Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NATIONAL PARKS
Early American astronauts used to splash down in the waters off Grand
Bahama, where a missile base tracked their missions across the skies.
The Bahamas has 26 national parks, reserves and protected areas which include large sec-
tions of the barrier reef. These parks protect more than 700,000 sq miles of territory.
The parks are used for both scientific research and for protecting endangered species,
and are maintained by the
Bahamas National Trust
(BNT; 242-393-1317;
www.bnt.bs
;
Retreat, Village Rd, Nassau) . Notably, the 175-sq-mile Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park was
created in 1958 as the first marine fishery reserve in the world. The park now teems with
prehistoric life forms, coral reefs, turtles, fish and endangered rock iguanas and hutias.
The boxed text (
Click here
) does not include all the Wild Bird Reserves, obtainable from
the
Department of Agriculture
(
242-325-7413; Levy Bldg, E Bay St, Nassau).
