Invasive Alien Species Management in St. Lucia and Caribbean Partner Countries Ulrike KRAUSS hat are Invasive Alien Species (IAS)? IAS are plants, animals or micro-organisms that are not native to a specific ecosystem and whose introduction threatens biodiversity, food security, health or economic development (figure 1). Their global cost is estimated at $1.4 trillion per annum (nearly 5% GDP) – and rising in times of globalization and climate change. W which a Caribbean-wide strategy is to be developed. In parallel, each participating country (Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago) addresses its own most pressing IAS problems through pilot projects, relating to prevention, early detection and rapid response, management and eradication of prioritized IAS. In all the pilots, there is a strong emphasis on capacity building among Government staff and other practitioners, as well as raising awareness of IAS issues among a wider stakeholder group including the general public. The pilots are designed so that their findings and lessons learned will be readily applicable to other sites, including other Caribbean states and territories, enabling replication of the methodologies. Through this synergistic approach, the project aims to provide the participating countries and others in the Caribbean region with the necessary tools and capacity to address existing and future biological invasions. Project goal and objective Figure 1: The Giant African Snail is an IAS with significant impact in St. Lucia (U. KRAUSS) IAS are a major threat to the vulnerable marine, freshwater and terrestrial biodiversity of Caribbean islands and to the people depending on this biodiversity for their livelihoods. Caribbean states have recognised the need for a regional strategy and expressed strong interest in linking their national efforts in implementing Article 8(h) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), leading to the joint development of a Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded project entitled “Mitigating the Threat of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean”. What is being done about IAS in the Insular Caribbean? The four-year project started in October 2009 and aims to broaden the approach to dealing with IAS, both by strengthening existing national measures and by fostering regional cooperation frameworks, through 196 ►The project goal is to conserve globally important ecosystems, the species and genetic diversity within the insular Caribbean. ►The project objective is to mitigate the threat to local biodiversity and economy from IAS in the insular Caribbean, including terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems Saint Lucian Efforts as Part of the Regional Initiative In Saint Lucia, the project is spearheaded by the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries (MALFF). At the regional level, it is coordinated by CABI Caribbean and Latin America. CABI is a not-for-profit development and information organization, with headquarters in the UK and its regional centre in Trinidad. In all pilot countries, the project has five common components that are being implemented with funding from the GEF, national Government and numerous national, regional and international partners. Within this structure, each country developed pilot projects of national priority under Prevention (Component 4) and Early Detection and Rapid Response (Component 5). Component 1: Development of National IAS Strategies (NISS) At the end of the four-year project, each country is expected to have a NISS (policy document) and a permanent IAS working group to address IAS issues officially and in a sustainable and well-coordinated cross-sectoral manner. Component 2: Establishment of Caribbean-wide Cooperation and Strategy At the end of the project a regional IAS strategy for marine, terrestrial and aquatic IAS will complement the national efforts described under Component 1. The regional strategy aims to expand the draft Caribbean Regional Invasive Species Intervention Strategy (CRISIS) of the Caribbean Invasive Species Working group (CISWG), which currently is primarily focused on agricultural pests and diseases, to cover also environmental IAS. Component 3: Knowledge Generation, Management and Dissemination The threat posed by IAS is a cross-cutting issue. A multi-sectoral approach to knowledge management and dissemination is key to successful uptake of the project outputs. Public awareness campaigns are being implemented for each of the pilot projects, including the exchange of lessons learnt among the participating countries. The project is establishing and strengthening several electronic networking initiatives with the aim to sustain them after the project concludes. Component 4: Increase Capacity to Strengthen Prevention of new IAS Introductions in Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Systems Prevention is the most cost effective measure for managing IAS and is a key component of the CBD Guiding Principles. The pilot project in Saint Lucia addresses the protection of the unique biodiversity of Maria Islands Nature Reserve and the surrounding Pointe Sables Environmental Protection Area (PSEPA, figure 2). This terrestrial and marine reserve contains the most threatened, endangered and endemic reptile species of all of Saint Lucia’s protected areas, the Saint Lucian Racer (Liophis ornatus) and Saint Lucia whiptail lizard (Cnemidophorus vanzoi). The pilot project is building capacity among local field staff in biodiversity monitoring and inventory techniques. It will establish a monitoring and rapid response plan in case IAS are detected in the reserve or the neighbouring air- and sea-ports. It also raises awareness among both local community stakeholders and the general public (including tourists) of the dangers posed by IAS. Component 5: Increase Capacity to Detect, Respond, Control and Manage IAS Impacts in Terrestrial, Freshwater and Marine Systems Pilot projects under Component 5 address options for the management of IAS that are already present, at four levels: (i) early detection and rapid response, (ii) eradication of incipient invasions or contained (island) populations, (iii) management of established IAS invasions for which eradication is not feasible, and (iv) protection measures for sites of high conservation value. The restoration of ecosystems during and after removing an IAS is of major importance in preventing new invasions. In Saint Lucia the Component 5 pilot project aims to eradicate an alien iguana that was introduced to a mini-zoo in Soufriere but subsequently escaped. The alien iguana threatens the uniqueness of the Saint Lucia iguana, with which it might hybridize and/or compete for food and habitat once their two ranges meet (figure 3). It is therefore imperative to act quickly, while the two populations are geographically separated. This will be achieved through capture and euthanasia of the alien iguana as well as a public awareness campaign. Progress to date, after one year Review of IAS Present in Saint Lucia and their Current Status The first question a donor agency will ask when a country requests funds for managing IAS is whether or not there is an IAS inventory. However, there are several principal challenges to the establishment and meaningful use of IAS inventories: Figure 2: The unique biodiversity on Maria Islands needs to be protected from IAS. Their small size (14 ha) renders them particularly vulnerable to stochastic events. The proximity to an international airport and seaport adds further exposure risks (U. KRAUSS). ► Frequently it cannot be determined with certainty whether a species is indigenous or naturalized. This is particularly true for those aliens that got established a long time ago and/or species of pantropical distribution. 197 ► In order to be classified as an IAS, the organism has to impacts human health and well-being, disrupt trade and/or threaten biological diversity. However, historically the recognition of damage was largely limited to agricultural pests and pathogens. With agriculture heavily dependent on alien crop and animal species impact estimates exhibit much bias. Because of the economic implications (trade, travel/tourism, animal and human health) the presence of certain IAS can have on a country, there tends to be reluctance to providing public access to accurate up-to-date information in many countries. However, St. Lucia recognizes that frankness is the best longterm strategy. ► Reasonably comprehensive IAS inventories require tremendous taxonomic inputs across all life forms. These skills are expensive and/or not available with the required swiftness to meet the demand of early detection and rapid response. As a result, even the best available IAS inventories tend to be notoriously out of date. Having spelled out the limitation, Krauss (2010a) collated the IAS known to be present in St. Lucia and their current status for terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems. Table 1 summarizes the 98 terrestrial IAS present in St. Lucia. “Trends in IAS distribution” is one of the provisional CBD indicators for assessing progress towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target. “Reduction in invasive species” is an indicator for monitoring stress reduction for integrated watershed and coastal areas management. In 2008, St. Lucia did not report making use of this tool yet (Heileman & Walling, 2008). Table 1: Invasive Alien Species present in Saint Lucia and their current status * Common name Scientific name Status Terrestrial: 98, one of which is shared with Freshwater Vertebrates: 24 Orange winged parrot Amazona amazonica Recent escape from captivity? Potentially competing with endemic parrot Barbados anole Anolis extremus Apparently expanding range; Possibly displacing the native Anolis luciae Alien anole lizard Anolis wattsi Displacing the native Anolis luciae Cane toad Bufo marinus Widespread; severely impacting biodiversity; “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Cosmopolitan of Old World origin; implicated in spread of tick-borne diseases; Safety hazard at Hewanorra Airport due to bird strike risk Feral dogs Canis lupus familiaris Widespread; severely impacting biodiversity Feral goats Capra aegagrus hircus Invasive on Dennery island; impacts on vegetation and animal habitat Rock pigeon Columba livia Widespread; severely impacting biodiversity; air-strike hazard at Vigie Airport Opossum Didelphis marsupialis marsupialis Widespread; severely impacting biodiversity Whistling frog Eleutherodactylus martinicensis May have displaced native Eleutherodactylus johnstonei Feral cats Felis catus Widespread; severely impacting biodiversity; one of “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Antilles Leaf-toed Gecko Hemidactylus palaichthus Present in Maria Major; competing with endangered reptiles? Indian mongoose Herpestes javanicus Widespread; severely impacting biodiversity, one of “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Alien iguana Iguana iguana Widespread Mouse Mus musculus Invasive on Dennery island; impacts on vegetation and animal habitat 198 Common name Scientific name Status Feral sheep Ovis aries Invasive on Dennery island; impacts on vegetation and animal habitat Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus Held in captivity; noise nuisance has been reported Brown rat Rattus norvegicus Widespread; severely impacting biodiversity, but one of “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Black rat Rattus rattus Red-snouted tree frog Scinax ruber Invasive Eurasian collareddove Streptopelia decaocto Escaped from captivity Feral pigs Sus scrofa Widespread and invasive in forest; threatening some rare bird and the endemic fer-de-lance; control effort hampered by constant re-supply through escapes; one of “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Monkeys Unknown species Localized in Desrameaux, Monchy Invertebrates:28, one of which is shared with Freshwater Coconut mite Aceria guerreronis IAS of environmental importance or agricultural pests only? Giant African snail Achatina fulica Invasive; impacting native molluscs and forage plants Tiger mosquito Aedes aegypti Widespread with on-going severe impact. Adults are aerial/terrestrial and vector Dengue fever, larvae are aquatic; control attempts by cultural and chemical means Citrus Blackfly Aleurocanthus woglumi Agricultural pest Tropical Bont Tick Amblyomma variegatum Livestock pest of African origin Fruit fly Anestrepha obliqua Agricultural pest Gliricidia moth Azeta repugnalis Present since 2001 Sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci IAS of environmental importance or agricultural pests only? Tick savaan Boophilus microplus Livestock pest; vector of tick fever complex Agricultural pest of Asian origin Sweet potato weevil Cylas formicarius White cedar thrips Holopothrips iniquilnus Present since 2007 [terrestrial snail] Huttonella bicolour Introduced, of peninsular Malaysian origin; impact on Saint Lucia poorly documented Florida leatherleaf Leidyula floridana Introduced slug; impact on Saint Lucia poorly documented Pink Hibiscus mealybug Macronellicoccus hirsutus Invasive, successfully controlled by classical biocontrol Invasive; threatening endemic dung beetle species African dung beetle Ontophagus gazellae Papaya mealybug Paracoccus marginatus Citrus leaf miner Phyllocnistis citrella stainton Red palm mite Raoiella indica Chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis Mango seed weevil Sternochetus mangiferae [terrestrial snail] Streptostele musaecola Introduced molluscivore; impact on Saint Lucia poorly documented Oleander moth Syntomeida epilais Present since 1982 Melon thrips Thrips palmi IAS of environmental importance or agricultural pests only? Brown Citrus Aphid Toxoptera citricida Environmental importance or citrus pests only? Vector of CTV IAS of environmental importance or agricultural pests only? 199 Scientific name Common name Status Varroa mite Varroa destructor Present; invasive Pancake slug Veronicella sloanei Native to Jamaica; introduced in Eastern Caribbean; pest status Unidentified sandfly ?? Recent expansion into in-land areas and intensification of nuisance throughout day. Several sandfly species can vector leishmaniasis Plants: 41 Red sandalwood tree; Dalmawi Adenanthera pavonina Present, but contradictory reports on status and invasiveness Woman’s tongue Albizia lebbeck Present; reported invasive in parts of Caribbean Popgun tree Ardisia elliptica Common ornamental (of Asian origin - tropical Japan) in Castries area. Reported as invasive in many countries. Favours river floodplains in sun or shade Giant cane Arundo donax Probably extirpated in St. Lucia; belongs to GISD “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Neem Azadirachta indica Escaped from cultivation, Asian origin; Risk in disturbed and burnt habitats Desert date Balanites aegyptica Present; of African origin; contradictory reports on status and invasiveness Common bamboo Bambusa vulgaris Very common and invasive Basket plant Callisia fragrans Recent arrival? Escapes from cultivation, thrives in deciduous seasonal forest; serious potential threat on Pitons Ylang-ylang Cananga odorata Common on Piton Springs – Pacience road; potential threat in lower montane rainforest and riparian systems Casuarine Casuarina equisetifolia Reported invasive on many Caribbean islands, but still localized where planted in St. Lucia Jack in the bush; Chromolaena odorata Present, but contradictory reports on status and invasiveness; listed as indigenous by some authors Ivy gourd Coccinia grandis Invasive of African and Asian origin; Covering indigenous vegetation in mesic areas of Babonneau; risk in disturbed and burnt habitats Glue; Cordia obliqua Invasive of Indian origin; Tree of secondary coastal woodlands, savannas and seasonal swamps. Very comm on in Vieux Fort Beach area; risk in disturbed and burnt habitats Spiked spiralflag ginger Costus spicatus Present; potential threat in lower montane rainforest Rubber vine; Cryptostegia madagascariensis Invasive from Madagascar; Common in Laborie, Micoud and Vieux Fort; Risk in disturbed and burnt habitats; Potential threat to xeric savanna Cymbopogon citrates Naturalized of Old World origin; quite rare, but presenting a fire & IAS hazard in critical areas, e.g. Pigeon Island; Fléwi Nwèl Sip Lèt makak, Zong makak Lemongrass; Sitonnèl Golden pothos Epipremnum pinnatum Vine of S.E. Asia; cultivated ornamental; naturalized and replacing native Monstera adansonii in some river valleys Lavender; Hedychium coronarium Invasive of Asian origin; Common; Preference for very wet semiopen spots, especially roadsides and forest rivers; possibly replacing indigenous and very rare orchid Habenaria monorrhiza Heliconia Heliconia wagneriana Planted along forest edge from where it could invade disturbed, burnt habitats and lower montane rainforest Busy-lizzie Impatiens balsamina & Present; potential threat in lower montane rainforest I. walleriana Stalkleaf murainagrass Ischaemum timorense Jatropha Jatropha curcas Lavann Medsinnyè beni 200 Naturalized of Asian origin, common in open and semi-open wet areas at lower and middle elevations; Appears to be invasive in Choiseul ravines Imported for biofuel nursery in Plateau. Several batches were distributed prior to abandonment of project. Plant of tropical American origin has proven invasive elsewhere Scientific name Common name Status Leucaena Leucaena leucocephala Planted for charcoal production to protect mangrove. Contradictory reports on status and invasiveness Swordfern Macrothelypteris torresiana Naturalized from Africa, Asia and/or Pacific; Probably becoming more common; Terrestrial fern of dark shady roadsides and ravines Mazapan Malvaviscus penduliflorus Present; potential threat in lower montane rainforest Paper bark tree Melaleuca quinquenervia Contradictory reports on status and invasiveness Catclaw mimosa Mimosa pigra Naturalized; of African origin; Spreading fast; Assumed to be recent arrival; Risk in disturbed and burnt habitats; one of “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Asian sword fern Nephrolepis brownii Invasive of African and Asia origin; Replacing indigenous Nephrolepis rivularis; Risk in disturbed and burnt habitats Patchouli Pogostemon cablin Present; potential threat in lower montane rainforest MacArthur palm Ptychosperma macarthurii Present in disturbed forest: Union, Morne Fortune; potential threat to semi-evergreen seasonal forest Royal palm; Roystonea oleracea Present where planted; potential threat to semi-evergreen seasonal forest and riparian systems Mother-in-law’s tongue; Sansevieria hyacinthoides Present; potential threat to dry woodland on Pitons Lanng bèlmè Sansevieria trifasciata Saltmeadow cordgrass Spartina patens Present; potential threat to sandy beach edge African tulip tree Spathodea campanulata Spreading along Union River and elsewhere; potential threat to semievergreen seasonal forest; one of “World’s Worst 100 IAS” Phillippine Orchid Spathoglottis plicata Invasive of Asian origin; Very common and moving into forest Arrowhead vine Syngonium podophyllum Vine, still uncommon, present in Millet and Roseau; risk in disturbed and burnt habitats Maiden fern Thelypteris extensa Naturalized from SE. Asia and Indonesia; Quite rare but becoming commoner; Terrestrial on moist, shady roadsides Moses-in-the-cradle Tradescantia spathacea Escaped ornamental, naturalized? Present in dry rocky hills in the north, a real danger for the Pitons Wandering jew Tradescantia zebrina Invasive of African origin; Escaped ornamental; Very common around Gros Piton trail; very rare elsewhere Palmis Microbes and Viruses: 5 Fungal blight Cercosporidium sequoiae Pathogen affecting tree plantations of Cupressus lusitanica since 2005 Citrus Tristeza Citrus Tristeza Clausterovirus Citrus pest Dengue fever virus DENV Virus fluctuates seasonally; vectored by Aedes aegypti Witches’ broom of cocoa Moniliophthora (=Crinipellis) perniciosa Black Sigatoka Mycosphaerella fijiensis Host-specific plant pathogen; early phase of establishment; environmental impact assumed low. * Compiled from: Abadie, et al. (2008), Chambers & Smith (2007), Compton (2010), Daltry (2009b), Felix (1998), Gardener (2009), GOSL (undated a), Graveson (undated), Heileman & Walling (2008), Jn Pierre (2008), Kelly et al. (2008), Krauss et al. (2008), Krauss (2010a), Mathurin (2010b), OECS (undated), Rawlins et al. (2008), Robinson et al. (2004 & 2009). 201 Development of National Invasive Species Strategy (NISS) St. Lucia opted for a relatively large (over 40 members) and broad-based IAS Working Group. This group is currently comprised of representatives from Government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Intergovernmental Organizations, the private sector (table 2), as well as civil society. Individual members or additional agencies can be phased in as needed without unnecessary formality. In addition to the large national IAS working group, several sub-committees and task forces are formed as needed. In 2010 an ad hoc aquatic subcommittee formed that was subsequently focussed to create a Lionfish Task Force. A NISS task force is made up of national IAS working group members as well as local consultants for specific tasks. This team commenced by up-dating the gaps and needs analysis initiated during project preparation, including legislation gaps, implementation/enforcement realities, high risk pathways, etc. in preparation for fleshing out the NISS, whose structure was previously agreed. These analyses take the form of stand-alone reports prepared by, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem specialists, IAS pathway specialist, and change agent. The rationale is that stand-alone reports are more amenable to regular up-dating as needed, whereas the NISS will aim for a 10 year scope. Simultaneously, a Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) Strategy is being drafted. Table 2: Agencies represented in Saint Lucia’s National IAS Working Group. Agency represented Type Agriculture Department Part of Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Forestry (MALFF) Biodiversity Unit Part of MALFF Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI) Intergovernmental Coastal Zone Management Unit Part of Ministry of Physical Planning and the Environment Customs & Excise Department Reports to Ministry of Finance Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT) International NGO Fisheries Department Part of MALFF Forestry Department Part of MALFF Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Intergovernmental Saint Lucia Air & Seaports Authority (SLASPA) Reports to Ministry of Communications and Works Saint Lucia Dive Association (ANBAGLO) Private Sector Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT) NGO Soufriere Foundation NGO Soufriere Marine Management Association (SMMA) NGO Sustainable Development Part of Ministry of Physical Planning and the Environment 202 Development of Caribbean Invasive Alien Species Strategy (CIAS) The regional project steering committee meets once a year, taking turns of pilot countries so that pilot sites can be visited and lessons exchanges in situ. The project kick-off meeting took place in Jamaica in December, 2009. The second meeting was hosted by Saint Lucia in October, 2010. A regional consultation for CIAS development in Trinidad in June 2010 employed the ecosystem approach with three working groups focusing on terrestrial, marine ecosystems and freshwater ecosystems. Saint Lucia strives to participate fully in relevant regional and global IAS fora. Within the mandate of the GEF-funded project, St. Lucia feels particularly responsible to liaise closely with the Francophone Eastern Caribbean & OECS. Knowledge Management Information Sharing and St Lucia conducted an awareness survey (Krauss, 2010b) that aimed to establish a baseline that could inform the strategic approach of a public awareness campaign and provide a basis against which the success of such interventions could be assessed. The study showed that, despite clear evidence of ongoing environmental education having an impact, the understanding of biodiversity issues remains rather limited and largely restricted to the better-educated professionals. Therefore, as a foundation to the public education campaign, the fundamental concepts of biodiversity should be reinforced. Cultivated species that have been introduced several generations ago, such as the Asian mango, banana and citrus, were frequently and incorrectly viewed as indigenous to St. Lucia, including significant IAS, e.g. the alien iguana and feral pigs. This widespread misconception needs addressing systematically, as it cannot be assumed that the meanings of the terms “native” or “alien” are generally understood. Basic IAS concepts need to be communicated with clarity and objectivity. IAS are the second most important threat to biodiversity (after habitat loss). However, this is not yet the public perception. In the baseline awareness survey, deforestation was the most frequently mentioned threat to terrestrial biodiversity, followed by garbage, chemicals and pollution. IAS ranked only 18th. Most St. Lucians (97%) were able to name one or more IAS, which they were familiar with often through agriculture. The most recognized species were the giant African snail, the pink Hibiscus mealybug, disease (pathogens), and the alien invasive iguana (figure 3). Fewer (62%) were aware of the impact on biodiversity. Clearly, the current ranking of IAS as a threat to ecosystems needs to be improved by IAS public education campaigns. These should build their curricula around a solid conceptualization of IAS, their effects and dynamics, as this seems to be the missing link in fragmented but punctually quite accurate and often rather detailed baseline awareness (Krauss, 2010b). Respondents cross St. Lucia were well-aware of humans as the main vectors for terrestrial IAS, via both deliberate and accidental introductions. This indicates fertile grounds for a public education campaign, also on still absent IAS – a prerequisite to encourage behavioural changes in favour of preventing IAS introduction and spread. In general St. Lucians appeared very open to the destruction of existing IAS and to collaboration with authorities for IAS management. This constructive public attitude should be cultivated by a transparent information policy. Television, radio and internet were the most important information sources for environmental issues in St. Lucia and should all be employed by a multimedia campaign. Television enjoys the widest audience so that IAS television programmes should be designed to have general appeal. Radio is most suitable to reach the mature generation. Education programmes for schools and colleges should make extensive use of the internet in order to reach this target group, together with their teachers. A recent knowledge, awareness and practices (KAP) survey on environmental awareness in relation to protected areas in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) indicated that St. Lucia compares well with other OECS countries. Thus, St. Lucia will strive for a leadership role in raising sub-regional awareness on IAS issues and share the lessons learnt from this current project. 203 Preventative Pilot Projects The prevention pilot focuses on the PSEPA (figure 4), an area of ca 1,038 hectares of land and sea (Gardener, 2009). It consists of a narrow coastal strip of Queen’s Chain, the Savannes Bay Mangroves and Mankoté Mangroves, as well as the offshore islands Scorpion Island and Maria Islands. Both of St. Lucia’s Ramsar sites lie within the PSEPA. The two Maria Islands form part of the PSEPA (figure Of all the protected areas of Saint Lucia, Maria Island (Major) contains the most threatened, endangered and endemic reptile species. The islands are located 1000 yards off the south-eastern coast of Saint Lucia. There are eight reptile species of which five are endemics: the tree lizard (Anolis trinitatis luciae), the St. Lucian fer-delance snake (Bothrops caribbaeus), the St. Lucia pigmy gecko (Sphaerodactylus microlepis microlepis), the Saint Lucian racer, and the Saint Lucia whiptail lizard. This high rate of endemism on such a vulnerable small fragile area/ecosystem is of serious concern, more so since the area is both a marine reserve and a bird sanctuary, which make it vulnerable to IAS by (land, sea and air), and by both natural and human agents, such as avian influenza, rats, and the Pacific lionfish. 4). Figure 4: Pointe Sable Environmental Protection Area on Saint Lucia’s East Coast with the Maria Islands(St. Lucia National Trust). The purpose of the terrestrial component is the conservation of the endemic L. ornatus and C. vanzoi. The pilot project exploits the existence of off-shore islands for the establishment and management of metapopulations of critical species. The off-shore islands of potential significance for threatened endemic vertebrates and predatory IAS are: Dennery Island, the Maria islands, Praslin Islands and Rat Island (figure 5a). 204 Figure 5a: Metapopulations of endemic species can find a safe-haven on St. Lucia’s offshore islands, if these can be kept free from IAS predators (U. KRAUSS). Figure 5b: Feral sheep on Dennery island seem to survive on moisture in vegetation when the rainfed waterhole (below) dries out (Matthew Morton, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust). The Forestry Department, together with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (DWCT), cleared the following islands of IAS predators: Praslin Island in 1993 and 1995, Dennery Island in 2005 (but livestock reappeared – figure 5b), and Rat Island in 2005. Both the Maria Islands appear to have been rat-free in recent history, but others (Rouche and Frigate) require a survey. Subsequently, C. vanzoi was re-introduced to Praslin and Rat Islands. As part of on-going management, these sites need to be monitored for IAS re-appearance and maintained IAS-free; thus, long-term management Figure. 6: The St. Lucia iguana... “prevention”. ... and the alien intruder (U. KRAUSS) (hopefully) falls under Arrival and Management of the Alien Invasive Iguana The exotic iguana (figure 6) was first reported in the wild in 2006. Its country of origin is unknown; these specimen are believed to have been bought from a pet shop in Canada and smuggled into Saint Lucia for a mini zoo in Soufriere. At least two, but possibly more, individuals escaped and subsequently naturalized. In the light of local observations collated by a recent awareness survey (Krauss, 2010b), it seems likely that first escapes occurred before 2000 and that there were probably several escapes from one or more source(s). Since 2008 the spread of the alien iguana within the Soufriere basin is considered invasive. The alien iguana has a high reproductive potential. Its clutch size is 4060 eggs, whereas the clutch size of the native iguana is only 20-25. The alien iguana is also very mobile locally and adaptable to different environments. Several factors contribute to its damaging impact: ► It can compete with indigenous species for food and habitat, causing a reduction in numbers or even extinction of the local species ► It may breed with the indigenous species, causing the latter to lose its uniqueness. This, in turn, would destroy the iyanola concept, with negative consequences for national pride as well marketing it to tourists ► It may vector pests and diseases to the local iguana populations, especially if imported illegally without veterinary certification or inspection ► It may cause an imbalance to local ecosystems ► It could become an agricultural pests that would cause a direct economic loss For the control of the alien invasive iguana, early detection and rapid response is very important, as control is only realistically possible as long as the ranges of the two types of iguanas remain separate. Especially on the mountains surrounding Soufriere, its control will become increasingly difficult. The main approach here is the capture, removal and euthanasia (by a veterinarian) of the alien invasive iguana from South-West Saint Lucia. This is an ongoing collaboration between DWCT and the Forestry Department, initiated by questionnaires and field surveys in 2008, prior to the main phase of the GEF project. The DWCT has been involved with Forestry in the implementation of removal methods since they were first deployed in 2009, and are supported by the Balcombe Trust in this work. This activity is now being continued with the support of the GEF-funded project. One aim is to identify more cost-effective search and capture methods. Acknowledgements The author thanks the organizers and the Direction Régionale de l’Environnement (DIREN) Martinique for a funded invitation to attend this symposium. The project presented here if co-funded principally by GEF, the Government of St. Lucia (GOSL) and the DWCT, in partnership with other local and regional collaborators. 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