Lying to the north of Hispaniola near the Bahamas, you will find the beautiful and pristine islands of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos. These islands, surrounded by calm waters and coral reefs, offer a diversity of marine animals, land life and birds for animal and diving enthusiasts to enjoy.
The waters are calm and crystal clear, easily displaying the teeming life around the reefs. The leeward reef has a wide variety of coral types that are able to survive in the shallower waters as the reef is protected from the action of waves and wind. The windward reef has Staghorn and Elkhorn corals, which are able to withstand strong waves and wind. These branching varieties of coral provide homes for a large number of different marine species.
Among the many different types of sea life are several endangered species. Conch, which are endangered species, are plentiful on the island. The shells used to be used as tools, and people on the island still consider the meat a delicacy. In the clear waters, divers can see the endangered sea turtles as they gracefully glide by.
There are many other types of fish and marine species as well, including grouper, parrotfish and lobsters. Many of these sea species find their way onto the menus around the island.
With a tropical and dry climate, the islands are renowned for their prolific bird species. Visitors delight in the flamingos as they gather in groups on the waters. Among the many other bird varieties, visitors will see hummingbirds, West Indian Osprey, brown pelicans, West Indian Whistling Ducks, egrets, sooty terns, and mangrove cuckoos.
While few indigenous land mammals exist on the island, domesticated pets have been introduced, such as dogs, cats and horses. A type of guinea pig that was previously indigenous, the Hutia, is unfortunately now believed to be extinct. The islands are home to a variety of different bat species, however. Here, people can see the fruit bats as they feed. No bats have been found in the Turks Islands; the different bat species primarily inhabit Caicos. Flower bats, big-eared bats and longtongued bats are also found on the Caicos Islands.
On all the islands, a number of different reptile species may be found. Geckos, lizards and frogs abound and help control the population of insects. On the Caicos Islands, three different types of snakes may also be found, including the Pygmy Boa, the Bahama Boa and the Worm Snake. Around 50,000 rock iguanas live on the islands. Impressive to see, the rock iguanas are endangered and feed on berries.
A visit to the Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands can provide an unparalleled diving and nature experience. With the beautiful variety of marine life, birds, reptiles and various land mammals, nature lovers who stay in villas on the islands can expect to enjoy their visit.
You can find our villas at TC Villas. Contact TC Villas at info@tcvillas.com or by phone from 9-5 EST at 1.877.467.4858 to book your perfect beachfront vacation rental villa!