About The Bahamas

The Bahamaian archipelago begins just 50 miles south of Florida and stretches toward Hispaniola. It is composed of some 700 islands, cays and is home to the Andros barrier reef the fourth largest in the world. Its shallow seas and beautiful beaches make it a prime destination. With a low population, the number of tourists generally outnumbers the number of locals in the Bahamas. Unplanned development and increasing tourism pressures make the Bahamas a prime area for conservation. The Bahamas are also an important destination for migratory birds such as the Kirtland’s Warbler. The Conservancy is working in Andros Island and Exuma Cays land and sea park.

As one of the least populated regions in the Caribbean Basin, Andros Island and its myriad tidal creeks, interconnected lakes, mud flats, and mangroves support some of the largest populations of marine species in the region. Last year the Conservancy led a team of scientists and volunteers to explore the west side of Andros Island. Here they saw large populations of young sea turtles, sharks and other marine species. This finding makes the creation of a marine protected area on the west side of the island increasingly urgent.

Exuma Cays boasts the world’s only land and sea park and was the first national park established in the Bahamas in 1959. Last year, a management plan for the park was completed and is currently serving as a template to create management plans for 24 other national parks throughout the Bahamas.

The Conservancy is working with partners across the Caribbean to spur a region-wide Caribbean Challenge in which these governments protect 20% of their terrestrial and marine habitats by 2020. The Bahamas is one of the first countries to have taken on this challenge and is spurring other nations to follow in its footsteps.