Nassau Grouper - Bahamas

The Bahamas Archipelago consists of more than 3,000 islands. San Salvador Island, once called Watling’s Island, named after a famous buccaneer, is the reputed site of Cristóbal Colón first landfall upon reaching the Americas on October 12, 1492. The native Lucayons referred to their island as Guanahani.

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Epinephelus striatus - The Nassau grouper is the largest fish of the coral reef environment. The tropical regions of the western Atlantic are their preferred habitat. It can grow up to 1 meter in length and weigh as much as 25 kilos. As its name implies, the Nassau grouper forms large spawning groups. This behavior of grouping in large schools has made this species vulnerable to over-fishing. The large mouth of the grouper is used as a suction device to “inhale” the smaller prey animals sharing the coral reef with the grouper.

American Flamingo - Bahamas

Phoenicopterus ruber - There are six living species of flamingos; two are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, and four are native to the Americas. The one feature common to flamingos, is their specially adapted bill. It is lined with fine straining plates called lamellae. Flamingos feed in shallow waters by dipping their bill into the water and sweeping it from side to side as they are pulling in various small invertebrates. The flamingo’s large fleshy tongue is then used as a press to expel the water.

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When Cristóbal Colón arrived in the Americas, his first landfall was in the Bahamas. Though the islands were claimed for Spain, the Spanish expressed no interest in colonizing the islands. The British were not as reluctant and took charge in 1717. King George I appointed Woodes Rogers, an English sea captain, as governor of the Bahamas with the hopes he would clear the area of pirates. Rogers, having been a pirate, was successful. The Bahamas were retained as a British colony until 1973.