A Guide to Wildlife in Aruba

At best , Aruba is approximately 21 miles long - a tiny speck that sits right above Venezuela on a map of the entire world. Yet this miniscule piece of land boasts an undeniable range of tropical species that will certainly delight those fascinated by wildlife, and amaze any traveler that came to the island expecting only to see white, sandy beaches and blue, tropical waters.

Those pristine waters are filled with many fish - a snorkeling trip will expose a variety of colorful fish, from the abundantly striped Sargeant Major fish to the many Groupers that you may end up dining on that night, and even the highly prized French Angelfish that can fetch $150 a piece elsewhere! You can snorkel on your own at Baby Beach, a beautifully shallow beach that is safely protected from the rough waters of the Carribean Sea, found below St. Nicolas on the southern tip of Aruba. Baby Beach is just that - a baby version of a typical beach where swimmers of all skill-levels will be feel comfortable at. You can practically walk out to the far ends of the beach waters before you¡¦ll have the opportunity to float and look underwater to see and become a part of the bustling world beneath!

If you're more adventurous and enjoy the outdoors more, rent a Jeep and find the Natural Pool. Although I warn you - the roads are roughly labeled at best, so you might take a few turns before finding the proper route to the pool...but the trip is well worth it! After a rough drive over rocky hills, you'll end up taking a short hike down to another protected haven. The waters are rougher on the northern coast, but the waves are broken by the cliffs of volcanic rock that form the coast of Aruba in a pool where the waters are calm and fish find home.

Another option is to join a sailing trip. We joined the Octopus Sailing Cruise, which included all snorkeling gears as well as a champagne breakfast of wonderfully fresh baked breads from the island, and a sandwich lunch that included meats and delicious Gouda cheese, something that is found all over Aruba because of their Dutch influence. The Octopus dropped us off at two very different spots to snorkel at - one at the famed Antilla Wreck, an underwater city where fish would nibble at the coral that have grown on the shipwreck and swim in and out of the holes of the ghostly remain, and at Boca Catalina, a bay where the many schools of fish minded their own business as they swam close enough for us to touch...perhaps thinking we snorkelers were simply another school of strange fish that swam in the same waters at that time!

No matter where you snorkel at, you are bound to find a fish you've never seen before, sea urchins of all sizes, and if you're lucky, perhaps even sea horses, sea turtles, and rays! Although you can rent them, if you plan on snorkeling more than once or twice, you should definitely pack your snorkel mask and flippers in your suitcase!

On land, lizards are seen everywhere. The largest lizards on the island, the Green Iguanas, have an uncanny ability to change their color from dirt brown to a bright jungle green to match their background quickly, and roam unhindered all over the place. Pega-pega lizards whose colorful exterior is a blend of aqua blue and brown, and whiptail lizards with long stripes down their backs, also freely inhabit the island, though wary of humans...especially those that want to get close and take their pictures!

At the beaches, you may notice some marked-off areas. Those areas are nesting sites of the Sea Turtles that come to Aruba and lay their eggs in the beach sand. Hatchlings usually appear around the end of the day, just before dawn settles in, and if you see a crowd of people standing around these markers at the beach, it means the turtles have hatched! Ask anybody that works regularly at the beach and they can give you an estimate as to when the next hatchling should appear. It's a priceless opportunity to see them hatch, climb out of the sand and work their way diligently into the ocean water for the first time! Their first trek is the most dangerous, and as signs posted by the markers indicate, because they are sensitive to light, flash photography is definitely prohibited.

At sunset, the Bubali Bird Sanctuary's pond is home to many wild birds, including the Carribean Parakeet, which is much larger than our pet budgies that we may keep at home. They're often seen in pairs as they fly in wild spirals around the sanctuary. Tropical Mockingbirds, like their cousins here in the United States, make similar distinguishable calls, and many other Cormorants, Grebes, and Egrets are found in the sanctuary. Many of these birds can also be found throughout the island, but by the seaside, you may enjoy watching the majestic Brown Pelicans taking dives into the ocean in search of dinner, or even island pigeons as they dig in the beach sand in search of their own food on land. A common island bird is the Bananaquit...a tiny chickadee-looking bird that is markedly yellow (hence its name) that thoroughly enjoys sweets. It is said that they will often fly onto tables after diners have left to peck at sugar that may have been left behind, and that if you're enjoying a sweet martini, it may fly onto your cup to sip some of your nectar!

If you enjoy butterflies, the Butterfly Farm is a must! The tour guides are friendly and knowledgeable, and lead guests into the entire life cycle of the butterflies - from where the eggs are laid to the metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a butterfly. They also have Atlas Moths, the largest moths in the world with a wingspan of about one foot long! Butterflies species range from the common Tree Nymph, the Monarch butterfly, and even the Blue Morpho butterfly. You'll certainly enjoy your time observing and taking close up pictures of the butterflies during your stay here..and your admission cost allows you to revisit the farm as many times as you like during your stay in Aruba.

Aruba also features an Ostrich Farm. A short tour allows you to get quite close to the ostriches...there is an opportunity feed the ostriches, as well as learn more about the largest, yet flightless birds that inhabit our planet. Baby ostriches, as well as baby emus, can be seen at the end of the tour in their nursery pen. The Farm also features a restaurant, where you can order ostrich meat for your meal. Although many of us would think ostrich to taste a lot like chicken, it's not! Instead, ostrich happens to be a red meat, and tastes surprisingly like beef...and happily, it's healthier, as it has less fat and more protein!

A Donkey Sanctuary is also found on the island, but it closes in the early afternoon, so plan to visit before noon. However, if you show up afterwards, the donkeys are still friendly and gentle...bring a treat and they will gladly step closer and allow you to feed and pet them. Apparently, donkeys were used in the past to help with transportation, but that is no longer needed in modern days. Wild donkeys also wander throughout Aruba as much as dogs, chicken, roosters, sheep and goats. No fear though - like fish, none of the stray animals ever seem to mind humans, as they tend to be found in small groups and seem to enjoy hanging out with their peers only.

No matter what wildlife you'll come across, it's no doubt that you will be enchanted by what nature has to offer on just this wonderful speck on a map.