More Animals of the Exumas!
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Determined to study all I could for this trip to the Exumas, I have learned more about the animal life than I ever imagined. Probably more than I did in school.
In case you were wondering, there are amphibians in the Exumas. Frogs, my friends are amphibians and there are three species may be found here–the Cuban tree Frog, the eastern narrow mouth toad and the greenhouse frog. There are also reptiles in these beautiful islands. We saw the Curly tail lizards are in Bimini and may run into them again in any of the Bahamian islands. We might see a brown racer or a pygmy boa or a blind worm snake. We could also run into a Bahamas Fowl Snake which is a relative of the boa constrictor. Thankfully, none of these snakes are poisonous. The other reptile we may see is the Anole which is very similar to a lizard which might be sold in a pet store at home but often are mistaken for a chameleon.
Freshwater turtles are not native to the Exumas, but we may be lucky enough to see one of three species of sea turtles. The green turtle, the hawksbill turtle and the loggerhead turtle all live here. The loggerhead is the largest of the three and can grow to weigh over 500 pounds. The hawksbill turtle is probably the most beautiful because of its multicolored carapace of browns and yellows, and reds.
Many people come to the Exumas with the expectation of seeing the Rock Iguana. After seeing the iguana in Marathon, I don’t have any desire to have any visits with the Rock Iguana. Many cays in the Bahamas are named “Guana Cay” because at one time these prehistoric looking animals were abundant throughout the Bahamas. Today, however, they are a protected species. They can be found at Allans Cay and Leaf Cay in abundance.
Bird watchers will delight in all the many different birds they might have a chance to see: hummingbirds, owl and red legged thrush can be sighted as well as mocking birds, white crowned pigeons and osprey. The Bahama honey creeper is quite common and is sometimes referred to as the bananaquit.
The mosquitoes here are not quite as big as birds, but can be more annoying. Bug spray is a must. We have already experienced the “no see um”, which are invisible insects which must have enormous teeth that love to bite into human flesh. Do NOT go outside without bug spray on a windless day. There are also crab spiders, black widow spiders and scorpions here just like at home. There are termites which live in enormous mounds that look like a beehive made out of potting soil.
It is supposedly good luck to run into a Giant Bat Moth. The locals call them Money Bats and it is considered a sign of good fortune should one fly around a person. These Giant Bat Moths can grow up to 8 inches wide and are easily mistaken for bats. I would prefer the good luck with out having a Giant Bat Moth buzzing around my head.
Joy
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