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Take a walk in the parkOn Aruba you’ll encounter lively liz-

ards and lounging iguanas around the resorts, and traveling by car, you might also spot some wild donkeys and goats. But if you really want the lowdown on the local fauna then a trek to Arikok National Park is in order. Start at their modern visitor center to see some of the endemic creatures on exhibit up close such as the electric blue-spotted whip-tail lizard (cododo), the cool Aruban cat-eye snake (santanero), and the endan-gered rattlesnake (cascabel). Then take a guided tour through the arid, cacti-studded natural spread. Though it might appear that there is little wildlife, the park rangers know where to unearth it as it can be expertly hidden right before your eyes. And if you visit the caves in the park you’re sure to see lots of cool bats just hanging around as well.

Seek out fine-feathered friendsIf bird spotting is your desire, then

seek out Aruba’s cool, little burrowing owls called “shocos” at Tierra del Sol’s

golf course. Then there’s the Bubali Bird Sanctuary – a regular pit stop on the mi-gratory routes of many seabirds. There’s also a friendly flock of flamingoes at Renaissance Island – though it’s a private beach, you can buy a day pass to visit. And if you dine at Hyatt’s Ruinas del Mar you’ll see regal black swans in their la-goon. Aruba has 236 species of birds and many organizations are in place to help you find out where to spot and identify them. The Aruba Birdlife Conservation is the best place to start. E

Animal Instinctsby Susan Campbell

If your idea of going really wild while on holiday means seeking out nature’s creatures and critters, then Aruba has all kinds of

unique adventures guaranteed to sate your desires.

Blue-spotted whiptail lizard

Burrowing owl

Flamingos at Renaissance Island

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If you want to interact with some un-conventional feathered creatures, then head to the Aruba Ostrich Farm. Though ostriches originate in Africa, you’ll find a flock of over 80 of these flightless birds making the island their home there. 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 unusual bird behavior from informative guided tours that show you each step of their life cycle.

Join some “jacks” and “jennies”Donkey Sanctuary Aruba 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. You’ll discover there’s much to learn about these gentle, charming creatures and each have their own unique character. The donkeys love all the extra attention, and they also love carrots and apples, so please, feel free to bring along some treats. There is no ad-mission fee but the “Save Our Donkeys Foundation” is purely nonprofit and de-pends on donations, volunteers, and fund-raisers to keep the sanctuary running. You can help by purchasing donkey souve-nirs on-site, or even “Adopt a Donkey” to pay for an individual animal’s boarding. You can also adopt a donkey online at their website.

Marvel at metamorphosisThough the livestock at this “farm”

are insects The Butterfly Farm is still aptly named because this is where these delightful winged-wonders are literally raised from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to full-grown butterfly or moth. And, if you visit in the morning when the butter-flies are at their most active, you’ll see them feed and maybe even witness a birth! To attract them to you, wear bright colors and citronella perfume. And if they do alight, expert guides will show you how to handle them with care. You’ll also see turtles in their beautiful tropical gardens and ponds. The initial admission charge is also good for return visits for the rest of your stay. E

Donkey Sanctuary Aruba

Aruba Ostrich Farm

The Butterfly Farm

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Ride fine-stepping steedsThanks to the Spanish conquistadors

who insisted that their favorite breed of mounts accompany them on their explor-atory sea journeys, Aruba is now home to some of the finest horses in the world – the Paso Fino. These gentle steeds are treasured for their super smooth gait (Paso Fino means “fine step” in Spanish). Today, most of Aruba’s horses boast Paso Fino ancestry so riders are assured a smooth and easy ride when touring the island’s interesting terrain on horseback.

Visit an offbeat “animal garden”Philip Merryweather began rescuing

abandoned and abused animals from all over until his house became such a “zoo” that he decided to open one. “Philip’s Pet Collection Foundation” is now a non-profit organization dedicated to the care of rescue animals, and the public can visit his eclectic collection of exotic friends at his Philip’s Animal Garden. You’ll find 50 different species of rescues there in-cluding a kangaroo, an emu, an alpaca, some deer, an ocelot, a Bengal, and even a skunk! The tours are fun and educa-tional for all ages. You can also do your part to help Aruba’s animals.

Domestic pet shelters welcome vol-unteers to cuddle cats and walk the dogs. And they can also assist in adoption of a furry new friend to take home.

Meet marvelous marine life Aruba’s resplendent reefs are full of

undersea wonders to discover through snorkeling or diving, or even by subma-rine. De Palm Island also offers Sea Trek – that allows you to walk along the sea floor. Their island also has giant blue parrotfish and a huge new resident oc-topus on their reef ! And for sea turtle lovers, visitors can contact Turtugaruba to receive alerts when there’s a nesting or hatching taking place, both extraor-dinary events to witness up close.

As you can see, Aruba really is an ideal place to “go wild” for animal lovers. K

A school of porkfish

Baby leatherback sea turtle

Paso Fino horseRescued ocelot at Philips’s Animal Garden

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