If you have always wanted to shoot images in the Everglades but have feared some of the snakes, gators, and other unknown dangers that might be lurking in the muck, consider joining one of the new eco photo safaris being offered by Swamp Exploreres, a new company operated by LexJet customer Rick Cruz.

Nature photographer/preservationist Rick Cruz and Master Naturalist Julie Cardenas founded Swamp Explorers to help more people experience the beauty of the Everglades environment in a way that will motivate them to join the fight to preserve it. In addition to photo safaris, they offer educational swamp walks and kayak tours to members of the general public. They both know enough about the environment that they can help you overcome your fears and see the Everglades in a whole new light.

The largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S., the Everglades includes both freshwater and salt-water habitats and is home to a rich diversity of rare and endangered species of plants and animals. Although the Everglades once covered almost 11,000 square miles in South Florida, it is only half that size today because many of the marshlands have been drained for agriculture, development, and flood control.  Every time a developer claims another five acres, Rick says they may inadvertently be removing a rare plant species that exists nowhere else on Earth.