Eco-Tourism in The Bahamas
The Islands of The Bahamas offer a diverse variety of eco-tourism activities including historical, cultural, and natural attractions. With a marine territory of about 100,000 square miles, the ocean is as important as the land itself to the environment of the Bahamas. While the land provides a place to live, the sea is a place to play and explore. Many Bahamians receive their livelihood from the sea, through fishing or tourist activities. Most people come to The Bahamas for its phenomenally clear waters and its abundant and varied marine life. In fact, almost 5% of the world’s coral reefs are located here, an amount surpassing even Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
In addition to the unparalleled diversity of its marine life, the islands are rich in terrestrial flora and fauna. Because The Bahamas is an island nation, there are only two indigenous mammals– the raccoon and the hutia, an endearing sort of tropical guinea-pig. Larger mammals introduced during colonization, such as wild donkeys, wild boars, and horses, do roam in less populous areas–and of course, whales and dolphins frequent the waters. Reptiles and amphibians such as the endangered Bahamian rock iguana, the Cat Island terrapin, and the Hawksbill turtle share the cays and islands of The Bahamas with the largest nesting colony of West Indian flamingoes in the world, as well as nesting colonies of the Bahama parrot. Unique among New World parrots, the Abaco parrot nests in natural limestone cavities on the ground. This nesting habit makes the parrot more vulnerable to predators, especially the wild cats of the Abaco forests.
While the islands of The Bahamas are not lush, their flora is distinctive, colorful, and varied. Among the Bahamian plants are the bull vine, whose bright red blooms attract butterflies, the wild grape, several kinds of fig, and the boldly colored and shaped bromeliad. There are also wild tamarind and pigeon plum trees, both of which produce edible fruit, and the ubiquitous casuarina pine. The various national parks encompass a wide range of environments–from hardwood forests and whiteland coppices to sand dunes and eerie, impenetrable mangrove flats.
Perhaps because there’s so much to conserve, Bahamians have a strong tradition of appreciating and protecting their environs. As a result, the 12 government-funded national parks of The Bahamas are exceptional. They exist on several islands, encompassing every kind of habitat that the islands possess and ranging in size from the tiny gem of Lucayan National Park to the 20,000-acre National Park on Abaco.
Bahamas Marine Mammal Survey – The Bahamas Marine Mammal Survey is a long-term project to determine the occurrence of dolphin and whale species in Bahamian waters. (Added: 12-Oct-2002 Hits: 62)
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Activities What to Do, what to see and fun activities for the whole family. | Arts & Crafts Authentically Bahamian Art and Craft products. | Bed & Breakfast Charming B&B’s are found throughout the islands | Boating Information on boats, from Cruise ships to Mail Boats. | Cars & Rentals Rent a car, boat or golf cart (Family Island travels). |
Casinos Spin the wheel, roll the dice in one of the many casinos. | Cuisine Restaurants and recipes. Where to find the best food. | Bahamas Diving Best Dive spots and dive shops. | Eco-Tourism Enjoy an environment friendly vacation. | Fishing Where to go to catch the big ones, all year around. |
Getting Here How to get here from anywhere, by sea and air. | Golf Play a round at the many beautiful golf courses | Bahamas Hotel Accommodations, Bahamas hotel directory. | Global Business Offshore finance and international investing services. | Kids Stuff Young children tourist activities (and the young at heart). |
Legal Services Find an able attorney, law firm or legal advice. | Marinas Locations and info on available marinas. | Nassau Bahamas All about Nassau Bahamas, the Bahamas’ Capital city. | Night Life What’s on the nightlife scene. Entertainment. | Other Services Directory of services companies. |
Pampering Spoil yourself, indulge in the luxury of a Bahamas vacation | Private Islands Buy or rent a private island. Weekly or monthly rentals. | Bahamas Real Estate Agents and brokers, Bahamas Real estate | Restaurants All island guide Bahamas restaurants. | Romance Couples only romantic secret hide-aways. |
Sailing Charters Picturesque sailing locations, boat charter information. | Shopping Shopping tips and Best Buys on jewelry & fashion | Invest Tax Free Offshore investing financial resources. | Time Shares Directory of Bahamas Time Share locations. | Travel Services Visitor’s Guide. Immigration info. |
Vacation Rental Find the perfect Bahamas vacation rental home or condo. | Water Sports Everything fun you could possibly do in the water. | Weddings Unique, exotic and romantic wedding customized for you. | Weather Weather center, hurricane tracker. | Best Web Sites Winners of the 2004 Bahamas Web Awards. |
General Info Bahamas information and fact sheets. | Maps of Islands Print out maps of all the inhabited islands | Bahamas Island Information, maps and directories of the Bahamas islands | Atlantis Vacation resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas. | Tourist News Bahamas Tourism news, press releases. |