Kiawah Island Nature Program

Kiawah Island Nature Program Kiawah Island is renowned for its natural beauty and abundant wildlife Kiawah Island is renowned for its natural beauty and abundant wildlife.

Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and vast salt marshes, Kiawah has a mixture of lush maritime forests, brackish water ponds, and picturesque dunes. Exploring this varied habitat gives you the opportunity to observe the tremendous variety of flora and fauna present on this pristine barrier island. Whether you are visiting or a local in the area, tour the island with our Naturalist staff as they open your eyes to the nature of Kiawah. We are also happy to work with any inquiring teachers or school groups that are interested in supplementing their science curriculum with hands-on experience for their students.

Meet Annie, Animal Care Coordinator! 🌿 Annie is originally from Custer, Kentucky, a small rural town about an hour outsi...
09/21/2026

Meet Annie, Animal Care Coordinator! 🌿

Annie is originally from Custer, Kentucky, a small rural town about an hour outside of Louisville. She graduated from Murray State University with a degree in Wildlife and Conservation Biology and joined the team as a Naturalist in March of 2024.

Annie's favorite animal is the red-tailed hawk. Despite being one of the most common birds of prey in the U.S., they are incredibly adaptable and can thrive in almost any habitat, from rural fields to hunting rats out of trash cans in New York City. They serve as a reminder of the tenacity of nature and inspire us to coexist with our wild neighbors.

Annie looks forward to seeing you at The Nature Center or out on the Kiawah River!

The Kiawah Kids Adventure Guide | #16 Wetlands Bike Tour 🚲A naturalist favorite! This tour will take you on a leisurely...
09/16/2026

The Kiawah Kids Adventure Guide | #16 Wetlands Bike Tour 🚲
A naturalist favorite! This tour will take you on a leisurely bike ride to discover the fascinating wildlife that inhabits Kiawah’s diverse ecosystems. You’ll gain a better understanding of the beaches, dunes, maritime forest, ponds, and salt marshes that stretch across the island, while learning each ecosystem’s unique characteristics.🚵

🌳Ages 8 and up; children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Call 843.768.6001 or visit https://bit.ly/4eAnNBR for reservations or more information.

Meet Emma, Nature Program Lead Naturalist! 🌿 Emma is originally from Scituate, Rhode Island, and joined the resort as a ...
09/15/2026

Meet Emma, Nature Program Lead Naturalist! 🌿

Emma is originally from Scituate, Rhode Island, and joined the resort as a Naturalist in spring of 2025. While earning her bachelors degree in Marine Sciences at the University of South Carolina, Emma fell completely in love with the Lowcountry. Kiawah Island was the perfect place to immerse herself in this unique environment!

Emma's favorite animal is the bonnethead shark. Bonnetheads are the only sharks that are omnivores, eating fish, crabs, snails, and shrimp, while also grazing on seagrass in the salt marsh.

Emma looks forward to meeting you out on a program or at The Nature Center!

Meet the Naturalists! 🌿 🐬 You may recognize a few familiar faces from outdoor programs, excursions, or visits to the Nat...
09/12/2026

Meet the Naturalists! 🌿 🐬

You may recognize a few familiar faces from outdoor programs, excursions, or visits to the Nature Center. But how well do you know the naturalists behind the Nature Program?

Over the coming weeks, we’re giving you a closer look at the passionate people who share their knowledge and love of Kiawah Island's natural world with our guests every day. 🌎

Have you had a memorable experience with one of our naturalists? Tell us who made an impression on you in the comments below! We’d love to hear your story. 🤍

Biologists with the Town of Kiawah Island recently deployed a bat detector at Captain Sam’s Inlet, equipped to capture u...
09/10/2026

Biologists with the Town of Kiawah Island recently deployed a bat detector at Captain Sam’s Inlet, equipped to capture ultrasonic sounds. The sonogram shown here features a Northern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus intermedius).

Northern Yellow Bats use these ultrasonic calls to locate prey, including leafhoppers, flies, mosquitoes, beetles, flying ants, and occasionally damselflies and dragonflies.

These bats are commonly found along the coastal regions of the southeastern United States, particularly in habitats with Spanish moss and palm trees, which serve as year-round roosting sites.

Exploring Kiawah Island in the evening or at night? Keep an eye out for bats flying overhead, especially near ponds and golf courses. 🦇

Learn more about research conducted by our Town Biologists: https://bit.ly/4xEVYAB

The Kiawah Kids Adventure Guide | #15 Observe Turtle Patrol 🐢 Since 1973, Kiawah Island’s sea turtle nests have been ca...
09/09/2026

The Kiawah Kids Adventure Guide | #15 Observe Turtle Patrol 🐢

Since 1973, Kiawah Island’s sea turtle nests have been carefully monitored and protected. Today, the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol is one of South Carolina’s largest and most dedicated volunteer programs focused on protecting sea turtles and their nests.

Learn more about the Kiawah Island Turtle Patrol: https://bit.ly/4iOgslY

Happy Labor Day! 🦀✨ Spend your holiday exploring with the Kiawah Island Nature Program. We’re open daily from 9 AM to 5 ...
09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day! 🦀✨
Spend your holiday exploring with the Kiawah Island Nature Program. We’re open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM at The Treehouse Activity Center.
Come say hi to our animals and meet our naturalists! 🌿

Ever wonder why alligators have little bumps across their skin? 🐊 Those "bumps" are actually bony plates embedded in the...
09/01/2026

Ever wonder why alligators have little bumps across their skin? 🐊 Those "bumps" are actually bony plates embedded in the skin called osteoderms (or scutes).

☀️ Osteoderms contain blood vessels that act like mini solar panels, absorbing heat directly into their blood.
🌊 The smaller osteoderms near their jaws contain pressure receptors that help them detect vibrations and movement in the water.
💪 Best of all, they serve as a chemical reservoir to store vital calcium that alligators need.

If you are curious to learn more about these amazing reptiles, we would love to see you at Reptile Round-up! For reservations or more information call 843.768.6001. To view our class schedule, visit https://bit.ly/4v4koll

This new antenna on the roof of The Sanctuary might not look like much, but it is playing an important role in a nationw...
08/20/2026

This new antenna on the roof of The Sanctuary might not look like much, but it is playing an important role in a nationwide effort to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale.

With this addition, The Sanctuary joins a network of historic lighthouses and buildings along the East Coast housing StationKeeper. Developed by MotionInfo in collaboration with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the International Fund for Animal Welfare inc, StationKeeper utilize AIS (Automatic Identification System) technology to monitor vessel speeds in federally protected waterways.

When whales are detected near an over speed vessel, a NOAA-approved advisory lands on the navigational equipment alerting the crew to reduce speed. With only an estimated 380 North Atlantic Right Whales remaining, these measures are essential to help prevent boat strikes— a leading cause of death and serious injury for right whales.

North Atlantic Right Whales are currently inhabiting their feeding grounds further north. But in November they will begin to migrate into our coastal waters, where the warm, shallow environment offers ideal conditions for calving and nurturing their young. We look forward to sharing updates about this new equipment and the important work being done to help protect North Atlantic Right Whales as they enter our waterways later this year. To learn more about StationKeeper, visit https://bit.ly/4wWWJnP

As students head back to school, many of South Carolina's feathered residents are beginning a journey of their own! 🪶 La...
08/15/2026

As students head back to school, many of South Carolina's feathered residents are beginning a journey of their own! 🪶

Late August through November marks peak migration season across the Palmetto State, as millions of birds travel south along the Atlantic Flyway. One of North America's four major migration corridors, the Atlantic Flyway stretches from Arctic breeding grounds through Canada and the entire East Coast of the United States, connecting birds to wintering habitats in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.

Not every bird is taking flight for warmer destinations, though. While many inland species migrate south for the winter, South Carolina's iconic brown pelicans, pictured below, are year-round residents that call our coast home.

Want to see them for yourself? Join one of our tours or guided bird walks and experience South Carolina's remarkable birdlife up close: https://bit.ly/4cfI1R2

Interested in tracking migration activity this season? Follow along here: https://bit.ly/4zciwtN

📷 Dallas Agnew

Address

4000 Sea Forest Drive
Kiawah Island, SC
29455

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5am
Wednesday 8:30am - 4pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4pm
Friday 8:30am - 4pm
Saturday 8:30am - 4pm
Sunday 8:30am - 4pm

Telephone

(843) 768-6001

Website

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