Wildlife in Exuma Park: hutia, iguanas, seabirds and what you can see

Most of the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park is water, yet its land is a vital refuge for a small mammal called the hutia, several rare iguana species and marine birds such as terns and white-tailed tropicbirds³. Below is what lives there, and what the park asks of you around it. The park hub has the wider picture.

The Bahama hutia

Hutias are nocturnal, and they are the only land mammal native to The Bahamas¹. A small population was transplanted to two locations, Little Wax Cay and Warderick Wells¹. See Warderick Wells headquarters.

The hutia is protected under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act¹. Current populations are thriving, yet the hutia is still considered an endangered species¹.

Because hutias are active at night, do not expect to find one on a daytime trail walk. Stay on marked trails and follow the Exuma Park Trail Guidelines⁶.

Rock iguanas

The endangered Allen Cays rock iguana (Cyclura cychlura inornata) is found on several islands in the Exumas⁴. The Exuma Island iguana is a subspecies of the Northern Bahamian rock iguana and is found only on the Exuma archipelago⁵.

Several rare iguana species live on the park’s land³, and visitors can observe iguanas in the park². For the best-known iguana beach, see the Allen’s Cay iguanas guide.

Seabirds and shorebirds

The park has high bird activity². Several seabirds nest here, including the Sargasso shearwater, the white-tailed tropicbird and the brown noddy, along with six tern species⁴.

Pets are restricted to beaches only, and they are not allowed on trails or in the brush⁶. Over the years pets have destroyed bird nesting sites and cost the park rare or endangered species, including rock iguanas and hutia⁶. Keep a dog on a leash no longer than 6 feet and never tie it to a tree, bush or table⁶.

Turtles and fish

Visitors can observe birds, fish, turtles and iguanas in the park². Underwater, the park has coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses². The park’s waters have been managed as a no-take reserve since 1986, which let commercially important queen conch, Nassau grouper and spiny lobster thrive³.

Fishing, conching, shelling and lobstering are all banned, and nothing living or dead may be removed⁶. The no-take zone guide explains the rule and the penalty: fines and confiscation of vessels⁶.

Protecting their habitat

Wardens and Defence Force officers stationed at Warderick Wells patrol and watch over the park constantly². Three Defence Force officers are posted at park headquarters to help park staff with enforcement². The park is the most visited national park in The Bahamas², so the rules below apply to every visitor.

Trash disposal is not available in the park, so take out everything you bring in⁶. Open fires and fireworks are not permitted⁶. Anchoring is not permitted on coral reefs or in the mooring fields⁶.

On the water, all vessels, dinghies and jet skis included, run at idle speed in any mooring field or anchorage⁶. Jet skis stay at least 300 yards off any moored or anchored vessel⁶. The north tidal creek on Shroud Cay is a strict idle speed, no-wake zone, and motorized vessels may not enter the other tidal creeks there⁶.

How to treat the animals

The rules that protect wildlife are short⁶:

Captive wild species, whether native or non-native, and barnyard animals are prohibited from park property⁶.

Pets are restricted to beaches only. No pets are permitted on trails or in the brush⁶.

Do not bring captive wild animals or barnyard animals into the park, and do not take anything out. The park office keeps hours of Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 9am to 12pm², and the office sits on a remote small island, so a call can take time to get through². Channel 16 is monitored 24 hours a day for emergencies². Report poaching or other unusual activity to the park office by calling “Exuma Park” on VHF channel 09². The full rule list is on the park rules page.