Conception Island, Bahamas

Conception Island
Conception Island
Conception Island
The location of Conception Island within the Bahamas
Geography
LocationAtlantic Ocean
Coordinates23°49′59″N 75°06′47″W / 23.833°N 75.113°W / 23.833; -75.113
ArchipelagoLucayan Archipelago
Administration
Additional information
Time zone
 • Summer (DST)
ISO codeBS-RC

Conception Island is an islet located in the Bahamas. It is 7–9 km2 (2.7–3.5 sq mi) and reaches 25 m (82 ft) above sea level.[1] It is an important rookery for nesting seabirds and hatching site for green turtles. It is uninhabited and protected as part of the Conception Island National Park.

In 2015, a species of boa called the Conception Bank silver boa (Chilabothrus argentum) was found to occur here;[1][2] the new species is endemic to Conception as well as its satellite islets.[1]

Writers such as Rupert Gould and Steven Mitchell have proposed the theory that Conception might be Guanahani, the island where Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the Americas on October 12, 1492;[3] but evidence in the debate about the identity of Guanahani is inconclusive.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Reynolds, R. Graham; Puente-Rolón, Alberto R.; Geneva, Anthony J.; Aviles-Rodriguez, Kevin J.; Herrmann, Nicholas C. (2016). "Discovery of a remarkable new boa from the Conception Island Bank, Bahamas". Breviora. 549 (1): 1–19. doi:10.3099/brvo-549-00-1-19.1.
  2. ^ "New boa constrictor species discovered on remote Caribbean island". The Guardian. 27 May 2016.
  3. ^ Dumene, Joanne E. (2023-04-06). "Looking for Columbus". U.S. Naval Institute. Retrieved 2025-10-11.