Marine wildlife – Variegated sea urchin

Sea urchins have a bad reputation, but they are essential to a healthy marine environment including reefs. The Variegated sea urchin is one of several species of sea urchin.

Wild flowers – Aloe vera

Introduced to the ABC-islands in colonial times, the Aloe vera plant is now almost naturalized on the islands and grows in the wild.

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (9) – Sick; swallow a tree!

The active fight of plants against natural attacks, such as predation by insects and other animals, fungi that want to invade and fauna that use parts of the plants, has resulted in a variety of defence mechanisms. Some of these are highly beneficial to human kind.

Tiny critters: Toxomerus Sp. hoverfly

The insect in the photo is a Toxomerus species, a species yet to be described for Curaçao.

Butterfly species: Telea hairstreak

Meet the Telea Hairstreak, a small butterfly with interesting coloration.

Shells: White Hoof Shell

One of the most fun shells to look for during treasure hunts is what we lovably call the Smurf hats, because of the shape and color of the shells.

Wild flowers – Flamboyant

The so beloved Flamboyant, one of the most beloved trees on our islands, does not originally come from Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao or even from the Caribbean.

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (8) – Trees under the magnifying glass

If you want a forest, you need trees. Trees are special organisms that are more complex than we often think. The ease with which trees are cut down would be a lot less if we realized how much a tree has had to go through to become as big and wide as we see it.

International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB): 22 May 2025

Today the world celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity, also called Biodiversity Day. This years theme is: Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development.

Wild flowers – Bringamosa

Everyone with a good knowledge of nature on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao know that the Bringamosa plant has a very close relationship with the Flaira.

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