The Animal Flower Cave is located in the most northern portion of the island of Barbados under the cliffs at the North Point, in St. Lucy parish. The cave is positioned 6 feet above sea level.
The cave was formed by sea water that washed out a space behind an opening in the cliff wall and was first discovered in 1780. Two English explorers entered the cave through the seaside entrance. Very little other than this is known until after the turn of the 20th century, when the cave became a popular dance hall location. As a result of its popularity, in roughly 1912, steps made from coral were built into the cliff, leading into the cave. During this time it was also popular to paddle through the cave to see the cave features and sea life residing there.
The cave is the natural habitat for sea anemones. These brightly colored creatures, with long flowing tentacles that resemble petals, are technically a type of sea animal, closely related to choral, but they look like a flower when unfurled in the water. The anemone is known as the "animal flower" among locals and is the feature for which the cave is named.
According to dating carried out by the German Geographical Institute, the coral floor of the cave is between 400,000 and 500,000 years old. The youngest coral section, which is located above the floor, is approximately 126,000 years old. The age of the cave is in part evidenced by the fact that it was formed by sea water but is now so far above sea level, since Barbados only rises 1 foot every 1,000 years.
The cave features several common cave formations, including stalactites and stalagmites, and cave pools. Cave formations have been colored green and brown in unusual ways because of salt water and mineral deposits. Cave openings in the cliff face serve as windows to the sea and provide a view of the ocean. The cave now has a restaurant and offers guided tours of the cave and its features for a fee.
