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ecosystems of The Bahamas / national parks


Endangered Species Of The Bahamas


    GREEN TURTLE


    Scientific Name

    Chelonia mydas

 

Description
Green turtles get their name because of the color of their body fat which gives the turtle its characteristic color. The carapace (the hard top shell) is mottled light to dark brown and streaked with olive green. Adults can weigh between 200 to 500 pounds. Fairly long flippers and an oval shell make Green turtles hydro-dynamically suited to long-distance swimming. Green turtles and other sea turtles are reptiles.

Diet
Juvenile Green turtles are carnivorous (meat eating) until the age of six months to a year. However, adult Green turtles are largely vegetarian eating underwater grasses especially turtle grass (Thalassia) and seaweeds.

Reproduction
Green sea turtles mate in the water. After mating, the female Green turtle usually nests at night. She drags herself out of the sea and onto a nesting beach, up beyond the reach of high tide. Using her hind flippers like shovels, she scoops out a bottle shaped hole and lays about one hundred white, leathery eggs that look like ping-pong balls. She covers the nest with sand and returns to the sea, paying no further attention to it and never seeing her young.

The sun's rays heat the beach, warming the turtle eggs buried in the sand. Temperature will determine the sex of the young turtles. Females emerge from the eggs on top where warmer temperatures are found; males emerge from the bottom where cooler temperatures are found. The eggs develop in the nest and are ready to hatch in about two months. Almost all must hatch at the same time, for they all must share the work of digging out from the nest. When the hatchlings are an inch or two below the surface of the beach they become quiet and wait for the surface temperature to drop indicating nightfall. Under the protection of darkness the baby turtles burst out of the nest and rush to the water. Phosphorescence, a light given off by organisms living in the sea, creates a glow that provides direction for these turtles as to the location of the ocean. The hatchling instinctively heads for this "bright" horizon. Tragically, in settled areas, hatchlings are now attracted to the bright lights of highways, hotels and parking lots and head away from the sea instead of towards it. They are usually killed. Thousands of hatchlings are lost this way each year.

Habitat
Green turtles can be found in waters between 35° north and 35° south latitude. The major nesting beaches for Green sea turtles in the Wider Caribbean are in Costa Rica, Aves Island off Venezuela, and in Surinam. They also nest in many other places including The Bahamas.

Status
The Green turtle has suffered great decline and is very endangered throughout its range. The world total for all remaining populations of green turtles may be fewer than 500,000 individuals. Green turtles are listed in Appendix I of the Convention on the International Trade of endangered Species (CITES), meaning that they are near extinction or very endangered. Unfortunately, Green turtles can still be harvested in The Bahamas during Open Season (August I -March 31).

Threats
Commercial use: While all sea turtles have edible meat, the Green turtle is favored as the source of the best turtle meat for human consumption. Turtle cartilage, or calipee, used in the manufacture of clear turtle soup, is obtained primarily from Green turtles. Turtle oil, used in cosmetics, is also obtained primarily from Green turtles.
Incidental take: Adult turtles, are accidentally captured and frequently drowned in nets used for commercial fishing such as shrimp fishing.
Habitat destruction: Coastal development and resulting pollution is contributing to a decline in Green turtle and other sea turtle populations worldwide.
Natural threats: Adult sea turtles, which are both fast and heavily armored, have few natural enemies, although sharks can do great damage to them. Young sea turtles have many enemies - ants, crabs, dogs, raccoons, lizards, carnivorous fish and birds - that sometimes eat them immediately after hatching.

Interesting Facts
BAHAMIAN ROCK IGUANA

Scientific Name
There are three species, Cyclura cychlura, Cyclura carinata, and Cyclura rileyi, and seven subspecies of Rock iguanas in The Bahamas.

Description
Rock iguanas are large lizards. The Bahamian species of Rock iguanas are usually some shade of brown. Most are two and a half to three feet long.

Diet
Young iguanas eat mostly plants and insects. Later in life, they become almost complete herbivores (plant eaters), feeding on leaves, fruits and flowers of a large variety of plants including some like manchineel that are toxic or noxious to humans. It is probably not necessary for them to drink, particularly if the plants on which they feed are succulent. Wild dilly (Manilkara bahamensis), black torch (Erithalis fruticosum), darling plum (Reynosia,septentrionalis), and blolly (Guapira obtusa) are eaten by Rock iguanas.

Reproduction
Sexual maturity occurs when Rock iguanas are about six to nine years old. Breeding takes place in early spring. At this time mature males are more brightly colored than at any other time. Around the middle of June, females lay three to twelve white, leathery eggs, usually in shallow burrows in the sand. In approximately three months the young hatch and dig their way to the surface.

Habitat
Rock iguanas thrive in dry areas where there are sandy patches for breeding and limestone that provides the Rock iguana with holes to retreat in and shade to regulate body temperature.

Status
All Rock iguanas in The Bahamas are protected by the Wild Animals (Protection) Act. At present, The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists all Bahamian populations of Rock iguanas as "rare". The Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) list the Rock iguana in Appendix I meaning the species is near extinction or very endangered. All international trade is prohibited among CITES signatory nations. Subspecies of Rock iguanas are found on Andros, San Salvador, Acklins, Mayaguana, and in the Exuma Cays.

Threats
On Andros, wild hogs, feral cats and dogs are severe threats to iguanas there. All other Bahamian Rock iguanas are restricted to small, isolated islands where these animals do not pose a threat. Even so, there remains the continuous threat to all populations of iguanas of being harvested by man for food and for the pet trade, and a potential threat of falling prey to introduced predators, such as dogs and feral cats. In addition natural disasters, such as hurricanes are a constant threat.

Interesting Facts
WEST INDIAN FLAMINGO


The West Indian Flamingo is hardly one to be confused with other birds. Its long legs, long neck and characteristic pink color make these birds unlike any other. The West Indian Flamingo has a large, heavy, down curved bill that is most often described by the layperson as "strange". Adults are usually about four feet tall.
Diet
The larvae of the salt marsh fly are one of the major constituents of the diet of West Indian Flamingos. They also eat brine shrimp, small snails and other forms of animal and vegetable life so small that they can scarcely be seen without the aid of a microscope! Although small in size, this food is rich in carotene, the compound that gives Flamingos their characteristic color. Flamingos stir up their food from shallow water and separate it from the mud and water by pumping and straining it through their bill, upside down!

Reproduction
Flamingo breeding activity usually begins in early March when huge flocks gather and engage in elaborate and loud courtship ceremonies. This is almost a very large dance – the massed birds prance around shoulder to shoulder, long necks waving and twisting this way and that, and a thousand voices setting up a fearful hue and cry. The chorus of courting bird can be heard miles away. When it is all over, the pairs are formed and the building of the nest mounds begins, usually around April. Nests are built on the ground out of mud and are baked hard by the sun. The nest, which resembles a small volcano, can be from a few inches high to sometimes over two feet high with a shallow crater at the top. This is where the single egg is deposited. Flamingos lay one white egg that is about twice the size of a hen’s egg. Both parents share in incubation, which takes about one month. Flamingo chicks look nothing like their parents. They are covered with a thick coat of white down and have pink bills and feet. Both parents feed the chick "flamingo milk" - a red secretion from the throat of the adult birds. When they are about 30 days old the chicks have changed to a dark gray down and start to feed themselves but still eat from their parents if they can.

Status
In the 1950's it was thought that the West Indian Flamingo might become extinct in The Bahamas because their numbers were so few and were still declining. With the help of the National Audubon Society in the United States, the creation of the Bahamas National Trust and the appointment of park wardens, the Inagua population has grown to approximately 60,000 - a true conservation success story. Even though their numbers are impressive, the West Indian Flamingo is an endangered species. It is illegal to harm or capture this bird under the Bahamas Wild Bird (Protection) Act. The Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) lists the West Indian Flamingo in Appendix H, which means that they are threatened and stand to become endangered.

Threats
Natural threats: Building nests directly on the ground make flamingos vulnerable to a number of predators. Wild donkeys and boar that roam freely in the same area where flamingos live and nest can trample the eggs.
Hunting: Although flamingo meat is eaten in other Caribbean countries, it is illegal to harm, capture or kill the flamingo in The Bahamas.
Historical threats: The flamingo was hunted extensively in the 1800s for its big, pink feathers that were used to decorate hats and other non-essential items. During World War II low-flying planes over Andros wreaked havoc on the flamingo population. This noisy disturbance drove these shy birds away - so much so that their return was doubtful.

Interesting facts

Text adapted from West Indian Flamingo by Robert Porter Allen
information, Courtesy of the Bahamas National Trust



    BAHAMIAN PARROT


    Scientific Name
    Amazona lecocephala bahamensis

 

Description
The Bahama Parrot is a subspecies of the Cuban Amazon parrot. The Bahama Parrot’s scientific name literally means, "white headed Amazon parrot from The Bahamas.” Its white head and mostly green body make the Bahama parrot easily recognized. It has patches of red feathers on its cheek, throat and sometimes its abdomen; its flight feathers, usually hidden from sight when it is perched in a tree, are a beautiful cobalt blue. Viewers are often struck by this unexpected flash of color. The Bahama parrot’s short, rounded bill is characteristic of all true parrots. The bill is a powerful multi-purpose tool used for eating, climbing, defending, preening (grooming) and playing. The Bahama parrot has two toes facing forwards and two facing backwards - a configuration known as zygodactylism. The Bahama parrot is 12-13 inches in length.

Diet
The Bahama Parrot eats a variety of fruits. They feed on wild guava, poisonwood berries, pigeon berry, and the fruit from gumbo-limbo and pond-top palm. Especially during the breeding season, Bahama parrots in Abaco eat the seed from the Pine trees. This provides a rich source of protein, essential for the development of Bahama parrot chicks.

Reproduction
Pair formation begins in early spring. Bahama Parrots are monogamous - they mate for life. In Inagua, the Bahama parrot seeks out cavities in large, hollow trees.

The Inagua parrots use our national tree, Lignum vitae, the Mahogany and Black Mangrove trees for nesting. Abaco parrots look for limestone cavities on the ground of the pine forest to nest in. The female parrot lays two to four eggs. For 26 days she incubates them while her mate assumes responsibility for food. The eggs open 12 -72 hours apart. Parrot chicks hatch helpless, blind and almost completely featherless. By three weeks their eyes open. The chicks are fed regurgitated (predigested) food.

Habitat
Historically, the Bahama Parrot occurred on several different Bahamian islands. Today, they are found only on Abaco and Great Inagua Islands. On Inagua the parrots live in the coppice areas and Abaco parrots five in the Pine forest.

Status
There are less than 3,000 Bahama parrots remaining in The Bahamas. These birds are protected under the Wild Bird (Protection) Act. It is illegal to harm or capture or offer these birds for sale. The Convention for the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) list the Bahama parrot in Appendix I meaning that it is a species that is near extinction or very endangered.

Threats
A number of factors influence the survival of the Bahama parrot. The ground-nesting nature of the Bahama parrot in Abaco makes the population of these birds vulnerable to predation by feral (wild) cats, wild boars, crabs and snakes. Heavy rains during the nesting period can flood parrot nest holes, killing young chicks. Habitat loss is a constant threat to both populations of birds, hence habitat protection is very important to the survival of the Bahama parrot. The pet trade is another threat that is ever-present.

Interesting facts



all information, Courtesy of the Bahamas National Trust

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