Maria Islands Nature Reserve

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Protected Areas

The Government of Saint Lucia declared Maria Islands a Nature Reserve in 1982 in recognition of their special function as a wildlife habitat and their unique flora and fauna. There are over eighty (80) plant species found on the Maria Islands. The islands are home to five endemic reptile species including the world’s rarest snake – the non-venomous Kouwès snake (Saint Lucia Racer), The Saint Lucia whiptail lizard (Zandou), The Worm Snake, also non venomous, the Pygmy and Rock geckos, as well as several species of cacti and undisturbed tropical plants on the vertical cliff.

The islands are set about half a mile from Pointe Sable Beach on the South East coast of Saint Lucia. Maria Major is 10.1 hectares and its little sister Maria Minor is 1.6 hectares. The islands are also a major nesting site for migratory birds which travel thousands of miles from the west coast of Africa and the North American continent to nest annually.