Kiawah Island Nature Program

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! 🦀✨
Spend your holiday exploring with the Kiawah Island Nature Program. We’re open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM at The Treehouse Activity Center.
Come say hi to our animals and meet our naturalists! 🌿

09/01/2026

Ever wonder why alligators have little bumps across their skin? 🐊 Those "bumps" are actually bony plates embedded in the skin called osteoderms (or scutes).

☀️ Osteoderms contain blood vessels that act like mini solar panels, absorbing heat directly into their blood.
🌊 The smaller osteoderms near their jaws contain pressure receptors that help them detect vibrations and movement in the water.
💪 Best of all, they serve as a chemical reservoir to store vital calcium that alligators need.

If you are curious to learn more about these amazing reptiles, we would love to see you at Reptile Round-up! For reservations or more information call 843.768.6001. To view our class schedule, visit https://bit.ly/4v4koll

08/20/2026

This new antenna on the roof of The Sanctuary might not look like much, but it is playing an important role in a nationwide effort to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale.

With this addition, The Sanctuary joins a network of historic lighthouses and buildings along the East Coast housing StationKeeper. Developed by MotionInfo in collaboration with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare inc, StationKeeper utilize AIS (Automatic Identification System) technology to monitor vessel speeds in federally protected waterways.

When whales are detected near an over speed vessel, a NOAA-approved advisory lands on the navigational equipment alerting the crew to reduce speed. With only an estimated 380 North Atlantic Right Whales remaining, these measures are essential to help prevent boat strikes— a leading cause of death and serious injury for right whales.

North Atlantic Right Whales are currently inhabiting their feeding grounds further north. But in November they will begin to migrate into our coastal waters, where the warm, shallow environment offers ideal conditions for calving and nurturing their young. We look forward to sharing updates about this new equipment and the important work being done to help protect North Atlantic Right Whales as they enter our waterways later this year. To learn more about StationKeeper, visit https://bit.ly/4wWWJnP

08/15/2026

As students head back to school, many of South Carolina's feathered residents are beginning a journey of their own! 🪶

Late August through November marks peak migration season across the Palmetto State, as millions of birds travel south along the Atlantic Flyway. One of North America's four major migration corridors, the Atlantic Flyway stretches from Arctic breeding grounds through Canada and the entire East Coast of the United States, connecting birds to wintering habitats in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

Not every bird is taking flight for warmer destinations, though. While many inland species migrate south for the winter, South Carolina's iconic brown pelicans, pictured below, are year-round residents that call our coast home.

Want to see them for yourself? Join one of our tours or guided bird walks and experience South Carolina's remarkable birdlife up close: https://bit.ly/4cfI1R2

Interested in tracking migration activity this season? Follow along here: https://bit.ly/4zciwtN

📷 Dallas Agnew

08/10/2026

Great Egrets (Ardea alba) are a familiar sight across Kiawah Island, often seen gracefully wading through the shallow marshes and wetlands. 🪶

But have you ever wondered how these elegant birds manage to strike their prey so quickly? Their long, S-shaped neck contains specialized vertebrae and muscles that work together to create a powerful, spring-like motion. This adaptation allows Great Egrets to strike lightning-fast to capture prey such as fish, amphibians, and insects. 🐟🐸🪲

Have you spotted a Great Egret on Kiawah Island recently? Share your photos with us in the comments! 📸✨

📷 Dallas Agnew

08/04/2026

15 years ago today, Kiawah Town Biologists reported an unusually large flock of 30 to 40 Black Terns (Chlidonias niger) on the west end of the beach near Captain Sam's Inlet. While these early-migrating terns are common on Kiawah's beaches during late July and August, this was an especially exciting sight due to the size of the flock!

If you have spotted any Black Terns this season, please share where you have observed them. To learn more, visit the link below.

An outlier in a world of white seabirds, breeding Black Terns are a handsome mix of charcoal-gray and jet black. Their delicate form and neatly pointed wings provide tremendous agility as these birds flutter and swoop to pluck fish from the water’s surface or veer to catch flying insects, much as ...

07/25/2026

Graceful and unmistakable, the stunning Palamedes swallowtail (Papilio palamedes) was recently spotted at Night Heron Park. 🦋

Named after Palamedes, a clever hero from Greek mythology credited with inventing dice and several letters of the Greek alphabet, this striking butterfly carries on a long-standing scientific tradition. In the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus named many butterflies in the genus Papilio after heroes and figures from the Trojan War!

07/20/2026

Magic along the marshes! 🐬✨ A recent Dolphin Encounter tour turned into an unforgettable experience for the Smith Family, who shared this highlight from their Kiawah Island getaway:

"Captain Brad at Mingo Point was great! We saw so much wildlife on the dolphin encounter which I realize is not controlled by humans but the dolphins themselves. However, without the option of the dolphin encounter tour, we never would have seen that many on our own in their natural habitat."

Naturalist Note: While we can’t know for certain what wildlife we may encounter on our tours, that’s exactly what makes each adventure so special! You never know what wonders you might spot with us, so let’s enjoy the magic together.

Visit KiawahActivities.com for our complete schedule of nature tours and recreation programs. 🌿🌊

07/18/2026

Meet the striped burrfish! 🐡✨

With oversized heads, wide-set eyes, and rows of tiny spines covering their bodies, these unique fish are easy to spot. Their golden-yellow eyes shimmer with iridescent blue-green specks, while dark splotches give them their signature striped appearance.

Unlike their porcupinefish cousins, striped burrfish have spines that are always raised. They gracefully glide through the water by undulating (or waving) their pectoral fins and tails, rather than by bending the entire body. Like all burrfish and pufferfish, the striped burrfish can take in water to inflate their body when threatened.

07/17/2026

Straight out of a Dr. Seuss book! 🦩 The Roseate Spoonbill has bright pink feathers, red eyes peering from a partly bald head, and a giant spoon-shaped bill.

Groups of spoonbills sweep their unique bills through shallow fresh and saltwater habitats, snapping up crustaceans and fish. They fly with necks outstretched between foraging and nesting areas along the coastal southeastern U.S. and into South America. These social birds nest and roost in trees and shrubs alongside other large wading birds.

Have you encountered a Roseate Spoonbill on Kiawah Island?