If you don't know about Dominica, it's an incredible place -- and where we get our beeswax. Also where we build hives to restore the bee population there. One of the things that makes it so special is that it's still largely unadulterated by humans.
Dominica is a small island of only about 70,000 residents (which for perspective is about the size of Napa, California). It's part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea.The nearest islands are Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast. But, Dominica is its own country -- it gained independence from Great Britain in 1978.
It's also known as "Nature Island" or "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" for its abundance of nature (60% of Dominica is covered in forest).
It is a volcanic island, with 365 rivers (a river for every day of the year) and also is home to the world's second-largest hot spring -- Boiling Lake, which is a popular (but difficult) spot to hike to. The island has a plethora of species (but surprisingly not a lot of deadly ones, and not many irritating bugs). One of the species that is only found on Dominica is the sisserou parrot, also the island's national bird.
Dominica has 179 species of birds, 18 species of land mammals and bats, 17 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians, 20 species of crustaceans, 16 species of sea mammals and 45 species of island fish.
Photo by Alexis Antonio
If this has intrigued you to learn more (or even visit) Dominica, this site is a great resource for education, places to stay and everything you'd want to know about Nature Island: https://www.avirtualdominica.com
