MICANOPY, Fla. — You may not know this, but there is a savanna located not far from Orlando, Fla.

The Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, 21,000 acres located between Gainesville and Micanopy, is home to 300 species of birds, bald eagles, deer and alligators.

Alligators are among the wild creatures that wander the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. (Courtesy of Nichter Photography)

Highlights of the park are the bison and wild horses that roam freely.

“If you see them, you should consider yourself very fortunate,” nature photographer Karl Nichter said.

Nichter and wife Kathleen, who also is a nature photographer, visit the preserve once a year to take pictures of its beauty.

“Karl and I have been doing nature photography for over 20 years,” Kathleen Nichter said.

Sometimes the couple will camp in their recreational vehicle at the state park, while other times, they make it a day trip.

Visitors to the park can walk up several observation towers and look over the prairie to spot wildlife.

One is located near the visitor’s center, where guides are on hand to advise you where to hike, camp and possibly the location of the bison or horses for that day.

The center also features a display of the animals that live throughout the preserve.

The wild horses are the descendants of those brought to Florida by the Spanish. 

Wild horses that are descendants of those brought to Florida by the Spanish roam the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. (Courtesy of Nichter Photography)

The bison were introduced as part of an initiative to restore the state's historic savanna.

In 1975, 10 bison were brought to Paynes Prairie from another wildlife refuge, and the bison herd has since grown to 50–70.

The Nichters, who are retired, mainly shoot pictures to raise money for charities and for their own fun.

On a recent visit, the two spotted a small group of wild horses from a watchtower in the heart of the prairie. 

“This is phenomenal because you just never know what you’re going to see. And by golly, here they are,” Karl Nichter said.

Often the couple will hike for hours to find the wildlife. The park includes eight trails to help visitors explore its interior and see the wildlife.

“You’re not going to get it hanging out on a sofa," Kathleen Nichter said. "You have to be out there and out there a lot and have patience.”

The preserve is open from 8 a.m. ET until sundown, 365 days a year.

The cost is $6 dollars per vehicle for two to eight people. A single-person vehicle costs $4. Pedestrians, bicyclists and additional passengers are charged $2. Some trails require an additional fee, and the use of camping and picnic pavilions are extra.