Activities
Activities
Animal Attractions by Susan Campbell Want to get up close and personal with some really cool creatures? Aruba has lots of furry, feathered, and fishy friends eager to greet you!
Join some “jacks” and “jennies”
Traveling around Aruba you’re bound to encounter animals like wild goats, live ly lizards, and lounging iguanas, not to mention the many tropical birds flying about and the colorful underwater crea tures inhabiting the dazzling reefs along the island’s leeward shore. Out on the links at Tierra del Sol’s golf course, you might see rare burrowing owls, and if you go spelunking in the cool caves there are lots of sleeping bats just “hanging” around. Visit the Bubali Bird Sanctuary to see a regular pit stop on the migratory routes of seabirds, and, of course, parrots, troupials, and banana quits abound everywhere. Then there’s a friendly flock of flamingoes at Renaissance Island and regal black swans gracing the lagoon of the Hyatt’s Ruinas del Mar… If you want to interact closer with some charming and unconventional creatures, 38 Nights
The Aruba Donkey Sanctuary ensures that many jacks (male donkeys) and jennies (female donkeys) have a comfortable place to call home and don’t have to fend for themselves in the wild. Visitors are always welcome and there’s no admission charge. You’ll discover there’s much to learn about these gentle, charming creatures – each with their own unique character – and once you get to know them, it’s hard to resist petting their soft muzzles and laughing at their funny call. The donkeys really love all the extra attention, and they also love carrots and apples, so please, feel free to bring along some treats. The “Save Our Donkeys Foundation” is purely nonprofit and depends on donations, volunteers, and fundraisers to keep the sanctuary running. You can help by pur chasing donkey souvenirs on site, or even “Adopt a Donkey” to pay for an indivi dual animal’s boarding.
here are some awesome animal attrac tions that visitors of all ages are sure to enjoy! Interact with offbeat birds
Though ostriches originate in Africa and their comical cousins, emus, hail from Australia, you’ll find a flock of over 80 making their island home at the Aruba Ostrich Farm. Do they really hide their heads in the sand? Do they mate based on the color of their feet? You’ll learn all about their absurd bird behavior from informative guided tours that show you each step of their life cycle, from their start inside oversized eggs to the early years as cute fluffy chicks, through to adulthood. Personal encounters with these fabulous flightless birds include the chance to hand-feed them and will create lasting memories for all. Top photo by Dirk-Jan Mattaar and John Anderson. Bottom photo by Rafal Pelc
Frolic on fine-stepping steeds
Thanks to the Spanish conquistadors who insisted that their favorite breed of mounts (Paso Finos) join them on their exploratory journeys, Aruba is home to some of the finest horses in the world. Paso Fino means “fine step” in Spanish, and these steeds are treasured for their super smooth gait and extremely gentle nature. There are various enjoyable E Iguana photo by Zina Seletskaya. Donkey photo by Jaime Villalta. Bat photo by James Johnston. Other photos by Pierre Arsenault
Nights 39