Asa Wright Nature Centre Information
Nowhere in the Caribbean compares to Asa Wright for
observing such a huge diversity of bird, animal and plant
life, all of it concentrated in just 200 acres of rain forest in the Northern
Range, near the town of Arima.
A series of 9 trails meander through a good portion of the
1,300-acre preserve, all intended to provide the best possible introduction to South
American birding.
The nature center, founded in 1967, is located in the Northern Range on Spring
Hill Estate, a coffee-cocoa-citrus plantation partly reclaimed
by secondary forest.
The climate is tropical and humid, in mid-montane rain forest.
A light sweater or jacket is often necessary in the evenings, not for dining
but to ward off the cold.
Temps vary from 65 degrees to a maximum of 86 F. Dress is informal at all
times. Sneakers, cotton slacks, long-sleeved shirts and a hat are all recommended.
So are a light-weight rain coat and flashlight.
Summer seminars are offered in nature photography, entomology,
ornithology, tropical ecology, and drawing and painting. Vegetation is at
its most striking in the dry season, January to May.
This is a popular spot for day tours that it's wise not to simply show up
but to call ahead at least 24 to 48 hours to arrange for a guide.
However, you need never move out of a rocking chair to see
scores of different birds: the main building has a huge front porch with numerous
bird feeders just a few feet away. It's the Caribbean version of Kenya 's
Treetops or the Ark , except your species count here will be far higher than
in Africa . You won't believe the hummingbirds.
Expect to spend a minimum of 2 to 3days to fully avail yourself of this wonderful
habitat. Walk quietly, talk in quiet whispers to avoid scaring off the critters
you have come to see. Nothing is caged; everything roams
free.
Better to scrutinize closely, leisurely; observe the various species and
how their behaviors change according to the time of day and whether a shower
has just passed; and photograph.
Asa Wright has what is considered the world's most accessible colony
of oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis), the
only nocturnal fruit-eating bird on the planet.
Contact Information: Website Email at info@asawright.org or call 1-888-667-4655. The AsaWright Centre is located at Spring Hill Estate, PO Box 4710, Arima, Trinidad & Tobago.
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Walking Trails of Asa Wright
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