Bonaire Fauna
The fauna of Bonaire could be considered very lucky, as this assortment of creatures live amongst people who care very much for their well-being. With Bonaire's only native mammal, the bat, as well as three species of turtles dangerously close to extinction, the concerned people of Bonaire have worked hard to save their habitats. If an animal is at risk, help is near at hand. This is an island on which one may find refuge from a cruel world if one happens to be a card-carrying member of a species at risk. It's like a Noah's arc for the Caribbean, only without the mass drownings which occurred on that fateful day. If only unicorns knew about Bonaire…
Turtles Bonaire sea turtles swim all over the Caribbean Sea in search of food, fun and mates. They then return to their original place of birth on Klein Bonaire and other Bonaire beaches to make their nests. Starting in March they slowly inch their way to these sandy beaches. An average of 60 turtle nests are counted every year on all of the island. Bonaire is home to three of the eight species of sea turtles found in the Caribbean: the Hawksbill, the Green turtle and the Loggerhead. These shell-dwellers have been protected around Bonaire waters since 1961.
Bonaire has plenty of wild Donkeys that were brought to the island by the Spanish, who ruled in the 1700s. While you will find donkeys all over the island, the best place to visit these docile animals is The Donkey Sanctuary. Here they offer shelter and protection for these loving creatures; you'll be thrilled by the warm welcome the donkeys give you. Find out more about Bonaire's donkeys,
the donkey sanctuary and also the donkey safari here.
Flamingos
These lucky clucks have a large protected area on Bonaire in which to frolick. The Bonaire flamingo reserve is completely off-limits to people. Around the world, Flamingos are dangerously close to extinction, but there are areas on Bonaire that you can get relatively close. In Washington Slagbaii Park (north island) there are often Flamingos posing for photos in Gotomeer Lake. The birds won’t charge you for your photos, but they may ask for donations. On the South end of the island you can witness the flamingos flying in a “V” formation towards Venezuela as the sun sets. Clearly it’s a good thing they didn’t chose Brazil as their destination, as flying in a “B” formation would be much more challenging. Bats Bats are the only mammals native to Bonaire. They are environmentally friendly (and I don’t just mean compostable) and under-rated as a helpful predator. Bats leave the stinky confines of their subterranean lairs at dusk and do their good deeds under the dark blanket of night. There are eight known species of bat on the island, including the unusually named “Davy’s Naked Backed Bat” and “Peter's Ghost-faced bat” along with the less imaginative, “Little Brown Bat”. (Obviously Davy and Peter had much more active imaginations than the guy who named the latter) Not only do bats pollinate the trees and shrubs to ensure their ongoing survival, but they also control the mosquito population by using their extremely effective sonar to locate and devour as many as 3,000 of those pesky little blood suckers every night. Find out more about
Bonaire's bats and caves here.
Iguanas The Bonaire Iguanas aren't quite the snuggly type but they do have the characteristics of an ugly pet loved for its endearing qualities. These six-foot long fine fur-less friends have become comfortable with people. They are a lot like an untrained, misbehaving puppy, begging for and occasionally stealing your food. They’re a nuisance to some, but mostly it’s a cheeky good time when these lizards are around.
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Donkeys