Islands are notable for many different things. Some islands are popular vacation spots because of their pristine beaches, perfect surfing conditions, and beautiful snorkeling reefs. Others are known for volcanoes, awesome hiking trails, or indigenous tribes.
These are few of the islands that are remarkable because of their unique animal populations.
Green Iguanas In Grand Cayman
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The largest of the Cayman Islands has been invaded by green iguanas. Native to Central and South America, these reptiles were introduced to the island in the 1980s. They were brought to Grand Cayman as pets and multiplied rapidly in the wild.
The green iguana is a peaceful herbivore, but it is still dangerous to the island. The large lizard poses a threat to Grand Cayman’s natural resources. They strip the bark from trees in the wild, damage gardens and farms, and compete with indigenous species for food sources.
The green iguana population is estimated to be approaching one million.
Christmas Island Red Crabs
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The top of an ancient volcano in the Indian Ocean, this Australian territory is famous for its bright red crustaceans. Christmas Island is home to the Christmas Island red crab, a species native to the island that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. About 40–50 million red crabs live on Christmas Island. For most of the year, the crabs live in the rain forest, feeding on leaves and fruits that litter the rain forest floor. During the dry season, they dig burrows and retreat underground to maintain their body moisture.
Seal Island
Seal Island is a reserve located in False Bay off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. There are no sandy beaches or vegetation on the small granite landmass, but the island is covered in Cape fur seals. Their population is estimated to be around 75,000.While the island itself does not permit visitors, boat tours of False Bay allow people to see the Cape fur seals sunning themselves or playing in the water.
Wild Horses On Assateague Island
Assateague Island is home to approximately 300 wild horses. The island lies off the coasts of both Maryland and Virginia and belongs to both states. The northern two-thirds of the island is part of Maryland, and a fence separates the southern Virginia portion of the island. The Virginia herd is called the “Chincoteague ponies,” while Maryland calls their herd “Assateague’s wild horses.” The Assateague “wild” horses are technically feral horses. They descended from domesticated horses that reverted to a wild state. Exactly how the horses came to reside on Assateague Island is not known. The horses on the island are a popular attraction, but it is important to remember that they are not domestic pets. Every year, visitors who get too close to the horses end up getting kicked or bitten.
Henderson Island Rats
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Henderson Island is a remote coral island in the South Pacific. There are no human inhabitants, but the island is home to an abundance of wildlife. Polynesian rats were introduced to the island by sailors approximately 800 years ago. The rats regularly eat baby chicks. Approximately 95 percent of chicks that hatch on Henderson Island are eaten by rats within one week. This includes hatchlings of the Henderson petrel, a ground-nesting seabird that is already endangered. The rat population on Henderson Island is now somewhere between 50,000 and 100,000—the same level before the poisoning.
Tonawanda Island Cats
A small New York island on the Niagara River is populated by very few people but is home to a huge mob of stray cats. Danielle Coogan, who lives on the mainland in North Tonawanda, visited the island’s popular restaurant in 2014. Coogan was horrified by the cat situation and decided to do something about it. She started a fundraiser called “Operation Island Cats” that was very successful. With the money raised, Coogan and a group of volunteers were able to trap, neuter, and vaccinate the cats that lived on the island. Young kittens were put up for adoption, but older cats were returned to their island home.
Okunoshima Rabbits
Okunoshima is a small island located 3 kilometers (2 mi) off the coast of Japan. It is also known as Rabbit Island due to its large population of friendly feral fluff balls. Many enjoy visiting the island to see the bunnies, but tourism is having a negative impact. People feed the rabbits, which has led to an increase in their population that the island cannot sustain.
Lambay Island Wallabies
Lambay is a private island that lies 14,500 kilometers (9,000 mi) away from where wallabies are typically found. In Australia, wallabies enjoy warmer weather, while Lambay Island rarely sees temperatures rise above the 15-degree-Celsius (60 °F) range. Wallabies were introduced by the island’s owners in the 1950s.wallabies were the only non-natives to survive on Lambay Island. In the mid-1980s, the island received seven additional wallabies from a Dublin zoo that could no longer house them. Counting them is difficult due to their tendency to hide, but the Lambay Island wallaby population is estimated to be between 30 and 50.
Año Nuevo Island Of Love For Sea Lions
The nine-acre island that lies 0.8 kilometers (0.5 mi) off the coast of northern California is one of the most densely populated animal refuges on Earth. Today, Año Nuevo is teeming with animals that use it as a breeding site. The island is part of a reserve, and access is granted only for research purposes. The species that has benefited most from Año Nuevo Island is the northern elephant seal. Año Nuevo Island became the love shack that brought the northern elephant seals back from the brink of extinction. The first elephant seal was spotted on the island in 1955, and the first pup was born there six years later. As a popular breeding and birthing site by northern elephant seals, 2,000 pups born on the island in one year. Today, their growing population is near 160,000.
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