Travel Trend: 6 Animal Islands in the World

Some people travel for art, monuments, food and festivals. But some people travel to see animals, and we’re not talking about the safari/birdwatcher types. Here’s just a taster of where you can visit the furry and not-so-furry species!

#1 Cat Island, Tashiojima, Japan

Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur...
Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur…

They outnumber the humans there 4 to 1 and are well taken care of by the humans and tourists that flock to the island to admire the felines. Originally introduced to nip a rodent problem in the bud, the cats are now seen as a good luck charm; and good luck they did have, after surviving the recent tsunami/earthquake tragedy that hit Japan.

#2 Red Crab Island, Christmas Island, Australia

Ick, aw, or even... yum? We don't want to choose.
Ick, aw, or even… yum? We don’t want to choose.

More than 100 million red crabs dominate this island, and it’s a sight to see when they begin their annual migration. Once the wet season begins, they move seawards to lay eggs. Ick or aww? You decide.

#3 Pig Island, Big Major Cay Island, Bahamas

"Babe, we should probably get out before we get wrinkly."
“Babe, we should probably get out before we get wrinkly.”

It’s a mystery how these feral honkers got onto the island, but now that they have, it’s theirs. They live the life, basking in the sun, taking advantage of tourists and their lunches that they eventually get just by being adorable.

#4 Rabbit Island, Okunoshima, Japan

Aw, go on, take our hearts. We don't need them for much anyways.
Aw, go on, take our hearts. We don’t need them for much anyways.

Used previously for the testing of poison gas, the rabbits that now inhabit the island were previously lab animals which were set free on the island. Left to propagate of their own free will, (rabbits being rabbits) there are now hundreds of bunnies all over the island with no natural predators. In other words, bunny heaven.

#5 Pony Island, Maryland, United States

Living it up pony style.
“I woke up looking like this. Totally. It’s called beach hair.”

Assateague Island is mainly uninhabited, and these opportunistic wild ponies have made it their own. They roam the beaches and generally live the high life. Any tourists are dissuaded from trying to ride the ponies as they are wild in nature.

#6 Seal Island, Cape Town, South Africa

"Erk, gotta get dinner before I am!"
“Erk, gotta get dinner before I am!”

Entirely covered with Cape Fur seals, Seal Island is just off the coast of Cape Town and has no human inhabitants or vegetation whatsoever. They thrive on the fish that live there, but are wary of the great white sharks that circle the bay that surrounds them.

Which of these animal islands would you visit, nomads?

Main photo: 1.

Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

The Luxe Nomad

Like you, we love to travel but we think that staying at beautiful places shouldn’t come with a hefty price tag. That’s why we’ve gone out there and snagged the best design and luxury hotels and resorts in the Asia Pacific region at rates you won’t believe. WanderLuxe is our little corner of the world where we share our inspirations and thoughts about travel!

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.