Frigate flying high - these birds with large wing spans (some upto 3 metres) cannot walk or swim. They are mostly found soaring really high above the island or perched on a tree in the evenings.

Wildlife in Isla Mujeres

Wildlife in Isla Mujeres

11/11/2018

I’ve often found knowing less about a place before arriving creates lots of wonderful surprises. In Isla Mujeres, one of these surprises is the wildlife.

Iguanas

The iguana lizard flourishes on this island and can be spotted regularly in spite of urbanisation. We visited Hacienda Mundaca and found it was overrun with iguana. And when we went to Garafon there were lots about to keep the kids engaged and partially freaked out when they were eating.

House Lizards

As in most hot climates, their tends to be one or two house geckos living inside your place. We had one in the kitchen, one in the lounge and sometimes one in one of the bedrooms. Plus there were at least three outside the front door. Our little ones loved spotting them if they came out of hiding. They would sometimes fan out their neck or bob their head up and down and every so often would call out to let us know they were there.

Pelicans

On Playa Nota the pelican bird is a common feature to the beach where you can snap photos of the birds diving into the water or perched on a breaker.

Frigates

These amazing birds cannot swim or walk. They fly high above the lake or ocean and dive down grabbing fish with their strong legs. They spend most of their time flying around but when they perch, they prefer the nearby mangrove trees. Because we were next door to the lake we saw many frigates flying here in the morning.

Other animals we’ve spotted

We were lucky enough to see one of the smallest birds on the island. To the unknowing eye it looks like a butterfly fluttering speedily by. Unfortunately, we didn’t capture a photo of it. There were also plenty of other beautiful birds. On a couple of walks we spotted a shell crab crossing the footpath.

Our Glimpse of Wildlife Around The World

Baby gator on board the swamp tour

Wildlife in New Orleans

Wildlife in New Orleans

22/10/2018

The Bayou

The Bayou is where the ocean meets fresh water rivers and lakes, much like Auckland’s estuaries, where the tide creates a current in and out. It tends to be low lying areas with lots of sheltered areas for water plants to take root. This type of environment allows all sorts of wildlife to flourish (assuming that it’s not over-fished or over-hunted).  When we went to a Louisiana Bayou we saw birds, turtles, fish and a baby alligator.

Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

This aquarium had sea creatures from all over the world as well as a special Mississippi River feature that included it’s bird life.

Our Glimpse of Wildlife Around The World