Kiawah Island Wildlife
Kiawah Island SC > Kiawah Island Wildlife
Wildlife on Kiawah Island, SC
Bring your binoculars and long-distance lens camera to spot friends of the four-legged and winged variety on your next trip to Kiawah Island, SC. Knowing what lives on the island and where it can usually be found, you can become your own nature guide as you search the marshes, brooks, streams and dunes to discover a thriving world in each location.
American Alligator: One of the more popular animals to populate the island, alligators are the focus of many day adventures to seek them out in the marshes and wetlands; of the 183 freshwater and brackish ponds that cover the island alligators can be found in nearly all of them. The average length of a Kiawah alligator is 3-8 feet, although some have been spotted in excess of 11 feet. Due to their cold-blooded nature they can frequently be seen sunning themselves during the warmer months of the spring, summer and fall seasons. Despite their appearance and bad reputation they are not likely to attack if not instigated in any way; keeping a safe distance (at least 60 feet) from the alligators allows you to enjoy their beauty while letting them feel comfortable in their natural habitat. And at no time should you attempt to feed them or else you may receive a fine of $200 and thirty days in prison.
Bobcats: Perhaps one of the most feared animals on the island, they are also undeniably amongst the most beautiful creatures it houses. Males reach a weight of about 18-25 pounds while females weigh slightly less at 15-20 pounds. As with any wild animal do not attempt to approach this wild cat even to photograph it. A variety of smaller animals fall prey to the powerful bobcat: birds, deer, opossums, rabbits and raccoons to name a few. Their presence helps regulate the populations of these smaller animals to prevent overbreeding. Breeding season is between February and April; cubs are born 62 days later so if you visit in spring you just might spy one of these tiny animals that are born blind and feast on their mother’s milk for about a month-long period.
Diamondback Terrapin: The only species of turtle to make its home in saltwater marsh, Kiawah is one of the few places to see the Diamondback. Due to living near human activity they are often being ensnared in crab traps, leading to death by accidental drowning. Efforts have now sprung up around the island to patrol for and prevent this from happening; trappers have also started to use Bycatch Reduction Devices (BRD) to lower the number of turtles captured by mistake each year. Researchers from near and far often visit Kiawah to observe and monitor the Diamondback’s activity as it has declined dramatically within the past twenty years and is showing higher numbers of females. If you are lucky enough to spot one of these beautiful terrapins please enjoy it from afar.
Dolphins: If you are out on the boat during the balmy days of spring and summer you have a high chance of viewing some dolphins swimming alongside your boat as though they were trying to play with you, especially in Captain Sam’s Inlet. The most popular species to swim around Kiawah is the bottlenose dolphin; usually reaching 6-10 feet in length, they are friendly yet you do not want to attempt to swim with or touch them. If you are lucky you might observe dolphins engaging in a peculiar form of feeding called “strand feeding” where they herd fish and shrimp onto a sandbar and then propel their bodies out of the water to enjoy a bounty on the sand. Occasionally injured or lost marine mammals will make their way to the waters surrounding Kiawah; if you should see such an animal please contact the SC Department of Natural Resources at (800) 922-5431.
Gray Fox: These beautiful creatures are elusive so don’t be surprised if it takes a while to spot one or a pair of them. Despite their name most have a reddish patch of fur on their side or back, allowing them to blend in with the surrounding flora more easily to catch various rodents and rabbits and escape from human sight. A monogamous animal by nature, both mom and dad help raise the pups; late winter is breeding season so keep your eyes peeled for these amorous pairs around the island. Due to canine distemper outbreaks in the late nineties and again just a few years ago the number of gray foxes on the island has seriously tapered off. Their population is tracked by a method called “scent survey station” which are circles made with powder surrounding a scented tablet attract the foxes, thus coating their paws and allowing researchers to track them around the island.
Piping Plovers: These adorable little birds can often be scurrying along the beaches looking for their next meal. Distinguished by its short orange legs, short black beak and grayish body come to Kiawah in August and will depart in late April when they will go up North to start their mating season. They are protected under the Endangered Species Act so please refrain from approaching and feeding these birds, even though they might try to beg some food from you anyway!
White-Tailed Deer: After spending so long cohabitating with humans on the island the deer population has become quite friendly, often spotted grazing in someone’s backyard in the evening. Breeding season is from September – January, a long season that brings foal in the spring to early summer; keep your eyes peeled for these gawky newborns testing out their new legs! Starting in March bucks grow a new set of antlers that will eventually shed their velvet as they harden. Since deer do most of their searching for acorns and various plants during the dusk and dawn hours it is important to be hyper-aware of these dainty creatures while driving at these times. Although hunting is no longer permitted on Kiawah Island deer are still subject to natural predation from bobcats, alligators and cars.
