Do you want your holiday to be filled with nature and wildlife galore? Bring along your keen eyes and the objects below and you’re bound to see more than you expected!
- Camera. Most of us always take a camera on our holidays, but don’t forget to keep it on you at all times otherwise you might miss some wonderful wildlife photo opportunities. It’s also a nice idea to give your child have a camera too
- Binoculars. Sometimes you may see a majestic sea eagle rising on the thermals but it’s only a dot in the sky. If only you packed your binoculars so you could watch that bird swooping down into the ocean and catching its prey. See, don’t forget those binoculars! Your camera may even double as your binoculars too!
- Magnifying glass. Just like point two, it’s the same for tiny animals. When you’re looking at something tiny, you just can’t see the minute features of the animal clearly. A magnifying glass is a great tool to help see it better.
- Torch. In Australia, many of our animals are nocturnal. Spotlighting is something you should always do, every holiday (and yes, you can even find nocturnal wildlife in a city!). We love spotlighting so much that we do it at home even when we are not on a holiday!
- Raincoat. If you’re unlucky and it rains your whole holiday (why does that always happen?), don’t let it stop you hunting for wildlife. Although we tend to stay in when it’s wet, most animals don’t have that luxury and are still out and about. Some animals even love the rain! It’s only water after all.
- Bug catcher/bucket. It’s always a good idea to have a bucket with you for holding animals that may not be safe to touch. It’s easy to scoop up a bug, frog or crab and it gives you a bit more time to observe the creature before returning it to the wild.
- Fishing net. Sometimes you need to catch the bug to get it into the bucket or bug catcher. A net (butterfly or fishing net) is a great addition to your camping adventure or resort style wildlife holiday. Don’t forget to use it like fishing net in local creeks and streams too.
- Protective clothing. Not all wildlife is friendly, so if you do go bush walking or swimming in the ocean, ensure you take protective measures to keep you safe. E.g. wear boots for bushwalking.
- First aid kit. Again, it’s always good to be prepared. Generally it’s not the animals giving you grief but the surrounding terrain. Remember the sunscreen if you’re near the beach. Another good idea is to educate your children on snake safety .
- Towel. This may seem like an odd item to take on a holiday (especially if you’re not going to the beach) but it’s good idea to have a towel on you or in your car at all times. If you come across a sick or injured animal, wrap the animal in a towel and transport it to a vet or wildlife hospital. If the animal may be dangerous animal, it’s best to call the experts!
- Nature journal. A nature journal is not only a great way to remember the wonderful things you saw on your holiday but it’s a nice keepsake too. Parents can model journal writing for their littlies or your child can keep one of their own!
- Goggles/snorkelling gear. If you’re going to the beach, don’t forget the snorkelling gear, otherwise you might miss some spectacular underwater wildlife experiences. We found this hard to do on our holiday because the twins are still very young but it will definitely be on our list when the girls get a little older.
Have I missed anything? What would you take on wildlife holiday?
These are great ideas. Things I never think about and we’ve been to some incredibly varied locations teeming with wildlife. I’ll definitely be using some of these suggestions to bring along with us when we go on our mini family break over new years to explore some of the wonderful acreage on the property we’re staying on. PS- What a fun Christmas themed header you’ve got gone on. 🙂
Oh, I’d love to be you. Exploring acreage sounds divine! Have a great time Deb!
This is a great collection of things to take with you. It means you’re well prepared and the children can learn about their environment in a way that is safe and exciting. Thanks.
You’re welcome Kate. I can’t wait to go on another holiday. Sadly, we miss out this Christmas.
Great list! The bucket made me think about the tadpoles we used to catch when I was little. Many of the other items are some of Dinosaur Boys favourite thins (torch for sure)!
We were lucky and kept tadpoles at the start of the year. We released them when they turned into frogs but it was so enjoyable for Miss Possum and it taught her all about Amphibians.
Good idea about the towel, Penny. We always have one handy in the car anyway (this is what happens when you marry a surfer), but I hadn’t thought how important it would be for an injured animal.
And binoculars, yes! That’s make a great Chrissy pressie, actually 🙂
Some people just comes across sick animals all the time. It’s best to be prepared with a towel than to risk getting a nasty bite. Parrots can hurt!
Great list. I’m sure I’ll need it some time so I’m pinning it. Fishing net? I would have never thought of that on my own 🙂
Thanks Hannah. Using the fishing net isn’t something we’ve done yet but plan to do this coming year. I really want to investigate animals in a pond with Miss Poss. It will be so much fun!
This is such a fabulous list and there are some things I had never thought of. Binoculars are on our kids Christmas gift list this year so we can’t wait to have a play with these.
Yay! I wish I could use all these things this holiday. I could do with a little wildlife R&R!
We always bring our nature guides too. It helps with the inevitable what is it questions. Thanks for the great list.
Of course! I can’t believe forgot that Christa! I might have to add that one into the post. I love to know what species of animal I’m looking at, so that’s an important one!
Great information! I have a torch/flashlight and a magnifying glass on my shopping list for the boys- yes, still haven’t taken care of that yet. Hey, still have 2 days…. 🙂