Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex
Encyclopedia
The Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex, also known as the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, is a nature center owned and operated by the city of Boca Raton, Florida
, located at 1801 N. Ocean Blvd. in that city. It is on land which is part of the beachfront Red Reef Park, though Gumbo Limbo doesn't itself directly front on the beach (though it does have Intracoastal Waterway
frontage). Its name comes from the popular name of the Bursera simaruba
tree species.
The complex includes an indoor museum with exhibits, a fish tank, and a gift shop, and some outdoor facilities including several large tanks for fish, turtles, and other sea life, a plank trail through the adjacent woods with an observation tower, and a clearing for observing butterflies. Events organized by the center include observations of sea turtles during their nesting season
. Volunteers from the local community assist in the operation of this center and its events.
's Department of Biological Sciences. Current research focuses on sea turtle behavior, shark sensory perception and salt levels on seagrasses.http://www.gumbolimbo.org/Florida-Atlantic-University-Research-Gallery
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
, located at 1801 N. Ocean Blvd. in that city. It is on land which is part of the beachfront Red Reef Park, though Gumbo Limbo doesn't itself directly front on the beach (though it does have Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
frontage). Its name comes from the popular name of the Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba, commonly known as the Gumbo-limbo, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas from the southeasternmost United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil and Venezuela...
tree species.
Nesting season
The nesting season is the time of year during which birds and some other animals, particularly some reptiles, build nests, lay eggs in them, and in most cases bring up their young. It is usually in the spring....
. Volunteers from the local community assist in the operation of this center and its events.
Research facility
The Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex is also home to a research facility for Florida Atlantic UniversityFlorida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational, research university located in , United States. The university has six satellite campuses located in the Florida cities of Dania Beach, Davie, Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, and in Fort...
's Department of Biological Sciences. Current research focuses on sea turtle behavior, shark sensory perception and salt levels on seagrasses.http://www.gumbolimbo.org/Florida-Atlantic-University-Research-Gallery