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Projects |

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Seabird Breeding Atlas of the Lesser Antilles
Partners: EPIC, Lista Light, and regional
island partners
Project Dates: February 2009 - July
2010
Project Location: Lesser Antilles
Project Description: Land and water
based surveys for all breeding seabirds and invasive predators will be
conducted in those areas for which insufficient data has been collected.
Over two years, one survey in winter and one in spring/summer will be
conducted to account for varied breeding seasons. Local media and public
discussions will be used to raise awareness of seabird and marine
conservation issues. Local partnerships are an essential component to the
success of this program and a support person will be established on each
island prior to the survey. A hard copy of the completed atlas will be
provided to participating island governments and non-profit agencies as well
as regional bodies. The atlas will also be available online at the EPIC
website as well as regional and global databases: OBIS-SEAMAP, WIS-GIS,
E-BIRD Caribbean, and Caribbean Birds
Project Importance:
By systematically documenting the
breeding seabirds of the rapidly developing Lesser Antilles, we will create
the first comprehensive regional perspective on seabird populations. Seabird
atlases have proven to be effective tools for management around the world.
From Australia to Europe to North America, these documents provide a unique
view of a region and a framework for integration of future studies. A
complete Atlas of the Lesser Antilles is essential for an effective regional
preservation programs and the Caribbean Waterbirds Conservation Plan, which
will be drafted by the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean
Birds (SCSCB).
Visit our partner Lista Light's website:
www.listalight.co.uk |
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Important Bird Areas (IBA's)
Partners: EPIC and BirdLife
International
Project Location/Species:
St. Maarten, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts, and Nevis.
Project Description:
As part of a global
initiative, Birdlife International contracted EPIC to identify potential
Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for St. Kitts, Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius and
St. Maarten/Martin. For more information on IBAs, visit
http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/sites/index.html .
Project Importance:
EPIC identified multiple IBA's in the Lesser Antilles which raised awareness
of habitat for Laughing Gulls (St. Maarten), Caribbean Coots (St. Maarten),
Red-billed Tropicbirds (Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Martin), Least Terns
(St. Kitts), Brown Pelican (St. Maarten), Royal Tern (St. Maarten),
Scaly-breasted Thrasher (St. Martin and St. Eustatius), and Bridled-quail
Dove (St. Martin, St. Eustatius, and St. Kitts) |

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Seabird Nest Monitoring in the Lesser Antilles
Partners: EPIC, Anguilla National Trust, Anguilla Ministry of the
Environment, St. Martin Nature Reserve, Sint Maarten Nature Foundation, Saba
Conservation Effort, St. Eustatius National Park, St. Kitts Department of
Environment, Nevis Department of Environment, and Dominica Department of
Fisheries and Wildlife.
Project Dates: December 2000 - Present. Long-term project.
Current Project Location: Anguilla, Dog Island, Prickly Pear,
Anguillita, Scrub Island, St. Martin, Tintamarre, Saba, St. Eustatius, St.
Kitts, Booby Island, Nevis, and Dominica.
Project Description: Census seabird colonies. Monitor nesting
success. Chick provisioning studies. Record predation and disturbance
events.
Focus Species: Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby, Masked Booby,
Magnificent Frigatebird, White-tailed Tropicbird, Red-billed Tropicbird,
Caribbean Brown Pelican, Audubon's Shearwater, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern,
Least Tern, Common Tern, Roseate Tern, Sooty Tern, Bridled Tern, and Brown
Noddy.
Project Importance: Increase awareness of local breeding biology for
Caribbean seabird species. Identify threats (development, predation)
to seabird species. Work with local governmental and non-governmental
organizations to create partnerships that will work together in the future
to conserve the Caribbean seabird breeding community.
EPIC has posted our
data on Lesser Antillean seabird colonies to the OBIS online database:
http://seamap.env.duke.edu/datasets/detail/418
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Invasive Species Removal
Partners: EPIC, St. Martin Nature Reserve, and Karen
Varnham.
Project Dates: Long-term Project
Project Location: Tintamarre Island,
St. Martin, French Antilles
Project Description: Eradicate
invasive mammal species on Tintamarre, including rats. Once invasive
species are removed, undergo long-term monitoring.
Project Importance: Tintamarre is home
to nesting seabird colonies of Red-billed Tropicbirds, Audubon's Shearwater,
Bridled Tern, Brown Noddy, and Roseate Tern. Tintamarre may have been home
to a substantial Audubon Shearwater population, but now numbers have dropped
to two known nests. The removal of invasive mammal species will eliminate a
huge threat to these seabird populations. |
200 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Riviera Beach, Florida, 33404
(707)-845-1171
INFO@EPICISLANDS.ORG
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