Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories - WIDECAST

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14 ANGUILLA is endemic to the island. It occurs near Deep Waters at the east end of the island and in the vicinity of Little Bay, near Flat Cap Point (Howard & Kellogg 1987). Reptiles and amphibians The reptiles of Anguilla and offshore cays consist of 12 lizard species, one species of snake and one species of land tortoise. The endemic reptiles are: a black ground lizard Ameiva corvina: endemic to Sombrero; a black ground lizard Ameiva corax: endemic to Little Scrub Island. The following species are endemic to the Anguilla Bank: Leeward Island racer Alsophis rijersmai (EN): this snake occurs in Anguilla, Guadeloupe and the Netherlands Antilles. An assesment of the Anguilla population took place in spring 1998. a ground lizard Ameiva pleei: this species is endemic to Anguilla, St Martin and St Barthelemy, where it occurs in dry scrub, mangrove edges and amongst limestone. a tree lizard Anolis gingivinus: occurs on most islands and cays on the Anguilla Bank being ubiquitous amongst coastal scrub, rocks and trees. a small gecko Sphaerodactylus macrolepis parvus: endemic to the Anguilla Bank; on Anguilla it is found only in moist areas, such as caves and canyons, it is most abundant in Katouche Canyon and Cavannagh Cave. Two other reptiles, the gecko Sphaerodactylus sputator and Lesser Antillean iguana Iguana delicatissima (VU) are endemic to the northern Lesser Antilles. Of these, the iguana is threatened on the island as a result of tree felling and grazing by feral goats: only about 50 individuals remain. During 1997 Fauna & Flora International worked with the Anguilla National Trust to assess the status of the Lesser Antillian iguana. Other than those listed above, there is a further threat to this species posed by the arrival of the green iguana Iguana iguana which floated to Anguilla on logs during Hurricane Louis in 1995. Several of the latter species have been captured and are being kept by a friend of the Trust to prevent or minimise the risk of interbreeding. Meanwhile a conservation plan is being developed for the Lesser Antillian iguana. Translocation to offshore cays and other conservation areas is being considered as well as captive breeding. Anguilla is of regional importance for sea turtle nesting sites. Green turtle Chelonia mydas (EN). Together with the hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata, the green turtle is the most common species in Anguillan waters. Important nest sites for this turtle include Dog Island and the Prickly Pear Cays (Groombridge & Luxmoore 1989). Notable foraging sites are Shoal Bay, North Hill Village, Lower South Hill, Long Bay, Meads Bay, Scrub Island, Sandy Island, Sombrero Island, Dog Island, and between South Shoal Bay and Blowing Rock (Groombridge & Luxmoore 1989). Hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata (CR). The hawksbill is the principal species nesting on Anguilla. Important nesting sites include Dog Island, the main island and on Prickly Pear Cays (Groombridge & Luxmoore 1989). Foraging hawksbills are present year round, especially in the extensive reef to the north of the island and the offshore cays (Groombridge & Luxmoore 1989). Leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea (EN). Leatherback turtles are considered to be rare around Anguilla. Nesting has been recorded from the main island and Scrub Island (Meylan 1983); the current status of this population requires evaluation. Loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta (EN). There is
ANGUILLA 15 little information about this species in Anguillan waters. Loggerhead turtles have been captured at Scilly Cay, near Island Harbour and are suspected to forage around Dog Island, Scrub Island and Sandy Island (Meylan 1983). There have been no reliable reports of nesting by loggerheads on Anguilla (Meylan 1983). With the help of the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), the Anguilla National Trust has taken the opportunity of a fiveyear moratorium on the harvesting of sea turtles, to develop public awareness and education about the four species which may be found in Anguillan waters. The focus has been on the hawksbill, which is Anguilla’s predominant nesting species, and the green turtle which forages on Anguilla’s reefs and surrounding waters. A second five-year moratorium is now being sought for scientific study of the turtles that will inform the Anguilla Sea Turtle Recovery Plan (STRAP). Each WIDECAST member country will have a STRAP based on the particular needs of their turtle populations. A WIDECAST workshop was held in Anguilla in late1998, supported by WWF-UK. Birds Anguilla is important for seabirds in a regional context, and for waterfowl and migratory shorebirds. Wetland and bird research priorities are specified by Pritchard (1990). Mammals Five species of bats, Anguilla’s only native terrestrial mammals, reside in the caves and sink holes of the island. Assessment of the bat populations by the Anguilla National Trust, working with Fauna and Flora International (FFI) is currently proposed. The bat species of Anguilla are: Barbados long-tongued bat Monophyllus plethodon (LRnt) A subspecies of the Jamaican fruit-eating bat Artibeus jamaicensis jamaicensis A subspecies of the Antillean fruit-eating bat Brachyphylla cavernarum cavernarum Mexican funnel-eared bat Natalus stramineus Pallas’ mastiff-bat Molossus molossus Migrating humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae (VU) and, occasionally, sperm whales Physeter catodon (VU) have been reported off the northwest and west coasts of Anguilla in March/April (Gricks 1994). The sei whale Balaenoptera borealis (EN) may occur sporadically in Anguillan waters, although this requires confirmation. Species protection • The Wild Birds Protection Ordinance 1913: this protects specified wild bird species and their nests and eggs. It establishes a closed season for specified ‘game’ birds. Protected and game species are listed only by their local names. Updating the Ordinance is desirable (Bradley, undated). • The Fisheries Protection Ordinance No. 4 1988: this applies to territorial waters plus the contiguous 200 mile fisheries zone. It provides for the appointment of Fisheries Officers and gives them enforcement powers. The Ordinance regulates the taking and killing of certain marine species, and establishes close seasons for lobsters and turtles. It repeals the Turtles Ordinance No. 6 of 1984. Details of the policing of fisheries are set out in the Fisheries Protection Regulations No. 12 1988 and the Fisheries Protection (Amendment) Regulations No. 4 1990. Acknowledgements Ijahnya Christian, Anguilla National Trust. Dave Bicker, Government House Anguilla. Roland Hodge, Elvet Hughes, Walcott Richardson – Government of Anguilla Key names and addresses Ministry of Tourism (Permanent Secretary),
Page 1 and 2: Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Terri
Page 3 and 4: Contents Acknowledgements Chapter 1
Page 5 and 6: BIODIVERSITY: THE UK OVERSEAS TERRI
Page 11 and 12: 11 2: Anguilla Cuba Turks & Caicos
Page 13: ANGUILLA 13 extremely complex lando
Page 17 and 18: ANGUILLA 17 Howard, R.A., & Kellogg
Page 19 and 20: ASCENSION 19 Boatswainbird Island w
Page 21 and 22: ASCENSION 21 Table 3.2 Some endemic
Page 23 and 24: 23 4: Bermuda United States of Amer
Page 25 and 26: BERMUDA 25 • Fisheries Act 1972.
Page 27 and 28: BERMUDA 27 and conservationists to
Page 29 and 30: BERMUDA 29 Bermuda. Despite repeate
Page 31 and 32: BERMUDA 31 • Protected Species Or
Page 33 and 34: BERMUDA 33 475: 1-88. Lever, C. 198
Page 35 and 36: BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY 35 Anta
Page 37 and 38: 37 6: British Indian Ocean Territor
Page 39 and 40: BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 39 e
Page 41 and 42: BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 41 c
Page 43 and 44: BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 43 I
Page 45 and 46: 45 7: British Virgin Islands Cuba T
Page 47 and 48: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 47 marine pa
Page 49 and 50: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 49 dunes, ma
Page 51 and 52: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 51 (British)
Page 53 and 54: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 53 Bibliogra
Page 55 and 56: 55 8: The Cayman Islands Cuba Turks
Page 57 and 58: THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 57 status of two
Page 59 and 60: THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 59 are included
Page 61 and 62: THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 61 endemic to Gr
Page 63 and 64: THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 63 Mammals The b
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THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 65 Islands natur
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THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 67 Internation
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THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 69 the followi
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THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 71 humpback wh
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THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 73 Unpublished
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75 10: Gibraltar Portugal Spain Gib
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GIBRALTAR 77 unique characteristics
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GIBRALTAR 79 species may pass over
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GIBRALTAR 81 conservation in Gibral
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MONTSERRAT 83 Implementation Ramsar
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MONTSERRAT 85 The slippery back ski
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MONTSERRAT 87 Survey of conservatio
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THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 89 • Interna
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THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 91 tree or shr
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THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 93 The land sn
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THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 95 Collar, N.J
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SOUTH GEORGIA 97 International obli
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99 14: South Sandwich Islands Argen
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101 15: St Helena Atlantic Ocean AS
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ST HELENA 103 Peak Forest Reserve (
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ST HELENA 105 St Helena gumwood Com
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ST HELENA 107 species. The recorded
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ST HELENA 109 • The Endangered En
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ST HELENA 111 Oldfield, S., Lusty,
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THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 113 Im
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THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 115 su
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THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 117 co
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THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 119 Fr
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TURKS AND CAICOS 121 of the Marine
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TURKS AND CAICOS 123 by Mumby et al
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TURKS AND CAICOS 125 Argythamnia ar
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TURKS AND CAICOS 127 Acknowledgemen
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TURKS AND CAICOS 129 Sanderson, J.
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BIODIVERSITY: THE UK OVERSEAS TERRI
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Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories - WIDECAST

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