The National Parks of The Bahamas

Inagua National Park

Established: 1965
Size: 183,740 Acres

287 square miles of Great Inagua Island, now internationally known as the world\'s largest breeding colony(approx. 50,000) of West Indian flamingos. In 1997 the Inagua National Park was recognized as a wetland of International Importance as the Bahamas became a signatory of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Inagua's interior gives way to Lake Windsor and it is here among the cays and mangrove stands that Tri-colored Herons, Great Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Brown Pelicans, White Cheeked Pintails and West Indian Whistling Ducks can be found. A multitude of avifauna reside and/or winter in Inagua and the island is truly a birdwatcher's haven.

Detailed Description
Image Gallery

Established: 1965
Size: 183,740 Acres

Description

The Inagua National Park is about one hours’ drive from Matthew Town and covers 183,740 acres of Great Inagua. Birdlife dominates the park and the flamingo, the national bird of the Bahamas is its star attraction. Inagua National park is the site of the largest breeding colony of west Indian Flamingos in the world. Today the population numbers approximately 60,000 after having made a 40 year journey back from the edge of extinction.

History

As early as 1905, concern for the West Indian flamingo in the Caribbean was intense. The flamingos were hunted for their meat and residents of islands close to nesting areas would raid the colonies, especially for the squabs. Flamingos were also hunted for their plumage. Wild pigs that were introduced by early settlers fed by the birds’ eggs and young and so they acquired a taste for ‘flamingo’. Ironically the final blow was given them by Royal Air Force Polits, who took to buzzing the colonies for fun, sending flocks dashing for cover and permanently frightening some away.

By the 1950’s a close working relationship had been established between the National Audubon Society and The Bahamas. Concerned with the sudden decline in the flamingo population during the early years of that decade. Audubon sent is then research director, Robert Porter Allen, to Inagua in an attempt to prevent the birds fast approaching extinction. Allen arrived in Inagua in the spring of 1952. Sam Nixon, the best hunter and guide on Inagua, took Allen to the Upper Lakes of Inagua where they found more than a thousand flamingos “commulating” as Nixon had promised they would. The birds massed in that riotous courtship ritual of head turing, wing flicking, and exaggerated strutting that Allen called “the Flamingo Quadrille”. Here, Allen realized was a breeding colony in isolation from which the diminishing flamingo pop might be replenishing.

The society for the Protection of the Flamingo in The Bahamas was formed, made up of a number of American and Bahamian Conservationists. The new society appointed Sam Nixon the first flamingo warden on Great Inagua. Later in 1952, Jimmy Nixon became his assistant. Allen designed and built the little camp on Long Cay and named it for Author Vernay, the first president on the new Society.

Another positive step was the creation of the Bahama National Trust by an Act of Parliament in 1959. As the official organization responsible for wildlife protection and national park management, the Trust took over the work of the old society of the protection of the flamingo. The Trust, learning a lesson from the disappearance of the flamingos from Andros, has made the air space above the Inagua National Park a restricted area with fights not being allowed below 2,000 feet. Today, the BNT warden Henry Nixon patrol the Park and protect the flamingos.

Importance to Biodiversity

Wildlife: While the environment of Inagua may be hostile to human habitation, it is perfect for birds and other wildlife. Many people travel to the southernmost island to see flamingos, but are surprised and delighted to see a multitude of other birds and wildlife as well. The native Bahama parrot, the endemic Bahama Woodstar Hummingbird, White Cheeked Pintails, Brown Pelicans, Tri-colored herons, Snowy egrets, Reddish egrets, Western Spindalis, Cormorants, Roseeate Spoonbills, American kestrels, and Burrowing owls abound in the Park’s interior. Birds however are not the Parks only treasure. Wild Donkeys trot amongst the mangroves, freshwater terrapins inhabit the ponds, and bonsai forests grace its interior.

Repopulation: The success of the Inagua National Park is evident in the repopulating of other Caribbean islands by the Inagua population. Scientists are aware of the connection between Cuba and Inagua as well as healthy flamingo colonies on the Turks and Caicos Islands and Grand Cayman as well as then repopulating of Crooked Island and Acklins Island by the Inagua flamingos.

Ramsar Convention

in 1997 The Bahamas became the 99th party to the Ramsar Convention on wetlands. At the same time, the Inagua National Park was designated a wetland of international importance. Once seen as wetlands, wetlands are now considered fundamental to the world’s ecology as regulators of water regimes and as habitats for a wide variety of plants and animals, especially waterfowl. They are viewed as a resource of great economic, cultural and scientific value, the loss of which would be irreparable.

Industry

Morton salt company produces salt by solar evaporation in the vast flat salt pans or reservoirs that criss cross the Inagua landscape. It is a two year process as seawater is gradually circulated from pan to pan. In time algae, fostered by the flamingo droppings, grows in the water and darkens it. This hastens evaporation by absorbing more sunlight. Then the tiny brine shrimp begin feeding on algae cleaning the water. And the flamingos feed on the shrimp until the salt is ready for harvesting, leaving everyone tickled pink!

Links to the Image Gallery will be provided here

Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve

Located in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera, the Preserve is operated by the Bahamas National Trust and funded by the Leon Levy Foundation. It was developed by Shelby White, trustee of the Foundation, in honour of her late husband, Leon Levy. The Preserve will be a living part of Bahamian history. It is the first national park on the island of Eleuthera. It is an environmental educational centre as well as a facility for the propagation of native plants and trees.

Little Inagua National Park

Remote inaccessible and with no fresh water. Little Inagua is by far the largest Uninhabited island in the Wider Caribbean. The island exists in a natural undisturbed state and the biodiversity implications and values of this are enormous. Ocean currents flow through the Bahamas from southeast to the northwest.

Lucayan National Park

East of Freeport, Grand Bahama, this 40 acre park encompasses one of the longest known underwater cave systems in the world with over six miles of caves and tunnels already charted. Above ground it exhibits every vegetative zone found in the Bahamas.

Marine Farm

Located on the west coast of Crooked Island a mile northeast of Landrail Point, this Loyalist compound includes an artillery battery and living quarters. This well preserved historic property was handed over to the Bahamas National Trust by Herbert A. McKinney.

Moriah Harbour Cay National Park

Moriah Harbour Cay and its marine environs area a vital part of the ecosystem between the Great and Little Exuma. It encompasses pristine beaches, sand dunes, mangrove creeks, and sea grass beds. A variety of bird life nests there, including the gull-billed and least terns, nighthawks, plovers, oyster catchers and resident pair of ospreys.

North & South Marine Parks

Andros has the third longest barrier reef in the world. These two parks were established to help preserve significant parts of this valuable reef ecosystem.

Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park

Located 8 miles north of Cherokee Sound, Great Abaco, this 2,100 acre land and sea area is a sister park to the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. It contains beautiful undersea caves, extensive coral reefs and abounds with terrestrial plant and animal life.

Peterson Cay National Park

A one and half acre geological wonder, being the only cay off Grand Bahama's leeward shore. This beautiful park is one of Grand Bahamas most heavily used getaway spots. The surrounding marine area is ideal for snorkeling.

Primeval Forest National Park

Entering this area is a step back in time. Remarkably undisturbed, this old-growth forest is representative of the early evergreen tropical hardwood forests of the Bahamas. Located in the southwest portion of New Providence, this area features dramatic sinkholes- unique limestone "caverns" up to 50 feet long, 30 feet wide, and in some cases 30 feet deep. Similar features elsewhere in the Bahamas have provided fossil and sub-fossil remains of Bahamian fauna as w

Rand Nature Center

Established: 1992 Size: 100 Acres Acquired by the BNT in 1992 the Rand Nature Centre comprises 100 Acres of natural beauty near the heart of downtown Freeport, Grand Bahama. The Rand Nature Centre boasts a two thousand foot trail, which winds through natural coppice and pine barrens. The Centre is now the home of the administrative office of the BNT in Grand Bahama.

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