A great egret (Ardea alba) flys above the Gatorland alligator breeding marsh and bird sanctuary near Orlando, Florida. The bird sanctuary is the largest and most easily accessible wild wading bird rookery in east central Florida. Great egrets were hunted almost to extinction for its plumage, used by the fashion industry, in the 1800&rsquo;s. The Aududon Society was formed during this period to push for protection for the birds from the fashion industry.