Jamaica’s Crocodiles

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One of my recent projects has been a crocodile monitoring project in Jamaica. The principal investigator is Dr Byron Wilson, professor at the University of the West Indies (UWI). In January 2009, Dr Wilson traveled to Miami to meet with me and begin training in the proper, safe capture techniques for American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus). American crocodiles are also found in Jamaica, although there has been no formal study since the 1980′s. Dr Wilson plans on an on going study to monitor the crocodiles in Manatee Bay, just west of Kingston and the site of several other studies. One of the most notable studies is of the Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei) found only in the Hellshire Hills and presumed extinct until a pig hunter’s dog caught one in the early 1990′s. Our project is also supported by Dr Glenn Gerber boilogist at CRES (Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species), San Diego, California. Dr Gerber is outfitting GPS tranmitters to be attached to adult crocodiles residing in Kingston Harbor and the Black River. During our initial survey in January 2009, the weather made surveys in Kingston Harbor impossible to track, but during several evenings spent at the Manatee camp, ten crocodiles were captured, processed and released.

Mayaguana Booby Cay Iguanas

——————————————————<< Return to www.Natselections.com I have worked in many islands of the  Bahamas since 1998, but the island traveled to most frequently is Mayaguana. I joined John Bendon of the UK for my first trip to Mayaguana. This was actually the first of many trips, usually accompanied with Steve Conners of Miami Metrozoo, but bringing along guests for many of the trips. The animal to be studied is the Booby Cay iguana, Cyclura carinata, the only member of the species in the Bahamas. It was originally classified as Cyclura carinata bartschi but as a result of blood samples it has officially been reclassified in 2008. Booby Cay is approximately an 18 mile boat ride from Abraham’s Bay, Mayaguana. The ride takes us from dangerous reefs encircling Mayaguana to deep, blue water with dangerous waves and currents. Over the years, Steve and I have taken a number of transects and calculated the number of iguanas inhabiting the island to be 500-550. Booby Cay is so far removed from the mainstream that the only people traveling there are occasional fishermen. Before our annual presence, the iguanas were reviled and considered as vermin, but over the years they have come to embrace the iguanas, going as far as protecting them.  We will continue our annual trips to the island, checking on the poeple and the iguanas.

Crocodile Monitoring Projets

——————————————————<< Return to www.Natselections.com I have been involved with a crocodile monitoring project encompassing the entire Osa peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica since 2005, when I traveled to Puerto Jimenez with Matt Harris and Steve Conners and visited Mike Boston, president of Osaventura. To date, several monitoring trips are beginning to help with the understanding of the American crocodile’s (Crocodylus acutus) natural history throughout the area. Along with the crocodile work, one learns to appreciate not only the beauty of Costa Rica, but the diverse array of wildlife and the wonderful people, known locally as Ticos. I have seen eyelash vipers (Bothreichis schlegeli) while hiking rain forests, pods of dolphins while crossing Golfo Dulce, active volcanos in  northern Costa Rica and the dimunitive Poison dart frogs in Carate. This work will soon be published, once the data we have collected is analyzed.