St. Eustatius landscape is dominated by the 600m/2000f extinct volcano, The Quill. According to volcanologists, The Quill is one of the most perfectly shaped volcanoes in the world. The Quill together with Boven at the north side of the island are both designated National Parks in 1998, managed by Stenapa. When you hike up the Quill, you encounter different vegetation zones, with as a highlight the dense forest in the crater.
St. Eustatius is home to some endangered animals like the Lesser Antillean Iguana, native to only a few Caribbean islands. Look up in the trees to spot these beautiful reptiles. Closer to the ground, you have a good chance to see huge land crabs, hermit crabs and the Red Bellied dancer, a small non-poisonous snake only found on St. Eustatius and Saba. Numerous tropical birds escort you up and down the trail, and maybe you’ll even find the endemic plant of Statia, the Morning Glory.
Three species of turtles (Hawksbill, Green and Leatherbacks) often use St. Eustatius beaches as nesting grounds. St. Eustatius National Parks cover 33 km2 – almost twice the size of the island itself and is visited by nature lovers from all over the world.