Ginkgoaceae (Ginkgoes)

• Ginkgo biloba

Malvaceae (Mallows)

Pacific Rosewood

Meliaceae (Mahogany)

• American Mahogany

Moraceae (Mulberry and Fig Family)

• Common Fig
• Moreton Bay Fig
• Sycamore Fig

Pinaceae (Pines)

• Slash Pine

Rhizophoraceae

• Red Mangrove

Rubiaceae (Coffee Family)

• White Indigoberry

Sapindaceae (Soapberry Family)

• Red Maple

Blechnaceae (Ferns)

• European Chain Fern
• Giant Chain Fern

Osmundaceae (Ferns)

• American Royal Fern

Cyatheales (Tree Ferns)

• Tasmanian Tree Fern
• Woolly Fern

Cycadaceae (Cycads)

• King Sago Palm

Equisetaceae (Horsetail Family)

• Field Horsetail
• Mexican Giant Horsetail
• Northern Giant Horsetail
• Swamp Horsetail

Poaceae (Grasses)

• Elephant Grass
• Gulf Hairawn Muhly

Salviniaceae

• Carolina Azolla

Nymphaeaceae (Water Lilies)

• Queen Victoria’s Water Lily