Geography of Guadeloupe : Discover

Discover : Geography of Guadeloupe

Geography

The two distinct islands of Guadeloupe, Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre form the shape of a butterfly spreading its wings into the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern wing, Grande-Terre is the economic centre of the island, assembling ports, airports and industrial zones around its capital, Pointe-a-Pitre, and vast beaches of white sand and sugarcane plantations on the rest of its 590 km2. Basse-Terre, the west wing (848 km2) is of a more untamed and authentic nature, with a landscape full of hills and a rather wet climate.

Marvel at the youngest of French national parks (17,300 hectares), trod through the over 300 kilometres of excursion trails Basse-Terre offers, delight in its waterfalls, bubbling hot springs, sulphurous waters, craters, sugarcane fields, banana groves and ravishing ancient forests, best preserved in the whole of the West Indies.

The leeward coast is characterised by creeks and coves, as well as by vast beaches. The two best known sites of Basse-Terre are the falls of Carbet and the active volcano of the Soufriere, highest point of the Lesser Antilles (1,467m).

Flora and fauna

The all time favourite of Basse-Terre’s national park is the raccoon, this cute little mammal which has encountered considerable difficulties being the number one prey of poachers. The yellow-crowned night heron and the American bittern are rare birds in the region, and Basse-Terre’s natural parks have also served as a place of refuge for them, just as for blue pigeons, red-legged partridges and Guadeloupe woodpeckers.

You’re also bound to come across tortoises, iguanas (also on the island of Petite-Terre), and agoutis (huge rodents from the family of rats and rabbits). Birds are less common on the island since the ravage caused by Hurricane Hugo, but some particularly interesting species can still be observed in the natural reserve. Rare birds include seabirds (terns, frigatebirds, brown pelicans), fresh water birds (moorhens, kingfishers) or migrant and non-migrant species of scrub birds (passerines, sparrows). The forest is also home to a great variety of insectivorous birds such as the black woodpecker or the Melanerpes Herminieri (Guadeloupe woodpecker), a species endemic to Guadeloupe.

Sea animals include a vast number of different varieties of fish (porcupinefish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, surgeonfish, sergeant major, cherub angel, boxfish…) and invertebrates (sea urchins, sea snails, sea stars..), but the most remarkable and rare beings you will come across are peculiar types of sea turtles. Hunting and poaching have resulted in the extinction of pink flamingoes and sea cows, which are endangered species in the whole of the Caribbean region.

When locals warn you of swarming clouds of mosquitoes, believe them, they are not just trying to be folkloric. These aggressive insects are everywhere, and it is better to be severely armed if you are planning to fight them. After a day or two you’ll definitely be running to the pharmacy to equip yourself with anti-mosquito lotions and cremes, once you’ve experienced the world of difference between the small Metropolitan mosquito burns and their West Indian counterparts.

Another category of insects you’re bound to come across are the eternal cockroaches: harmless though rather disgusting. These black bugs have existed since well before the age of dinosaurs, 350 million years back, and would be the only survivors of an eventual nuclear holocaust: a fact so respectful in itself that it may incite you to have pity on them and let them be. Even though it may disgust you to see them scatter for shelter every time you turn on the lights, they will not do you any harm and it is best not to try to squash them. As a matter of fact, as an American study has shown, cockroaches are more dangerous dead than alive.

As a whole, Guadeloupe’s fauna is more colorful than harmful, more interesting than dangerous, with the sole exception of those infamous mosquitoes bound to embitter your life for those couple of days.