Times of the Islands Fall 2023

More documents

Recommendations

Info

green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources REBECCA ORR In a touristed area, five iguanas rapidly approached visitors without fear. beach, however, the shrubbery was intersected by a wide and heavily traversed path. Not only does this walkway disruptively bisect the iguanas’ habitat, but it also gives humans unhindered access to their preferred hiding spaces. These invasive man-made developments increase the chances of human–iguana interactions even more. This investigation made it apparent that the iguanas subject to feeding from tourists had entirely different behavior from those who were not accustomed to human visitors. This is an important finding for multiple reasons. First and foremost, these interactions pose physical threats to both humans and iguanas. In the touristed area, iguanas were bold and even demanding, waltzing right up to the researchers and sometimes scratching or biting them. Provisioned iguanas also tend to fight amongst themselves over food, depleting energy reserves and potentially resulting in injuries. Finally, humans may directly harm iguana health by unknowingly feeding them foods that are harmful to them and by leaving behind trash that iguanas mistake for food. Additionally, provisioning can affect the whole ecosystem, as iguanas not only feed themselves but also nourish the environment with their way of living. If they start relying on humans to give them bananas, potato chips, and other snacks they can’t find at their natural grocery store, they’ll stop eating native plants. If they stop pruning shrubs and spreading seeds, these plants, such as the seven year apple, an important food source for native birds, and torchwood, which has a dense root system that protects against beach erosion, will no longer grow and flourish. Iguana populations will dwindle as their habitat becomes sparse and barren, unable to sustain themselves on exclusively processed foods. Protecting iguanas is therefore essential to protecting the vibrant and rich ecosystem of the Turks & Caicos Islands. So, what do these findings mean for future visitors to Turks & Caicos? If you plan on enjoying the Islands, it’s important to be mindful of the native wildlife. While the local critters may seem friendly and eager to accept food from tourists, remember that they are still wild animals. These scaly little creatures deserve to have their homes and personal space respected. If you are visiting one of the cays where they occur and you’d like to see an iguana in the wild, pick a sunny day and try sitting quietly and still at ground level within eyesight of dense shrubbery, their favorite hiding spot, keeping an ear out for their telltale rustling noises. This way, you have a higher chance of observing the igua- 42 www.timespub.tc
green pages newsletter of the department of environment & coastal resources REBECCA ORR This adult male Turks & Cacios rock iguana watches visitors approach as he perches upon a conch shell. nas without disrupting their normal daily activities. The best spot to do this is on Little Water Cay, also known as Iguana Cay, part of the Princess Alexandra Nature Reserve and located a short distance northeast of Providenciales. Elevated boardwalks allow visitors to traverse the island without disrupting the habitat. If you do visit Little Water Cay, make sure you leave your pets at home, as dogs and cats still pose a threat to these recovering populations. Also be sure not to stray from the boardwalk, and to collect and remove food wrappers or other litter that could be eaten by iguanas. And of course, NO FEEDING THE IGUANAS! By being considerate of the local ecosystem, we can help ensure a safe and enjoyable trip for ourselves and for the creatures that call these places home. It’s best to let them interact naturally with their environment and find their own food sources—so keep your bananas and potato chips to yourself! a For detailed article references or more information about The School for Field Studies, contact Director Heidi Hertler on South Caicos at hhertler@fieldstudies.org or visit www.fieldstudies.org. Times of the Islands Fall 2023 43
Page 1 and 2: TIMES OF THE SAMPLING THE SOUL OF T
Page 3 and 4: Building Your Vision, Delivering Ex
Page 5 and 6: Crafted for the fl ow of life. Form
Page 7: Arc By Piero Lissoni Elevated Beach
Page 10 and 11: The Leading Private Bank in the Tur
Page 17 and 18: Where the welcome is always warm. w
Page 19 and 20: the way it was It was quite a voyag
Page 21 and 22: hermit crabs in a pair made of russ
Page 23 and 24: making a difference Opposite page:
Page 25 and 26: print, and improve our lives as wel
Page 27: wear it in the ocean. These product
Page 30 and 31: Hermit crabs change shells after ea
Page 32 and 33: 32 www.timespub.tc
Page 35 and 36: around the islands Opposite page: T
Page 37 and 38: Sisal produced in the Caicos Island
Page 39 and 40: green pages Newsletter of the Depar
Page 41: green pages newsletter of the depar
Page 45 and 46: green pages newsletter of the depar
Page 47: green pages newsletter of the depar
Page 50: The Turks & Caicos Islands are a sm
Page 53: is sport development is eligible to
Page 56 and 57: The Ashley’s Learning Centre’s
Page 58 and 59: workshops, and events that cultivat
Page 60 and 61: TMW2022.qxp_Layout 1 3/2/22 3:41 PM
Page 62 and 63: astrolabe newsletter of the Turks &
Page 70 and 71: Time zone Eastern Standard Time (ES
Page 72 and 73: Government/Legal system TCI is a Br
Page 74 and 75: classified ads B R A Z I L I A N B
Page 76: We help you turn some day into righ

Times of the Islands Fall 2023

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?