

A pig swimming in the Bahamas.
A pig swimming in the Bahamas.
Image: Alex Mustard/Nature Picture Library/Corbis

Your love of animals doesn't have to be limited to the Internet. The world is full of ridiculous places where you can satisfy your need to roll around with cute creatures in real life.

From overcrowded Japanese cat islands to frolicking in the Caribbean with pigs, whatever animal you fancy can be found running riot in some foreign land.

Here are the places to visit where animals rule.

Bunny Island

Ōkunoshima is an island in the Inland Sea in Japan, in the Hiroshima Prefecture. During World War II, the island had a poisonous gas factory and rabbits were used to test chemical weapons.

Now, it's home to thousands of rabbits — enough to give it the moniker "Bunny Island." After the war, the island was set up as a park, and rabbits were set loose on the property. But according to researchers, the current rabbit population is actually not related to those used for the tests.

The island currently has a hotel and camping ground, with a golf course and hiking trails for those not thoroughly entertained by getting intimate with bunnies.

While being followed around an island by a pack of bunnies sounds like it could be the setup for a horror movie, there haven't been any reports of attacks. Yet.

Lasquite Island's St. Bernards

There is a mysterious island off Vancouver Island, Canada that is home to a dog breeder named Tikki Smith. She lives in the remote Lasquite Island community of approximately 350 permanent residents with her son, husband and dogs. At any one time more than 40 St. Bernards run free in a five-acre area forest.

Sloth Sanctuary

If anyone knows how to slow down in this modern world, it's a sloth.

The Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica has a Sleep With the Sloths B&B, with six rooms for sloth fans.

You can learn about the creatures who have found Internet fame, yet don't know about it. The star of the attraction is 21-year-old sloth, Buttercup, who was rescued by the couple who runs the property, Luis and Judy, as a baby. Hanging out in her wicker hanging chair, Buttercup will greet you on arrival and make you appreciate these gloriously bizarre creatures.


Image: Flickr, Theron


Image: Flickr, Marc Wisniak

Giraffe Manor

Giraffe Manor is exactly what it sounds like: A stately manor filled with giraffes. The residence in Nairobi, Africa, is set on 12 acres of private property within 140 acres of forest. The majestic creatures roam the property in the morning and evening, before retreating to their forest home.

The giraffes can even stick their heads into the dining hall for a peck or into your room's window for a personal feed. If you want to immerse yourself in the African wilderness, this is a very good way to go about it.

Cat islands

The Japanese obviously have a thing with animal-themed islands. There are 11 cat islands in Japan.

The most popular cat sanctuary is Aoshima Island, where 120 feral cats outnumber elderly locals six to one. Cats were originally introduced to stop the spread of mice, before taking control of the island. In recent times, Aoshima Island has become a popular tourist attraction, with a ferry taking 34 visitors to the island daily.

Then there is Tashirojima, which is also known as "Cat Island" or "Cat Heaven Island," where the cats also outnumber human inhabitants. In the interest of the feline residents, dogs are not allowed on the island.

Wolf Sanctuary

Wolves are not quite the attraction that dogs are, but they are interesting none the less.

The Wolf Sanctuary in Pennsylvania has walking tours, including ones during full moons. The wolves, which have been known to howl in unison, are secured on 80 plus acres of natural woodland.

Wild wolves are not known to exist in Pennsylvania, according to the organization, so this is the only place you can see them up close.

Pig Beach

Big Major Cay is an uninhabited island in Exuma, Bahamas, where feral pigs are known to bathe in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. It is not known how the pig family arrived on the island, but some rumors suggest sailors left them there as a food source and never returned.

The pigs survive off scraps dumped from passing boats and tourists bring them snacks. They spend their days snoozing on the sand, splashing in the water and enjoying island life.

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