Bon Accord Lagoon
The Bon Accord Lagoon is fringed by mangrove wetlands and an important habitat for many species of marine life. Because of this wetland the whole area is accessible only by boat, making it popular destination for Island boat tours.
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Easter Goat Racing Festival
The Tobago Goat Race is an annual event that takes place on the Caribbean island of Tobago. It is a unique cultural event that has been held for over a century and attracts both locals and visitors to the island.
The Tobago Goat Race is essentially a type of goat-racing event, where trained goats compete against each other in a race. The goats are typically bred and trained specifically for this purpose and are often adorned with colorful costumes and decorations.
Goat Racing – Buccoo Tobago The event usually takes place in Buccoo, a small fishing village on the island’s west coast. It is a day-long celebration that includes food, music, and other cultural activities in addition to the goat races.
The Tobago Goat Race is not only a fun and entertaining event, but it is also an important part of Tobago’s cultural heritage. It is a way for the islanders to celebrate their traditions and showcase their unique way of life to the world. If you happen to be in Tobago during the event, it is definitely worth checking out!
Easter Tuesday
Buccoo, a small seaside village on the southwest coast of Tobago, has hosted goat racing since 1925. Goat racing developed as a poor man’s equivalent to horse racing In the early twentieth-century, since horse racing was reserved for the local elite. Since horse racing traditionally occurred on the Monday after Easter Sunday, Easter Tuesday was chosen to run goat races by the Buccoo Goat Race Festival Committee, a sub-committee of the Buccoo Village Council, that organises the event annually.Easter Monday
The village of Mt. Pleasant is also hosts to the goat racing festival which occurs on Easter Monday. A large gathering of family, friends and acquaintances also adds to the event’s popularity and attendance on the day.Islands of Tobago
Saint. Giles Island
Saint Giles Island is located off the northeast tip of Tobago. The island can be viewed clearly from flag-staff lookout in Charlotteville. Reef patches and cliffs surrounding the island makes it a popular dive site.
St. Giles Island Goat Island
Goat Island is located off the coast of Speyside, between Tobago and Little Tobago. The reef around the island is popular with divers.
Goat Island Little Tobago
Little Tobago is a small island off the northeastern coast of Tobago, popular with birdwatchers. The island is an important breeding site for seabirds such as red-billed tropicalbird, bridled terns and many more. Angel reef is also a popular site around the island for divers and glass-bottom boat tours.
Little Tobago Queen’s Island
Queen’s Island is located on the north-eastern coast of Tobago outside of Louis D’or Bay and Delaford.
Queen’s Island Richmond Island
Richmond Island is located on the eastern side of Tobago outside of Richmond bay.
Richmond Island Sisters Rock
Sisters Rocks is tiny group of islands located off the northern coast of Tobago directly north of Parlatuvier. Sisters Rocks are popular for snorkeling and scuba diving for hammer-head sharks.
Hillsborough Reservoir
Hillsborough Reservoir, which was commissioned in May 1952, by His Excellency Sir Hubert Elvin Rance, then Governor of Trinidad and Tobago, is the only impounding reservoir in Tobago.
The reservoir is located 870 feet above sea level, Hillsborough has a rustic beauty and an elegantly designed spillway which provides a safety outlet when the reservoir is too full. The reservoir has a maximum storage capacity of 1.02 million m³ and the water treatment plant located just below can produce up to 9,091m3 per day.
Water from the reservoir serves areas such as Mt. St. George, Concordia, Whim, Mary’s Hill, Union and Les Coteaux.The raw water from the reservoir passes through two strainers that clear the incoming water of large debris such as branches, twigs and leaves before entering the chemical house. Aluminium sulphate (alum) is added to make the suspended particles of silt and mud in the water coagulate and form large and heavier particles that sink to the bottom of the sedimentation (or settling) basins. The water is then filtered through layers of sand and gravel, a process that removes fine particles still in the water. The final stage of the water treatment process is the addition of lime, to counteract the acidity of the water and the injection of chlorine to destroy any disease-causing bacteria.
Construction of the Hillsborough Dam significantly changed the landscape but the catchment area and the reservoir still teem with an abundance of wildlife and a variety of flora.
There are twenty-eight (28) species of birds documented at Hillsborough which will excite the interest of any bird watcher.
Cocrico
The Cocrico bird, is a bird species native to Tobago. It is a large, ground-dwelling bird that is known for its distinctive call, which sounds like “cock-a-rico”.
The Cocrico bird is found throughout Tobago and especially in Tobago’s Main Ridge Forest Reserve, a protected area of lush rainforest that covers over 14,000 acres. The bird is an important symbol of Tobago’s natural heritage and is featured on the country’s coat of arms.
The Cocrico bird is a beautiful bird with a distinctive appearance. It has a brown body with a white-tipped tail, a bright red crest on its neck. The bird is primarily a fruit eater and is an important seed disperser in the forest ecosystem.
Due to habitat loss and hunting, the Cocrico bird is considered a vulnerable species, and efforts are underway to protect and conserve the bird and its habitat. Visitors to Tobago can take guided tours of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve to see the Cocrico bird and other endemic bird species in their natural habitat.
Bon Accord Lagoon
Bon Accord Lagoon is a shallow lagoon located on the southwestern coast of Tobago, which is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea and part of the nation of Trinidad and Tobago.
The lagoon is separated from the ocean by a narrow strip of land, and is connected to the sea by a narrow channel. The area surrounding the lagoon is known for its mangrove forests and wetlands, which provide important habitat for a variety of bird species, including herons, egrets, and kingfishers.
The lagoon is also home to a variety of fish, crabs, and other marine life. The area is popular for nature walks, birdwatching, and kayaking tours. Visitors can explore the lagoon and its surrounding mangrove forests on guided tours or by renting kayaks.
The lagoon is located near the village of Bon Accord, which is accessible by car or taxi from the nearby Crown Point area.The Bon Accord Lagoon is surrounded by the mangrove wetlands and the Buccoo Reef making it an important habitat for many species of animals and marine life.
The lagoon is easier to access by water with boats, kayaks, paddle-board etc.
What’s near:
- Buccoo Reef
- No Man’s Land
- Mangrove Wetlands
- Pigeon Point
- Buccoo Bay
Snakes of Tobago
Tobago is home to several species of snakes, although they are not commonly seen by visitors to the island. The snakes of Tobago are generally harmless to humans, and they play an important role in the island’s ecosystem by controlling rodent populations and other small animals.
One of the most common snakes found on Tobago is the common racersnake (Alsophis antiguae), which is a small, non-venomous species that is usually found in forested areas. Another species found on Tobago is the brown vine snake (Oxybelis aeneus), which is a slender, arboreal snake that feeds on lizards and small birds.
The Tobago coral snake (Micrurus circinalis) is also found on the island, although it is relatively rare and is only found in certain areas. This species is venomous, but it is not aggressive and will generally only bite if it feels threatened.
It is important to note that while Tobago’s snakes are generally not dangerous to humans, visitors to the island should still take care when exploring natural areas and should avoid disturbing or handling any snakes they may encounter.
Tobago has ~21 species of non-poisonous snakes recored on the island. Sizes range from some inches up to 15 feet. Boa Constrictors, Ratonels, Horsewhips, Doctor snakes etc. are a common sight in developed areas.
- Trinidad Burrowing Snake – Amerotyphlops trinitatus
- Boa Constrictor – Macajuel – boa constrictor
- Tree Boa – Cascabel – Corallus ruschenbergerii
- Rainbow Boa – Epicrates maurus
- Tobago false Coral – Erythrolamprus ocellatus
- Doctor Snake – Erythrolamprus melanotus
- Ratonel – Pseudoboa neuwiedii
- Royal ground snake – Erythrolamprus reginae
- false coral – Oxyrhopus petolarius
- Tobago one-lined snake – Atractus cf. univittatus
- Three-lined ground snake – Atractus trilineatus
- Fiddle-string snake – Imantodes cenchoa
- Cat-eyed snake – Imantodes cenchoa
- Red-nape snake – Ninia atrata
- Clouded snake – Sibon nebulatus
- Black snake – Drymarchon couperi
- Parrot snake – Leptophis ahaetulla
- Machete – Mastigodryas boddaerti dunni
- Horsewhip – Oxybelis aeneus
- Tigre – Spilotes pullatus
- Black-head snake – Tantilla melanocephala
