We did not go to the Barbados Nature Reserve yesterday as previously planned for the perfectly legitimate vacation-based-reason that I had just had my nails done.
But we did go today.
Once again I am full of regret that I cannot share any of the pictures I took. The "nature reserve" is in fact primarily a brocket deer and red-footed tortoise preserve. There are a few other free animals at the reserve and some more in cages - including a handsome, big iguana from Cuba.
The Internet makes most of feeding time at the reserve - every afternoon at 2. The comments make it sound as if the monkeys are the main attraction, but I personally will put my money on the tortoises. While we were wandering around looking at the interesting mahogany forest, catching glimpses of resting deer, impressive roosters and peacocks, and monkeys, lots and lots of monkeys, we also saw all these tortoises - like to the tune of two every four square meters - many of them, from all parts of the reserve, moving at an impressive clip.
I asked Bruce at the time what he thought they might be moving for. "Because they can," was the completely plausible reply.
We did a circuit of the reserve - which is about an acre smaller than the footprint of the club we're staying at (4 acres, then), and then went to the spot where the feeding happens. That made it clear what all the tortoise motion was was about. Yes, the space where they dumped the wheelbarrow full of cut yams, cucumbers, squash and other fleshy veg was half-circled by a gang of about twenty deer, and, as feeding progressed, as many as a dozen monkeys joined in the fray, but the tortoises were truly the major presence. The deer and monkeys could of course arrive from anywhere on the site in almost no time, but the turtles must have started their trip some time earlier that day to be at the right spot. Impressive.
I promise. Photos to follow.
Thanks for reading!
Karen
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