Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TRYING TO HANG ON
The Virgin Islands are home to several endangered species. Some of the most fragile
include:
»
Leatherbackturtle
It's said that the 1500lb behemoths have been roaming the earth
since the age of the dinosaurs. Yet their numbers have dwindled as humans collect
their eggs and harvest their meat for food. In addition, many of the leatherback's nest-
ing beaches have succumbed to development, and the coral reefs they feed on are be-
ing destroyed by rising water temperatures and pollutants.
»
Hawksbillturtle
They face the same environmental pressures as leatherbacks, with
an additional twist: hawksbills' shells are prized to make jewelry and decorative items.
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Screech owl
This rare owl's call led to it being identified as a cuckoo bird in the
Virgin Islands. The last recorded sighting was in 1980, and most sources now list the
screech owl as extinct. Deforestation played a big role in its demise.
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Virgin Islands tree boa
The brown-and-cream snake is quite rare to see. Its num-
bers plummeted when the mongoose was introduced to the Virgin Islands, although
habitat destruction also played a role. Captive breeding programs at zoos and intro-
duction of the boas to new islands have been successful in increasing the population.
»
Brown pelican
This athletic fish-lover is another success story. It nearly went ex-
tinct in the 1960s. Eating fish contaminated with the pesticide DDT caused the birds
to lay eggs with thin shells that broke easily. After the chemical was banned and pro-
tections were put in place against hunting the pelican, it rebounded. It was removed
from the endangered species list in 2009, though it is still being monitored.
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Anegada rock iguana
There are just a few hundred left on Anegada, the iguana's
traditional habitat, and on the scattering of Out Islands where they've been introduced.
Anegada has had a rehabilitation program in place since 1997, and you can visit the
facility to check on the big iguana's progress (
Click here
).
Sea Turtles
Endangered sea turtles nest on local beaches, particularly on St Croix. The cast of charac-
ters includes the 220lb hawksbill, which has been hunted to near extinction for its valuable
shell; the 400lb green turtle, a hefty vegetarian identifiable by its short rounded head; and
the leatherback, whose 6ft length and 1500lb make him the big boy of the group.
