More than Beaches, Wild St. Lucia is for the Birds
The crisp white sand outlines the island of St. Lucia, bordered only by cool crystal blue water. If you take several steps inland you will find yourself immersed in lush vivid green plant life and huge thick green mountains that seemingly jut up out of the ocean. The St. Lucia landscape is home to some of the most epic scenery in the world.
For those who want some excitement or just feel like getting off the beach for a couple hours, the hiking trails are extremely impressive. It is the truest way to experience the habitat of so many gorgeous St. Lucia animals and insects. The hiking trails snake through the center of the small island. Walking on foot gives you the most intimate view of the island and a whole lot of options, for instance…
· Hike Mount Gimie, the tallest point on the island
· Enbas Saut (below the falls) where hikers can take a break and cool off in the falls or lounge in the natural pools
· Explore rare vegetation on the Edmund Forest Reserve
· Experience an old abandoned plantation
· Take a warm mineral bath or check out the Diamond Waterfalls at the famous St. Lucia Drive-in Volcano!
Supply and Demand
Amidst the bushes and trees are birds, a lot of birds. St. Lucia is home to the most exciting bird watching in the world. People from all over the world come to view these rare, exotic, and endangered winged animals. Eco-tourism is one of the reasons St. Lucia has remained such an attractive Caribbean vacation spot.
St. Lucia is home to a beautiful, nearly extinct bird, the Jacquot, or the St. Lucia Parrot. The Jacquot’s feathers seem dull when it is in the shade of the thick forests but when it flies out in the sunlight the colors illuminate. The red, blue and green light up like the neon signs in liquor stores.
Only 30 years ago there were fewer than 100 Jacquots left in the world, with the 
forests of St. Lucia being their primary habitat. Hunters and poachers would capture these gorgeous parrots to sell them as pets or for their vibrant feathers. As the species became increasingly endangered, the demand and price for the parrot continued to climb.
The combination of St. Lucia eco-tourism and focused attention to the parrot’s plight is what saved it. Not quite flourishing yet, the Jacquot is now able to sustain a population in the wild. Stress has been put on saving this rare Caribbean species and conserving their habitat, and in order to do that, they created a demand to see the birds free in St. Lucia that outweighed the demand for the birds as prized pets and decorations.
Find out more about the exotic wildlife of this island nation; find a magnificent St. Lucia luxury villa or all-inclusive Caribbean family resort ; and plan great things to do for your St. Lucia vacation by exploring our main site at www.Stluciaislandresorts.com.
February 25th, 2009 - Posted in St. Lucia events & activities, feature destinations | | 0 Comments
