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Welcome to Forestry Department Homepage
Contact: 758-468-5649
The Mini Zoo of the Forestry Department at Union includes a number of indigenous as well as exotic species.
St. Lucia Iguana

The Iguana is the largest lizard found on the mainland of St. Lucia. Iguanas are tree dwellers that are often seen on the ground. They feed on leaves, shoots and fruits. Iguanas are basically green, with brown or black markings and a crest of spines along the neck.

They grow up to six feet in length about half of which is the whip-like tail. The females lay up to seventeen eggs in the ground which take about fourteen weeks to hatch. Now five St. Lucia Iguanas are kept at the zoo for display purposes.

Iguanas are now mostly found along the northeast coast of the island such as Louvet, Grand Anse, etc.

St. Lucian Parrot

 

The St. Lucian Parrot is known locally as "Jacquot." This beautiful bird is mainly green in colour, with a cobalt blue forehead, merging through turquoise to green on the cheeks with a scarlet breast. The birds occupy the forest canopy where they feed on fruit, nuts, and berries of the surrounding trees. They mature in five years, laying two to three white eggs in the hollow of trees between the months of March and June. 

In the mid 1970s our National Bird faced extinction as a result of hunting, habitat destruction and illegal bird trading. Jacquot is now confined to the mountainous interiors of Quilesse, Edmund Forest, Millet and Patience.

St. Lucian Parrots, Lucy and Oswald which were born at Jersey Zoo and were brought to St. Lucia in 1989, are now resident at our zoo. Jerry was brought from the wild in 1997. It is estimated that there are now over 800 birds in the wild.

 

Boa Constrictor

 

The Boa Constrictor or tete-chien as it is known locally is one of the four species of snakes native to St. Lucia. The three others are the Fer-de-Lance, the rare Maria Island snake and the tiny, soil dwelling blind worm snake.

The Boa Constrictor is a harmless animal which kills its  prey by placing two or three coils around its victims and squeezing until it suffocates.

The Boa is restricted to drier areas in St. Lucia and the two currently at our Mini Zoo came from Monchy and Cul-de-Sac. Boas grow up to 14 feet in length and are identified by their tan or pink colour with chocolate-brown bands.

Boas do not harm man and are protected by law.

 

You also can observe Agouti, Land Tortoise, Macaw, Orange Winged Parrot, etc. in Mini Zoo.

Union Nature Trails & Mini Zoo =>



Access

10 min. from Castries by car

Public Transportation:
1B bus from Castries to Union
*Public Buses are not scheduled.

Office Hours

8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Monday to Friday
Fee for Nature Trail & Mini Zoo

5 EC Dollars or 2 US Dollars per person, half price for kids

*Prices subject to change.
For more information

Forestry Department: (758) 468-5649

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Forestry Department

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries
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