And not just because their name makes overgrown schoolboys snigger let’s hear it for the Caymans’ red boobies this World Earth Day.
It turns out we’re not alone as four out of five (83%) say they intend to book a ‘wildlife travel’ break, a jump of 36%.
With the three Cayman Islands with its extraordinary diversity of wildlife at its centre.
Through its sun-drenched forests, dramatic limestone cliffs and some of the best visibility in the Caribbean.
Our Cayman chums as ever have done the heavy lifting for us.
With a listicle of five of their unexpected wildlife stars to mark World Earth Day.
More than a cocktail
Now how many of us have drunk in the Caribbean with a rum and blue curacao infused cocktail without knowing what it is.
Well, perhaps today, this World Earth Day, it is worth reflecting that the Blue Iguana was once on the brink of extinction.
With fewer than 30 left in the wild in the early 2000s.
But thanks to long-running breeding programmes and habitat protection on the Cayman Islands.
More than 1,200 have now been reintroduced, we can now witness a prehistoric, electric blue giants basking in protected reserves.
Booby trip
Follow that then… well we have the Red-Footed Boobies.
Little Cayman boasts one of the largest colonies of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
Nesting at the Booby Pond Nature Reserve, these seabirds wheel above mangroves, returning at dusk in sky‑darkening flocks.
Clear your throat
Next up is the Blue-throated Anole.
With throats being a sign of virility in nature, don’t you know?
And lizards use theirs during territorial displays
With males extending their brilliant throat fans which gleam against the forest canopy.
Up on the reef
Much of our most precious life is right under our feet and therefore must be protected.
Which we’re glad to see out divers and snorkellers treat seriously.
As they manoeuvre their way through swirling schools of reef fish, shimmering angelfish, and tiny endemics.
Just like the Splendid Shy Blenny hiding in coral crevices.
It’s turtle immersion
And now for the history bit, and you thought you’d got away with it.
Well Christopher Columbus dubbed the islands Las Tortugas for their abundance of turtles.
Three species, green, hawksbill and loggerhead, glide through lagoons and nest on sandy shores.
And captivate travellers at hotspots like Spotts Beach and Turtle Reef.
Conservation efforts continue to protect these ancient mariners as they reclaim their historic water.
Park yourself here
So where do we park ourselves? Well, the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.
Part visitor attraction, part conservation powerhouse, the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park is home to the Blue Iguana Conservation Facility,
Visitors can take behind-the-scenes tours of active breeding and research efforts.
Its 60+ acres of gardens, forests and wetlands also house rare flora.
Including the national flower, the Wild Banana Orchid, showcased along the Orchid Boardwalk.
And because we’re resilient
The Central Caribbean Marine Institute on Little Cayman is where to go for reef resilience.
The team has propagated over 1,000 coral fragments from parent colonies.
And established both shallow and deepwater nurseries to strengthen biodiversity across local reef systems.
Now to visit these wonderful life-forms then you’ll want to fly through your nearest big airline hubs or via the US, whichever applies.
