COMO Parrot Cay: A Private Island Resort Leading the Way in Marine Conservation

COMO Parrot Cay, located in Turks and Caicos, isn’t just a luxurious getaway, it’s also a living model of sustainable luxury combining conservation and guest experiences. 

Doctor Ed Butler, director of Marine Science and Sustainability, leads a science-driven program dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems and promoting sustainability through the resort and the entire island. 

Through a partnership with NGO Roots2Reef, COMO Parrot Cay created a marine conservation technique that tags and tracks vulnerable and ecologically important species such as whitespotted eagle rays, oceanic whitetip sharks and southern stingrays. More than 30 acoustic receiver stations installed on the Turks and Caicos Islands help the island compute compelling insights to showcase how enforcing local marine protection policies and safeguarding biodiversity is important on the islands. 

COMO Parrot Cay also partnered with the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund to install 12 artificial reef frames around the islands. The reefs are designed to support local coral populations and provide critical habitats for marine life while also contributing to long-term reef restoration. 

Not only does the resort care about the marine environment but COMO Parrot Cay also produces its own power and water, manages development and processes waste entirely on-site. Last year, the resort recycled more than 200 tons of waste, with 99 percent processed directly on the island. The resort also created its Boomerang water bottle program which helps bottle and sanitize up to 18,000 reusable glass and aluminum water bottles monthly, ultimately eliminating nearly 18,000 reusable glass and aluminum bottles monthly. 

At COMO Parrot Cay, sustainability is its foundation. Guests can get a firsthand look at this by learning about its marine life conservation efforts, touring the lush coconut and banana groves, kayaking through the island’s mangroves or planting and sponsoring their own coconut tree.