Dominica Rainforest and Birdlife

Emerald Pool

On the northeastern edge of the park, off the Castle Bruce road, lies the pretty Emerald pool in the heart of lush green rainforest where you can have a picnic, stand behind the 40 ft waterfall and cool off with a dip.

Central Forest Reserve

Along the lower reaches of the Central Forest Reserve, travelers are sometimes accompanied by the sound of a squeaking gate. This, in fact, is the melancholic call o the rufous-throated solitaire, echoing across the forest canopy. Local lore has it that this perkey-looking thrush is a magical spirit whose call tempts travelers further and further into the forest.

Bird Wildlife

While Dominica cannot compete with Trinidad, for example, in its extravagant range of bird life, there are 166 species to keep bird-watchers happy. Such an assortment within the confines of a small island is a reflection of the remarkable diversity of vegetation.

Cabrits National Park

In dramatic contrast to the gnarled and battered woodland – high, windy and watered by 300 inch of rain annually is the spectacular Cabrits National Park.

Fort Shirley

And there in the heat among the silent trees are the ruins of the 18th century British fortifications – Fort Shirley. Fort Shirley, once one of the most important military sites in the West Indies, complete with gun batteries, storehouses and offices’ quarters. During the colonial wars, it housed up to 600 men, protecting both the north of the island and Prince Rupert Bay to the south.

Marine Park

The Cabrits Peninsula has the added attraction of being surrounded by a marine park, rich in underwater life and excellent for snorkeling and diving.

Indian River, south of Prince Rupert Bay

Another habitat, close by the Cabrits and with yet another story to tell, is the wetlands around the Indian River, just south of Prince Rupert Bay. It is into this bay that Columbus sailed on November 3, 1493, the day he first sighted Dominica, and it as the Caribs of the Indian River area who provided subsequent European sailors with water and shelter, pineapples and cassava. The boat trip from the coastal road at the river mouth up this haunting gray-green waterway follows the route European sea captains took to greet the Carib chief.

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