CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons (Simon J. Tonge)Wildlife· Maria Islands· Windward Islands
Maria Islands Nature Reserve
13° 43.6′ N · 60° 55.9′ W
Two small islets off Vieux Fort's Atlantic shore, Maria Major and Maria Minor, are the last refuge of the St Lucia whiptail lizard and the St Lucia racer, one of the rarest snakes on earth, along with nesting seabirds and indigenous iguanas.
Practical
Coordinate is the OpenStreetMap nature reserve outline. The St Lucia whiptail survives naturally only on Maria Major and Maria Minor (fewer than 1,000 individuals); the St Lucia racer is found only on Maria Major, where about 18 were estimated in 2012, with Durrell, Fauna & Flora International and the Saint Lucia National Trust working on its conservation (Wikipedia). The tourism authority describes the islands as home to indigenous iguanas. Landing is controlled: arrange any visit through the Saint Lucia National Trust (verify current access rules). The islands lie on the windward side, exposed to the trades and Atlantic swell, with a reef (Maria Island Reef) between them and the shore, so view them from a settled-weather day trip rather than anchoring.
Best for
Endemic wildlife on a protected islet
Nearby
- The Reef Beach Cafe (Anse de Sables, Vieux Fort)0.6 NM away
- Anse de Sables Beach (Vieux Fort)0.7 NM away
- Moule-à-Chique Lighthouse1.1 NM away
- Massy Stores Vieux Fort1.2 NM away
- Vieux Fort Customs and Immigration1.3 NM away
- Hewanorra Airport Crew Changes (Vieux Fort)1.4 NM away
- Vieux Fort Anchorage1.7 NM away
- Laborie Anchorage4.3 NM away