Cooper's Island, Bermuda facts for kids
Cooper's Island is a small island that is part of the beautiful chain of islands making up Bermuda. You can find it in the northeast part of Bermuda, within St. George's Parish.
This island is about 77 acres (31 hectares) in size. It sits in the northeast area of Castle Harbor. Thanks to some land-filling work, Cooper's Island is now physically connected to St. David's Island. It forms a peninsula on the southeastern side. Even though it's connected, most people still think of it as its own separate island. A cool feature of the island is Annie's Bay, a large bay that runs along most of its east coast.
Cooper's Island has an interesting past. From 1942, during World War II, until 1995, the United States government used the island. It was owned by the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Navy during those years. The island is also home to a special NASA station that tracks things in space. This station was updated in 2018. Before 1995, people couldn't visit the island, but now it's open for everyone to enjoy!
Today, the government of Bermuda owns most of Cooper's Island. It is protected as the Cooper's Island Nature Reserve. Since 2009, people have been working hard to restore the natural environment there. Visitors are welcome to swim, walk, have picnics, watch birds, and go snorkeling in the reserve.
A Special Place for Birds
Cooper's Island is very important for birds. Along with the nearby Castle Islands Nature Reserve, it has been named an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. This means it's a crucial spot, especially because many seabirds come here to breed and raise their young.
