Romeo the Whooping Crane, Homasassa Springs State Park, FL

Romeo

Romeo the whooping crane became a bit of a celebrity this year. He was part of the migrating population that comes down from Wisconsin, but he fell for one of the Springs' year round boarders, named Peepers. Whooping Cranes mate for life, but Romeo lost his mate to a bobcat, and Peepers caught his eye.

Lu the Hippo at Homosassa Springs State Park, Florida

Lu the Hippo

Lu short for Lucifer was a Hollywood movie star in the 1960s, and Lu picked Homassasa Springs Florida as a retirement spot. Since State Parks can only have native inhabitants, former Governor Lawton Chiles made Lu an honorary citizen when the State bought the Park in 1991. Generally hippos only live forty or fifty years, but Lu already surpasses that landmark birthday. He was born at the San Diego Zoo, and turned 52 on January, 26, 2011.