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Casibari
and Ayo Rock Formations |
Who knew piles of boulders could be so interesting? |
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These two locations, several miles apart are littered with huge boulders weathered into fanciful animals
shapes by the eternal trade winds. The Casibari Boulders rank as one of Aruba's top attractions. A hiking trail also circles the formation. Normally you'll find a drink and souvenir stands in operation. The Ayo Rock Formations is the second site where massive rocks are inexplicably found in large numbers. Ayo's formation is known for the unusual formations caused by erosion. Less crowded than the Casibari Boulders, the Ayo Rock Formations have been called by some the Stonehenge of Aruba. Although there is no massive stone stairway here, hiking trails make it easy to move among the rocks to view the formations from various angles. In the past, goats have found Ayo a highly desirable hangout. If you're lucky, at dusk or dawn you may spot a burrowing owl or one of the rare mammals found here before European contact. Spanish explorers recorded a small species of mouse, several kinds of bats, and a cottontail rabbit. Similar to their U.S. cousins, Aruba and Curacao cottontails bear a distinctive black patch on their necks. It's believed the rabbits were probably imported in pre-Colombian
times by the Indians, since the cottontails around the Maracaibo
region of Venezuela also have the same neck distinctive markings.
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