Caribbean Footprint

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬: 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 – 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐭

If conditions are favourable in the months of June and July—meaning high temperatures accompanied by significant evaporation of surface water, and no rain showers—then you can observe the natural process of salt formation in the various historic salt pans that the island of Curaçao boasts.

READ MORE in English and Dutch: https://caribbeanfootprint.com/titbits-nature-in-june-crystallized-salt/

Titbits: Nature in June – Crystallized Salt – Caribbean Footprint If conditions are favourable in the months of June and July—meaning high temperatures accompanied by significant evaporation of surface water, and no rain showers—then you can observe the natural process of salt formation in the various historic salt pans that the island of Curaçao boasts. A pr...

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐓𝐞𝐤𝐮 𝐝𝐢 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐮 (𝑇𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑎 𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑜𝑠𝑎)

The Teku di palu, also known as Yerba di cabai, tree bromeliad, or Tillandsia (Tillandsia flexuosa), is an epiphytic plant that grows in areas on the islands with high humidity.

READ MORE about this special plant and ditto flower in English or Dutch: https://caribbeanfootprint.com/wild-flowers-teku-di-palu-tillandsia-flexuosa/

Wild flowers: Teku di palu (Tillandsia flexuosa) – Caribbean Footprint The Teku di palu, also known as Yerba di cabai, tree bromeliad, or Tillandsia (Tillandsia flexuosa), is an epiphytic plant that grows in areas on the islands with high humidity. These are usually higher-lying areas such as the Christoffelberg, Zevenbergen, and Tafelberg on Curaçao, the higher-lying...

𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲: 𝐋𝐞𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝

In nature, various colour abnormalities can occur in animals, including birds. Albinism is one of them, but an even more common abnormality is so-called leucism; an abnormality in the pigment cells that leads to reduced pigmentation and can affect all types of pigments.

A couple of days ago we received interesting photos of such a leucistic bird from Willemijn Riedijk of Landhuis San Nicolas. A creamy-white Tropical mockingbird is adorning the landscape in the area. With her photos and video, together with photos of other leucistic birds on both Bonaire and Curaçao we describe the process behind leucism, different from albinism, in the newest article on our Caribbean footprint website.

READ MORE in English and Dutch:

Biology: Leucism in the animal world – Caribbean Footprint Humans identify animal species based on the habitat in which they occur, the behaviour of the animals in question, the sounds they produce, the shapes the animals have, and the colours they display. At a quick glance, the registration of colour is even one of the most important factors by which most...

𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫: 𝐀 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐛 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞

Carib Grackles (𝑄𝑢𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑢𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑠) are a relatively new bird species on the islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire. Anyone visiting the ABC islands now will see that the black birds can now be spotted practically everywhere in human-influenced environments.

READ MORE on the dance performance of the males in English and Dutch: https://caribbeanfootprint.com/a-little-dance-for-the-mrs-carib-grackle/

A little dance for Mrs. Carib grackle – Caribbean Footprint Carib Grackles (Quiscalus lugubris) are a relatively new bird species on the islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire. On Curaçao, the species was first recorded in 1975 in the St. Michiel salt marsh (eBird.org), but no sighting has been officially recorded for the island since then, as it was not i...

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 (𝐈𝐃𝐁) 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

[ Convention on Biological Diversity] - Biodiversity is the foundation of all life on Earth. But around the world, it is being lost at an unprecedented rate.

The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2026, “Acting locally for global impact,” is a call for us all to take action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Protecting biodiversity includes action close to home with positive ripple effects that can reach far beyond.

READ MORE: https://www.cbd.int/biodiversity-day/2026

𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐧 (𝑃𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎)

Anyone visiting and strolling along the coast regularly can encounter a bright blue organism resembling a jellyfish after a period of change in wave and wind patterns: the Blue Button. This fascinating creature is an organism that belongs to the class of Hydrozoa or hydrozoan polyps.

READ MORE about this fantastic creature, its life cycle and why you will sometimes find patches of them on the coast. And did you know it also features on the brand new XCG 100,- (Caribbean guilder) bank note!

CHECK the article in ENGLISH and DUTCH: https://caribbeanfootprint.com/marine-treasures-the-blue-button-porpita-porpita/

Marine treasures: The Blue button (Porpita porpita) – Caribbean Footprint The coast is always full of surprises. Whether it is beautiful views, wild waves, or treasures from the sea, there is always something to see, hear, smell, feel, and experience. We are always on the lookout for treasures from the sea that can be found in small pools or tidal pools. Spending hours ob...

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬

Black skimmers are regular bird visitors to the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao and can be spotted as early as May.

READ MORE IN ENGLISH AND DUTCH: https://caribbeanfootprint.com/special-visitors-black-skimmers/

Special visitors: Black skimmers – Caribbean Footprint The ABC-islands can get special bird visitors even beyond the ‘regular’ migratory season. Usually the fall migration, which starts mid-August, and the much less spectacular Spring migration, which starts mid-March), are the times of the year to find some incredible sightings on the islands. Howe...

𝐓𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐂𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐞 (𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢)

Insects are always in the picture on the islands. Whether it concerns ‘annoying’ insects near the lamp or an unexpected beauty suddenly sitting in the garden. Ladybugs usually belong to the latter category.

Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao are home to various species of lady bugs, or lady beetles although most people do not really recognize them.

READ MORE about the Cactus Lady Beetle in English and Dutch: https://caribbeanfootprint.com/tiny-critters-cactus-lady-beetle-chilocorus-cacti/

Tiny critters: Cactus lady beetle (Chilocorus cacti) – Caribbean Footprint Insects are always in the picture on the islands. Whether it concerns ‘annoying’ insects near the lamp or an unexpected beauty suddenly sitting in the garden. Ladybugs usually belong to the latter category.

𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 (𝟏)

Communication can take place in many ways. People will do it mostly by means of sound, often hyper-enthusiastic. Some animals babble as well, but most communication in nature is through colour or odour.

READ MORE in English and Dutch:

Ecology in short: Communication in nature (1) – Caribbean Footprint Communication can take place in many ways. People will do it mostly by means of sound, often hyper-enthusiastic. Some animals babble as well, but most communication in nature is through colour or odour. Using colour and shape a flower will transmit a clear message to a bee: “I have tasty nectar fo...

𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲 – 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝

On Saturday, May 9, it’s that time again. Global Big Day will be held worldwide. An international day, organized by Cornell Ornithology Lab, on which thousands of people go out into gardens and nature reserves to search for land and water birds to count them. This takes a snapshot of bird diversity and density around the world with everyone active on the same day. All counting data is entered on the eBird website, www.ebird.org, creating a massive database of bird diversity.

In addition to the semi-scientific data collected, the day is primarily intended to get people into nature, to go for walks, look for birds, and above all, to observe. Alone, in a group, with family, or with friends.

READ ON about how you can help during Global Big Day next Saturday, with an extensive explanation on how to use the app called eBird to do this in English and Dutch: https://caribbeanfootprint.com/global-big-day-counting-birds-together-around-the-world/

Global Big Day – Counting birds together around the world – Caribbean Footprint On Saturday, May 9, it’s that time again. Global Big Day will be held worldwide. An international day, organized by Cornell Ornithology Lab, on which thousands of people go out into gardens and nature reserves to search for land and water birds to count them. This takes a snapshot of bird diversit...