Wildlife and birding
The best places for wildlife and birding are Roatan, Key West, Aruba, Cozumel and Nassau. Roatan has sloths, free-flying macaws, wild capuchin monkeys and endangered green iguanas. Key West has pelicans, herons and ospreys, and Aruba has the Bubali Bird Sanctuary wetland with more than 80 migratory species.
Where it's best
Gumbalimba Park has free-flying macaws and a Monkey Village with the only wild capuchin monkey population on Roatan, and sloths hang around its grounds. The Sloth Sanctuary lets visitors meet and hold sloths, and Iguana Farm is a sanctuary for endangered green iguanas.
Key West National Wildlife Refuge waters are good for wildlife observation, and pelicans, herons and ospreys may be seen on the Island Adventure trip. Wildlife Rescue of the Florida Keys, at Atlantic Boulevard and White Streets, treats injured animals and can be visited daily.
Bubali Bird Sanctuary is a 20 hectare wetland at the north-western end of the island, with an observation tower and more than 80 migratory species. Bird numbers vary through the year. Arikok National Park has whiptail lizards on its trails.
Punta Sur Eco Beach Park at the southern tip has raccoons and alligators in an estuary and sea setting, plus a lighthouse. It has a fee and closes on Sundays. An Audubon certified sanctuary on the island is the setting for a guided birdwatching walk, and the Columbia lagoon has observation towers for watching wildlife.
Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre is a mini zoo off West Bay Street, best known for its marching flamingo show. Visitors can also feed parakeets that land on them. The Retreat garden is a haven for migratory and resident birds.
In August and September, black bears, often with cubs, visit Steep Creek to feed on spawning sockeye salmon, and some trails may be closed then. Airport Dike Trail, 1.2 miles one way, runs through Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge and is known for bird watching. Fly-in trips go to Admiralty Island and Chichagof Island for bear viewing, and Pack Creek on Admiralty Island is a popular place to watch brown bears feed on salmon.
The Blue Iguana Habitat inside Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is a captive breeding area for the endangered Cayman blue iguana, with behind-the-scenes guided tours booked on request. Visitors can also approach the iguanas slowly for close-up photos.
Washington Slagbaai National Park has about 210 bird species, including the Caribbean flamingo and the endemic Lora parrot. Klein Bonaire is an Important Bird Area, and Horse Ranch Bonaire has a petting zoo where visitors meet rescued animals.
Ketchikan is one of the best places in Southeast Alaska to see bald eagles, especially at Ward Cove, Herring Cove and Ketchikan Creek. Margaret Creek is a Forest Service bear viewing facility with a viewing platform reached by a short rainforest trail, and Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary is a place to look for black bears, seals, deer and birds.
Bald eagles, mountain goats and other wildlife are seen around Skagway, and mountain goats sometimes come down to the water. Bald eagles hunt over Upper Lynn Canal, and rafting excursions go to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
Community Baboon Sanctuary is a place to watch black howler monkeys in the trees. Belize Zoo shows native Belizean animals in forest enclosures. Both are full-day excursion options.
Butterfly Valley (Petaloudes) is a serene sanctuary that attracts thousands of Panaxia quadripunctaria moths to its Zitia trees. Dama-dama deer live only on Rhodes in Greece, and fallow deer roam the pine and cypress forests of the interior. Peacocks walk freely through Rodini Park.
Dilek Peninsula National Park is where wild boar or wild horses may be seen.
Tours to book
Prices are per person, booked with our partner, Shore Excursions Group.
Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Rafting from Skagway
Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and Tropical Jungle Monkey Reserve
Small Group Mangrove Wildlife Experience with Flamingo Viewing
Monkeys, Sloths, Horseback, and Ziplining with Lunch
Small Group Chilkat Photography Tour from Skagway
Alaskan Wildlife and Whale Watching Expedition
Jungle Jeep Adventure And Sibun Wildlife River Cruise
