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Support The Nature Conservancy’s work in The Bahamas

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With your help we can preserve the forests and oceans of The Bahamas.

Strategies

The Bahamian government is working with The Nature Conservancy to protect the country's lands and waters via innovative strategies.

Explore Andros Island

Andros Island is another place that the Conservancy helps protect in The Bahamas. 

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Exuma Cays was the first land and sea park in the world. It is also the oldest national park in The Bahamas. The Bahamas National Trust, a Conservancy partner, established this park in 1959. This park is about 65 miles (105 kilometers) southeast of Nassau, the Bahamian capital.

Though this park is mostly water, the land is a vital refuge for a small mammal called the hutia, several rare and endangered iguana species and marine birds such as terns and the long-tailed tropicbird that nest high in the bluffs.

The waters of Exuma Cays have been managed as a no-take marine fishery reserve since 1986. This has allowed populations of commercially important species such as queen conch, Nassau grouper and spiny lobster to thrive. Sea turtles swim throughout these coral reefs that teem with marine life.

Ongoing Threats

Private development of vacation homes and booming tourism are two of the prevailing threats to the park. If not properly managed, these activities destroy native vegetation and lead to increased private and commercial boat traffic. Boats and divers can cause irreparable damage to coral reefs.

Other threats include offshore channeling and dredging, water pollution and overharvesting of fish and other marine species.

Taking Action

The Conservancy began working with local partner, the Bahamas National Trust, in 2000. The Conservancy supports the park's full-time staff and volunteers in their efforts to build nature trails, fund research, conduct wildlife inventories and establish fees for boaters who use anchors or permanent mooring buoys.

The Conservancy works with the Bahamas National Trust to:

  • Encourage stewardship and natural resource preservation by linking government and community efforts focused on training, education and technical assistance.
     
  • Map all vegetation, land and water of Exuma Cays as part of a management plan for the park. 

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Aerial view of Exuma Cays land and sea park ©Dan Campbell/TNC; Sea Turtle © Jonathan Kerr/TNC.