Hilton Head Wildlife Watching

Hilton Head has preserved more of its wildlife than almost any other resort destination on the East Coast.

Hilton Head Island’s alligators are a prosperous lot, and, in fact, the South Carolina Department of Wildlife and Marine Resources uses the island as a resource for repopulating state parks and preserves in which alligators’ numbers have greatly diminished. The creatures represent no danger if you stay at a respectful distance. (Strange as it may seem, some unsuspecting tourists, thinking that the dead-still alligators are props left over from Disney, often approach the reptiles and hit them or kick at them — obviously, not a very good idea.)

Many of the large water birds that regularly grace the pages of nature magazines are natives of the island. The island’s Audubon Society reports around 200 species of birds every year in its annual bird count, and more than 350 species have been sighted on the island during the past decade. The snowy egret, the large blue heron, and the osprey are among the most noticeable. Here, too, you may see the white ibis, with its strange beak that curves down, plus the smaller cattle egret, which first arrived on Hilton Head Island in 1954 from a South American habitat. They follow the island’s cows, horses, and tractors to snatch grasshoppers and other insects.

A big part of the native story includes deer, bobcat, otter, mink, and a few wild boars. The bobcats are difficult to see, lurking in the deepest recesses of the forest preserves and in the undeveloped parts of the island. The deer, however, are easier to encounter. One of the best places to watch these timid creatures is Sea Pines Plantation, on the southern end of the island. With foresight, the planners of this plantation set aside areas for a deer habitat back in the 1950s, when the island master plan was conceived.

The loggerhead turtle, an endangered species, nests extensively along Hilton Head’s 12 miles of wide, sandy beaches. Because the turtles choose the darkest hours of the night to crawl ashore and bury eggs in the soft sand, few visitors meet these 200-pound giants.

Ever-present is the bottle-nosed dolphin, usually called a porpoise by those unfamiliar with the island’s sea life. Hilton Head Plantation and Port Royal Plantation adjacent to Port Royal Sound are good places to meet up with the playful dolphins, as are Palmetto Dunes, Forest Beach, and all other oceanfront locations. In the summer, dolphins feed on small fish and sea creatures very close to shore. Island beaches are popular with bikers, and this often offers a real point of interest for curious dolphins, who sometimes seem to swim along with the riders. Several excursion boats offer tours that provide an opportunity for fellowship with dolphins. Shrimp boats are a guaranteed point of congregation for the hungry guys.

The Sea Pines Forest Preserve, the Audubon-Newhall Preserve, and the Pinckney Island Wildlife Preserve, just off the island between the bridges, are of interest to nature lovers. The Coastal Discovery Museum hosts several guided nature tours and cruises; call tel. 843/689-6767. Tours, conducted weekdays, generally cost $12 for adults and $7 for children. Check the museum’s online Events Calendar at www.coastaldiscovery.org for specific dates and times; you can even reserve your tour online in advance.