Don’t let the Cayman Islands’ small size fool you. They’re home to hundreds of unique animals, including protected and endemic species. Whether you’re on Grand Cayman, Little Cayman or Cayman Brac, you’ll have plenty of unforgettable opportunities to see these special creatures in their natural habitat.
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Founders of the Cayman Islands Stingray Experience, we’ll treat you to an unforgettable encounter with these magical creatures. Reserve your spot today for your stingray meet-and-greet!
The Cayman Islands are paradise for seeing and even interacting with a wealth of remarkable animals. Read on to learn about 7 of these intriguing creatures.
1) Iguanas
With a prehistoric appearance that would make T-Rex proud, iguanas are some of the most outlandish-looking creatures in the Caymans. Here are two Cayman species that live up to that description:
Blue Iguanas
The intriguing blue iguana, also known as the blue dragon, is a vibrant turquoise lizard only native to Grand Cayman. This surreal reptile can grow up to five feet long and live 70 years. Although this endemic species may look intimidating, the blue iguana eats plants and fruits and tends to be skittish around people.
One of the world’s most endangered lizards, the blue iguana teetered on the brink of extinction in 2002. Its plunging numbers were caused habitat loss, disease, predation by humans and feral animals, and vehicle accidents (blue dragons enjoy basking on warm roads). Thanks to the successful Blue Iguana Recovery Program at Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, however, more than 900 of these magnificent creatures have been successfully bred and released.
Fun Fact: Another endangered reptile, the Cuban crocodile, was plentiful in the Caymans until it was hunted to extinction. It now solely resides in Cuba. Although, apparently, a few miss the Cayman Islands so much that they have been known to swim back there!
Green Iguanas
In contrast to the endangered blue iguana, the Cayman Islands are home to the invasive green iguana (also called common green iguana). Ravenous herbivores, these massive creatures can wreak havoc on gardens, crops and native foliage. This can impact other animals that depend upon those plants. Their egg-laying burrows can damage golf courses and roads.
The green iguana population grows rampantly, as they can lay six dozen eggs at one time. Baby green iguanas are self-sufficient from birth and immediately start devouring vegetation.
This invasive species has now been significantly decreased due to an extermination program run by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DOE). Green iguanas previously numbered about 1.3 million and now number about 87,000. Although the program is successfully reducing the green iguana population, there is some controversy about its ethics.
Fun Fact: The green iguana can intentionally detach its tail to escape predators or if it feels threatened. The tail eventually grows back.
2) Bats
The Cayman Islands are home to nine species of bats. They’re the only mammals native to the islands. These unique creatures are all rare, and one isn’t found anywhere else in the world. Don’t worry about them turning into Dracula or Lestat – they only eat fruit and insects.
These bats are found on the Cayman Islands:
Big Brown Bat
Big brown bats are only found on Grand Cayman. Previously, they also lived on Cayman Brac but are now extinct there. These Cayman Islands animals are vital to the island’s ecosystem because they feed on night-flying insects such as mosquitos, beetles and agricultural pests.
Fun Fact: A lactating female can consume her entire body weight in insects in a single feeding!
Buffy Flower Bat
The nocturnal buffy flower bat, named after its buff-colored coat and flower-shaped nose, feeds on nectar, fermenting fruit and insects. The bat plays an important role in pollinating flowering plants, including some native varieties that solely depend on bat pollination.
Antillean Nectar Bat
The Antillean nectar bat is another crucial Cayman pollinator. It’s referred to as nectarivorous because it chiefly feeds on nectar. Similar to hummingbirds, Antillean nectar bats hover when they’re feeding. Like hummingbirds, they also have a long tongue, which gathers and spreads pollen as it extracts nectar.
The bat is particularly important for night-blooming flowers. Many of these plants rely on Antillean nectar bats and would have difficulty reproducing without them.
Jamaican Fruit Bat
The Jamaican fruit bat is especially fond of figs but will also eat other tropical fruits and some types of nuts. Jamaican fruit bats play an important role in seed distribution. The bat discards large seeds at its roost, while small seeds are swallowed and defecated whole mid-flight.
The bat’s digestion, from eating to voiding, spans only 10 to 20 minutes, permitting a vast amount of seeds to get distributed in their guano.
Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat
Blazing through the sky at incredible speeds up to 100 mph, Brazilian free-tailed bats are nicknamed “jet bats.” Their long wings and aerodynamically shaped bodies enable them to reach these astonishing speeds. Brazilian free-tailed bats are nimble and have fantastic echolocation (sonar) abilities that help them effectively pluck beetles, moths and other flying insects mid-air.
Velvety Free-Tailed Bat
Named for their plush, soft fur, the velvety free-tailed bat is another bat that catches insects while flying (a technique called aerial hawking). They greatly help control insect populations by consuming flies, beetles and flying ants – sometimes thousands a night. Hunting in small groups, they listen to the echolocation signals of other bats to find plentiful feeding areas.
Fun Fact: The theme song of the movie Batman Begins is titled Molossus, the genus name of the velvety free-tailed bat.
Red Bat
The red bat is extremely rare. A nighttime hunter, it favors flying pests, particularly moths that are drawn to and are illuminated by lights. They also feed on non-flying insects including crickets and grasshoppers.
Only a few red bats have been sighted in the Cayman Islands, mainly in the in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and the Lower Valley Forest, where their reddish-brown fur blends in with tree bark.
Waterhouse’s Leaf-Nosed Bat
This bat’s nose is cute, but its leaf-like structure helps it precisely direct and focus its echolocation signals to detect tiny insects, even in total darkness (it’s a myth that bats are blind).
The Waterhouse’s leaf-nosed bat favors moths, crickets, grasshoppers and beetles, although some have a role in seed disbursal and pollination. Although these bats are born blind and hairless, they can fly and hunt within a few weeks.
Little White-Shouldered Bat
Contrary to this diminutive bat’s size (about 3 inches from head to tail, with a wingspan of about 12 inches) the little white-shouldered bat’s scientific name translates to “reaper” or “destroyer.”
Remarkably, this pint-sized powerhouse can eat an impressive 1,000 insects an hour, making it an incredibly efficient pest controller. The little white-shouldered bat also feeds on fruits and nectar, making it a vital pollinator and seed-spreader.
3) Sea Turtles
In the Cayman Islands, these turtles are more than just mythical-looking creatures that capture our hearts and fire our imaginations. They’re honored as the national symbol, proudly displayed on the islands’ Coat of Arms, national flag, currency and seal.
Four turtle species call the Caymans home:
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Green sea turtle – The Caymans most common type of turtle
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Loggerhead – The world’s largest hard-shelled turtle, loggerheads are named for their huge heads and powerful jaws
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Hawksbill – The critically endangered hawksbill is the only sea turtle species that exclusively eats sponges
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Leatherback – Measuring 9 feet and weighing a monumental 1,100 pounds, the leatherback is the largest of all living turtles
One of the best places to see Cayman’s turtles and learn about them is the Cayman Turtle Centre. A noteworthy conservation establishment, it’s devoted to the protection, rehabilitation, breeding and release of these turtles. You can interact with these amazing reptiles by:
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Feeding them
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Touching them
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Swimming and snorkeling with them in the Centre’s saltwater lagoon
Fun Fact: Unlike freshwater turtles, sea turtles can’t pull their heads or flippers into their shells.
4) Cayman Parrot
The vibrantly green, red and turquoise Cayman parrot is exceptionally extroverted and loves attention. This showy bird expresses itself with raucous squeaks and squawks, which can sound like conversations when they’re in large groups.
Endemic to Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, the Cayman parrot is a protected species that reigns as Caymans’ national bird. These fancy avians mate for life, so if you see one, you’re likely to see another close by.
Pro Tip: Be careful what you say around a Cayman parrot, though. They can mimic your words – and learn to repeat them!
5) Woodpeckers
Grand Cayman hosts two endemic subspecies of woodpeckers: The West Indian woodpecker and the Northern flicker:
West Indian Woodpecker
The West Indian woodpecker sports a brilliant red cap and striking black and white plumage. It’s a flashy, chatty member of Grand Cayman wildlife that’s adaptable to a variety of habitats. The West Indian woodpecker mainly eats termites, ants and beetles that it drills out of tree trunks, although it occasionally consumes fruits and seeds.
Its natural habitats are palm groves, mangroves and forests, but it can also be spotted at the Mastic Trail and Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.
Fun Fact: A woodpecker pecks 20 times per second, or about 12,000 pecks a day!
Northern Flicker
Although the Northern flicker is a woodpecker, it forages on the ground. Found only on Grand Cayman, this dapper, striped-and-polka-dotted bird favors ants and beetles, probing for them with its curved bill.
Although the Northern flicker can climb tree trunks and hammer them just like other woodpeckers, they usually only drum on them to declare their territory. They also loudly drum on metal objects, a sound that the island’s human residents find less than appealing.
6) Corals
Corals, often thought to be plants or rocks, are actually animals. Unlike plants, they don’t produce their own food. Unlike rocks, they are actually alive. Aside from being ethereally beautiful, the Caribbean Islands corals provide a habitat for 25 percent of all marine species and they shield coastlines from storms and waves.
The Cayman’s spectacular coral reefs are part of one of the world’s largest barrier reefs, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.
The Caymans’ coral reefs are esteemed worldwide for their excellent reef dives including:
Bloody Bay Wall
At a sheer 6,500 feet, the Bloody Bay Wall is one of the deepest reef walls in the world. Known for its gorgeous coral gardens, the wall teems with hammerheads, reef sharks, octopus and kaleidoscopic fish.
Babylon On The North Wall
The main attraction of the Babylon is its freestanding pinnacle, a towering rock formation filled with vibrant hard and soft corals and an explosion of colorful marine life. The water at Babylon drops to 100 feet, and you can only reach it by boat.
Fun Fact: The Babylon was named after the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Eagle’s Nest
The Eagle’s Nest is a unique, 310-foot dive site. It features a fascinating cave that divers can roam and explore.
Swimming through the cavern, you’ll encounter lobsters, vibrant tropical fish and flourishing reefs. This is a challenging location suited for very experienced divers, only.
7) Stingrays
Although they’re relatives of sharks, wild stingrays are not vicious predators. In fact, at Stingray City, they’re the exact opposite. Stingray City is a famous sandbar in Grand Cayman’s North Sound, filled with these remarkably gentle, curious creatures. They love to interact with people, so pet, hug and mingle with them in the warm, Caribbean Sea. If you hand-feed them squid, they’ll be your best friend!
The sandbar’s crystal clear waters are only two to three feet deep, so you can easily stand in the stingrays’ natural environment as they flock around you. About a mile from the sandbar is Deep Stingray City. The water here is 12 feet deep and suitable for divers.
Always treat stingrays respectfully:
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Approach them slowly and always from the front
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Avoid sudden movements
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Never touch their tails, gills or eyes
Pro Tip: For the best experience at Stingray City, try to go in the early morning when it’s less crowded. You’ll get to enjoy a more personal interaction with the stingrays and soak in the peaceful beauty of the sandbar before the hustle and bustle begins. Don’t forget to bring an underwater camera to snap some amazing memories!
Discover The Magical World Of Stingrays In Grand Cayman!
Brace yourself for the encounter of a lifetime when we whisk you away on an exhilarating stingray excursion! Pioneers of the iconic Grand Cayman Stingray Experience, we’ll introduce you to these gentle, good-natured animals that you can feed, pet, hug and even kiss.
Contact us today and treat yourself to an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind stingray adventure!
