Little Cayman is renowned worldwide for its significant ecological value. Its comparative lack of human development has meant that the island still provides a home to some of the most fertile wildlife in the Caribbean region. Of particular significance is the Booby Pond Nature Reserve – a haven for extremely rare populations of native plants and animals.
Based on a land-locked saltwater lagoon fringed by mangroves the Reserve provides the perfect habitat for a vast and vibrant range of rare wetland and shore birds. Arguably, the most distinctive breed of bird native to the island is the Red-footed Booby with around 2,500 active nests estimated to exist on the Reserve alone. This, experts believe, represents over a third of the bird’s entire Caribbean and Atlantic population.
Covering over 300 acres, the site has been recognised as a Wetland of International Significance. Visitors to the Reserve can enjoy access to a large observation gallery which overlooks the unspoiled terrain. Free to use state-of-the-art telescopes make it possible to catch a closer glimpse of the rare avian life that exist on the site, from the magnificent frigate bird to the West Indian whistling duck.