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By ESTHER MARSHALL Published: 14:01 BST, 2 April 2025 | Updated: 14:01 BST, 2 April 2025
Dreaming of a day out at the beach? You’re not alone. It seems humans aren’t the only creatures that enjoy a spot of sun, sand and sea. Across the globe, there are beaches that have been almost taken over by the animal kingdom. From seaweed-eating sheep to bright pink flamingos, American wild horses and even pigs and penguins – there are plenty of coastal spots with a side of wildlife watching. Scroll down to see more… Boulders Beach in Cape Town, South Africa might have been named for the granite boulders dotted along its shoreline but it’s now better known for its resident penguin population. There are currently around 3,000 African penguins in the colony and tourists can view them from a specially designed boardwalk Northern elephant seals used to be hunted for their oil-rich blubber which led to dramatic population decline in the US. Thankfully, they were given protected status and returned to California’s shores. Elephant Seal Vista Point (pictured above) in San Simeon is an ideal sunbathing spot and the area has around 17,000 seals during peak season There’s no missing the flamingos at the aptly-named Flamingo Beach in Aruba. These flamingos aren’t native to the area, but they’re residents of a private beach on Aruba’s Renaissance Island. Mingling with a flamingo at the beach will cost you, as you either have to stay at the Renaissance hotel or pay for a day pass ($130 / £101). Kangaroos are pretty common in Australia, but would you expect to see them enjoying a day out at the beach? Lucky Bay (pictured) in Western Australia has won awards for its perfect white-sand and crystal-clear water and it seems the kangaroos love it too. The white sand beach’s bouncy residents are most commonly spotted at night Assateague island on the US east coast is populated with wild horses, who are often spotted at the beach. It’s thought the steeds head to the island’s coast to escape mosquitoes and flies. The National Parks Service describes the horses as ‘beautiful, tough and wild’ and Assateague is one of the only places in the US where you can see wild horses Monkey Beach on Phi Phi island in Thailand is famed for – you guessed it – its resident monkey population. Long-tailed macaque monkeys live in the surrounding jungle and regularly relax on the beach. They might look friendly, but it’s not advised to approach them, as they can be aggressive in the hunt for food The island of North Ronaldsay in Scotland’s Orkney archipelago is home to a herd of sheep that’s one of the rarest in the world. The North Ronaldsay sheep have been bred on the Orkney islands for centuries. But ewe won’t believe their diet. In the 19th century, poverty on North Ronaldsay meant that only the island’s cows were allowed to graze on grass. The sheep adapted to feeding on seaweed kelp – and still do so today Big Major Cay in the Bahamas is an uninhabited – by people that is. A colony of pigs roam the sand and swim in the sea. It’s thought these beach babes were brought to the island for farming purposes, but remained as residents. Catch a boat to the island and pigs may swim out to greet you
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Beaches that have been taken over by cute animals: From a US island with herds of wild horses to pigs, flamingos, penguins and UK sheep
