Guana Island

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Guana Island
Guana Island, BVI.JPG
Guana Island seen from Tortola
Guana Island is located in British Virgin Islands
Guana Island
Guana Island
The location of Guana Island within the British Virgin Islands
Guana Island is located in Caribbean
Guana Island
Guana Island
Guana Island (Caribbean)
LocationAtlantic Ocean
Coordinates18°28′30″N 64°34′15″W﻿ / ﻿18.47500°N 64.57083°W﻿ / 18.47500; -64.57083Coordinates: 18°28′30″N 64°34′15″W﻿ / ﻿18.47500°N 64.57083°W﻿ / 18.47500; -64.57083
ArchipelagoVirgin Islands
United Kingdom
British Overseas TerritoryBritish Virgin Islands
Additional information
Time zone
ISO codeVG



In the 18th century, two Quaker families came to Guana as part of what was called "the Quaker Experiment" which lasted for about forty-five years in the BVI. They used African slaves and cultivated sugar cane. When they were recalled to the United States and England, they left behind two cannons still on Guana today. Archaeologists have extensively studied the Quaker ruins and have also unearthed older artifacts that give insight into Guana's earlier Amerindian history.

Beth and Louis Bigelow of Massachusetts purchased Guana in 1934. With the help of local men they built six stone cottages and developed a reputation as creative pioneers. Their guests - professionals, intellectuals and world travelers - came for months at a time, attracted to the simple but rich life.


Location off the north-east coast of Tortola

Henry and Gloria Jarecki bought Guana in 1975 and began improving accommodations and other facilities with the goal of maintaining the island's historic style and ambiance. An interest in conservation led them to establish a long-term restoration program to protect the island's flora and fauna and bring back once-common species.[citation needed].

Flora and fauna[edit]

Scientists say that Guana has more flora and fauna than any island of its size yet studied in the Caribbean and possibly the world.[citation needed][1]

The island provides habitat for the Puerto Rican racer (Alsophis portoricensis), the common Puerto Rican ameiva (Ameiva exsul), the crested anole (Anolis cristatellus wileyae), the sharp-mouthed lizard (Anolis pulchellus), barred anole (Anolis stratulus), green iguana (Iguana iguana), big-scaled least gecko (Sphaerodactylus macrolepis macrolepis), and the Richard's worm snake (Typhlops richardi).[2]

The restoration program has brought extirpated species back to Guana and other Virgin Islands. The stout iguana had survived only on Anegada but now flourishes on Guana and lives on other islands as well. Other plant and animal species that have been restored and protected include the red-legged tortoise, the bridled quail-dove, the Caribbean flamingo, the white-crowned pigeon, Eggers' mallow tree, the Virgin Islands euphorb, Hohenberg's ground bromeliad, and a unique bromeliad found nowhere else.



  1. ^ Guana Island | Nature | Flora & Fauna Archived 15 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Heatwole, Harold; Levins, Richard; Byer, Michael D. (July 1981). Atoll research bulletin - Biogeography of the Puerto Rican bank. 251. Washington D.C.: The Smithsonian Institution. pp. 47. OCLC 45726059.

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