Flora & Fauna

The flora, fauna, wildlife and marine life of Secret Bay.

Secret Bay Resort has worked hard to preserve and re-establish the wildlife that thrives here. It is not just about creating a place to stay, but also capturing Dominica in a time when her land and wildlife were valued not just for what they could provide, but as cohabitants in a precious ecosystem. Here, we glimpse into the flora, fauna and marine life that make up our little piece of paradise. Secret Bay offers a number of experiences which allow the explorer in each of us to be set free, as, through our experiences, we can observe, understand and appreciate the natural world around us.

If you would like to learn more about the species present on Dominica, please reference Life is Precious, Secret Bay’s self-published book about the wildlife that can be found on our grounds and within surrounding areas.

Download Life is Precious.

Coastal Flora

With such a mountainous terrain, Dominica is a treasure trove of biodiversity. Secret Bay sits in the rain shadow of Dominica’s highest mountain Morne Diablotins, which means conditions here are drier than in other parts of the island. Known as dry scrub woodland, the naturally occurring vegetation found on this leeward coast has evolved ways to tolerate dry conditions, an abundance of sunshine and saltwater.

Whether endemic or introduced, the flora of Dominica make for an interesting and varied landscape. Many of the introduced plants were brought over during European colonization, from Africa or the pacific islands where there exists similar climates.

Fauna

An Island rich in natural beauty and with an abundant of undisturbed land, there are diverse groups of animals that happily thrive here.

Birds

There are about 188 species of avifauna who call Dominica home. Feeding on fruits, nectar, insects, crustaceans and fish, look for them on the sea shore, in the trees, soaring through the sky or even bouncing off the balcony of your room. The birds found in and around Secret Bay nest here because the environment suits them and there is a rich food supply. The carolers of daytime, they will sing to you from sunrise to sundown, giving way to the night.

Insects

Dominica is home to a wide variety of insects including 11 species of stick insects and 55 species of butterfly, two of which are endemic to the island. Insects may be at times a nuisance and unsettling to those unaccustomed, but each plays a role in its environment. Whether the predator or prey, the pollinator or scavenger, they add to the biodiversity of Secret Bay and where birds are the musicians of daytime, insects make up the orchestra of the night.

Crabs

Decapods crustaceans can be found in the sea, freshwater and on land. These creatures have 10 limbs (claws included), and usually walk sideways. Preferring to hunt and scavenge at night or in the shade, crabs avoid the sun to prevent from drying out. During the island’s independence, when hunting season for crabs is open, crab backs and crab callaloo is a popular dish eat.

Reptiles

Dominica has the privilege of being one of the few Caribbean islands to retain its original amphibian and reptilian fauna over the last couple centuries. There are 17 species of reptiles known to exist and 4 of amphibians, none of which are poisonous. Reptiles differ from amphibians because they lack an aquatic larval stage, and amphibians tend to be found near a source of water.

Mammals

There are very few native mammals found on the island, but there are 10 species of bats. Bats use echolocation which allows them to navigate and forage in the dark, living on a diet of fruit, nectar, insects and fish. In some villages on the island, bats, agouti and even manicou are eaten.

Marine Life

Rich and diverse, the marine life in the waters around Secret Bay flourishes. With so many species of fish, sea creatures and coral, there is no telling what treats awaits the underwater explorer.

Fish

Fish play such an important role in their ecosystem, and by getting to know them allow us to understand their relation to their biological communities.

Sea Creatures

Among the reef, rocks and coral, or within the depths of water, creatures of the bay visit, live and feed. The depths of the Secret Bay allow for an assortment of creatures, some bizarre and others intriguing, some shy and others unfazed.