Staff Spotlight, Jackie Gordon
Park Ranger, Jackie Gordon
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Jackie is a park ranger because she wants to make a difference in the lives of the park’s animals. Her favorite place to be is at the park helping the manatees. Jackie loves making sure her girls are healthy. For Jackie, it’s a beautiful and bittersweet moment when rehabilitated manatees are released back into the wild.
Jackie made a connection with wildlife many years ago when she first learned about sea turtles and what people can do to protect them. She was drawn to Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park as an intern and came to love Florida’s animals.
Jackie is proud of Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park because it is the only state park of its kind in all of Florida. The team at the park take care of permanent wildlife residents who have been injured or imprinted and provide them the home they need so they can live the rest of their lives comfortably. Jackie encourages anyone who has not visited to come to see the many species of Florida native wildlife that live here, especially the manatees, as well as the only Florida Hippopotamus!
Being a part of the park service means that she can help make a difference by connecting visitors to the environment and transforming their understanding of the natural world. She treasures the opportunity to show the public some of the native Florida wildlife, why they are important to Florida, as well as how to make sure we get to see these animals for years to come.