Barbados Wildlife Reserve ...a walk with the animals ..literally

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The Barbados Wildlife Reserve is a pleasant surprise for visitors that enjoy going to a Zoo, and best of all the animals roam freely about as you explore the reserve.

The reserve is located opposite Farley Hill Park in St. Peter (a Northern Parish) Barbados on the way to the East Coast.

For those travelling by bus there is service from, Bridgetown, Holetown and Speightstown and points in between.

There are some sightseeing tour operators that have the reserve as part of their agenda so it's a good idea to check the tours out, of course it's not the same as going just to look at the reserve because there are time constraints on the tours.

The animals roam freely in a lovely mahogany forest a much nicer way to see them, rather than through the bars of a cage like in a typical zoo.

This is a tropical sanctuary for some exotic animals, birds and reptiles some of which are threatened species.

What kinds of animals will you see in the Barbados wildlife reserve?

The Barbados Green Monkey is the most popular attraction and it's almost guaranteed that you will see them and even feed them.

Plus you can get some great close up photograghs while they're eating.

click here for more pictures of the Barbados green monkey

• The Barbados green monkeys - are free to come and go as they please but you'll be sure to get some great pictures at feeding time.

  I think this is the main attraction especially for kids.

• The Patagonian mara, Red Brocket deer, Agouti, Caiman, Armadillo, otters, and if you're really lucky you might spot a mongoose or two - they're even harder to spot than the Barbados green monkey.
• Birds - multi coloured parrots, pink flamingoes, blue peacocks and brown pelicans. There is also an aviary with many different tropical birds.
• Many snakes and iguanas that are in enclosures so there's no need to worry, there are more huge red footed land tortoises wandering around in here than in the whole of Barbados.

The nice part about visiting the Wildlife Reserve is being able to wander through the tropical forest on winding trails and take pictures of the animals as they freely move about the forest.

But you have to look carefully between the trees and shrubs as many of the animals blend in so well with their surroundings that they're hard to see even when they're within a couple of feet of where your standing.

If you've been wanting to get a good look at the hard to see Barbados green monkey this is where you will get a close up look and see.

But take heed of the warning that is given when you enter, don't try doing what a well meaning Italian tourist standing beside me did when she reached for some of the monkeys food.

When the keepers at the reserve put out the food for the Barbados monkeys - around 2 in the afternoon the monkeys come down from the trees to feed, the lady made the mistake of reaching for a piece of the sweet potato to feed the monkeys with ... she'll now have a story to tell when anyone asks how she got the scar on her thumb.

I know she was Italian because of the stream of expletives when the monkey - "kissed her hand"

Remember the animals in the Barbados wildlife reserve are wild and should be treated with caution.

The entrance fee to the Barbados Wildlife Reserve also gives you admission to Grenade Hall Signal Station, one of a number that were built when the British ruled Barbados make sure not to miss this piece of history.

Take a browse through the restored signal station there are windows on all sides giving you a great view of Barbados in all directions.

Another must see attraction while in Barbados is Harrisons Cave in the Parish of St. Thomas.

The opening hours are 10 a.m. - 5p.m. daily and the last admission to the reserve is at 4 p.m.

The cost of admission is $11.50 US for adults $5.75 US for kids 3-12 years old.

It's a great way to spend the day, there's also a bar and snack restaurant so you wont go hungry or thirsty.

For more information the telephone number is: (246)422-8826

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