Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Though not native to the island, spectacled caimans have become somewhat of a pest in
the areas around Laguna Tortuguero on the north coast. Introduced as a macho pet in the
1990s, many of these minicrocs were abandoned by their owners and dumped in the vicin-
ity of Puerto Rico's only freshwater lake, where they have played havoc with the fragile
ecosystem. Local rangers are currently trying to control their numbers.
Puerto Rico boasts 11 varieties of snake, none of which are poisonous. The most im-
pressive is the endemic special boa, which can grow to a length of more than 12ft; it is also
endangered, but hikers may spot one in the karst region of northwestern state forests and
in El Yunque. Though boas have been long known to feed on bats, scientists only recently
discovered that the snakes catch bats in their jaws while hanging at the mouths of caves.
The Puerto Rican parrot is one of the 10 most endangered species in the world, with only an estimated 35 to 40 birds still exist-
ing in the wild.
Marine Life
Spending time in the water off Puerto Rico's shores at the right time of year can reveal ex-
cellent marine life. Pods of humpback whales breed in the island's warm waters in winter.
In the late winter of 2010, southern shores off the island also saw more orca (killer whales)
than ever before recorded. Local fishermen attribute this to the relatively warm waters of
the Caribbean bringing more dolphins for the orca to eat. Most whale-watching tour oper-
ators leave from Rincón, usually beginning in early December (
Click here
) and ending in
March.
Though looking for whales may be a hit with tourists, the Antillean manatee (the town
of Manatí, on the north coast, is named after the mammal) is perhaps more dear to Puerto
Ricans. These so-called sea cows inhabit shallow coastal areas to forage on sea grasses and
plants. Manatee numbers have dropped in recent decades due to habitat loss, poaching and
entanglement with fishing nets, but they are generally thought to be coming back. To see
a manatee, rent a kayak and float along the mangrove-lined shores in the southeast of the
island, near Salinas. Despite their lumbering appearance, they can be surprisingly graceful
in the water, and have been seen doing somersaults and elegant turns.
All you need to know about Puerto Rico's insects, reptiles, four-legged mammals and the greenery that they inhabit is in
The
Nature of the Islands: Plants and Animals of the Eastern Caribbean
by Virginia Barlow. Very helpful for campers.
Of course, the majority of travelers are captivated by seeing the tropical fish and coral off
the island's shores. The continental shelf surrounds Puerto Rico on three sides and blesses
the island with warm water and excellent coral reefs, seawalls and underwater features for
