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United States Virgin Islands Wildlife Action Plan

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United States Virgin Islands Wildlife Action Plan United States Virgin Islands Wildlife Action Plan (Goodson 2017) (Platenberg 2016) (Goodson 2016) (Platenberg 2016) Volume 2: Habitats and Species Produced by: Renata J. Platenberg and Jennifer M. Valiulis University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix Environmental Association For: Division of Fish and Wildlife Department of Planning and Natural Resources St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands September 2018 Contributors to 2018 VI-WAP Compilation, Revision, and Editing Renata Platenberg, University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas Jen Valiulis, St Croix Environmental Association, St. Croix Head Research Assistant: Haley Goodson Research Interns Logistic Support Marieke Duffing Brent Murry Romero Allie Durdall Kitty Edwards Haley Goodson Kasey Jacobs The Nature Conservancy Mapping Support 2005 Contributors Viktor Brandtneris Floyd E. Hayes Melissa Kimble Doug B. McNair Katharine Egan Judy J. Pierce Renata J. Platenberg Contributors— Renata Platenberg, Jennifer Valiulis, Peter Freeman, Haley Goodson, Mareike Duffing Romero, Sara Thomas, Richard Nemeth, Tyler Smith, Brian Daley, Katharine Egan, Kristen Ewen, Alexandra Gutting, Amelie Jensen, Lora Johansen, Tucker Stone, Jan-Alexis Barry, Carolyn Courtien, Vernita Smith, Elizabeth Smith, Akacia Halliday Research Contributors— UVI Master in Marine and Environmental Science students Carolyn Courtien, Katharine Egan, Kristen Ewen, Alexandra Gutting, Akacia Halliday, Amelie Jensen, Lora Johansen, Deborah Elizabeth Smith, Vernita Smith, Tucker Stone, Elizabeth Brown, John Cassell, Michele Donihe, Mara Duke, Allie Durdall, Damon (Bo) Green, Sarah Heidmann, Paul Hillbrand, Colin Howe, Danielle Lasseigne, Lauren Olinger, Tanya Ramseyer, Mareike Duffing Romero, Sara Thomas This document should be cited as: Platenberg, R. J. and J. M. Valiulis (Eds). 2018. United States Virgin Islands Wildlife Action Plan, Vol. 2: Habitats and Species. Final report to the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife. University of the Virgin Islands and St. Croix Environmental Association, US Virgin Islands. Acronyms used in text ACoE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers APC Area of Particular Concern APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA) BUIS Buck Island Reef National Monument (St. Croix) BVI British Virgin Islands CAP Conservation Action Planning CBCC Coral Bay Community Council CDC Center for Disease Control CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CLCC Caribbean Landscape Conservation Council CORE Caribbean Oceanic Restoration and Education Foundation CWCS Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy CZM U.S. Virgin Islands Division of Coastal Zone Management DEE Division of Environmental Enforcement DEP U.S. Virgin Islands Division of Environmental Protection DFW U.S. Virgin Islands Division of Fish and Wildlife DNER Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico (Departamento de Recursos Naturales de Puerto Rico) DOA U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture DOI Department of the Interior DPNR U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources DPS Distinct Population Segment EAST Environmental Association of St. Thomas and St. John EPA Environmental Protection Agency EPSCOR Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research ES Endangered Species ESA Endangered Species Act FIA Forest Inventory Analysis IAC Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles IRF Island Resources Foundation IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature MBA Magen’s Bay Authority MCD Marine Conservation District MCDA Multi-criteria Decision Analysis MMES Master of Marine and Environmental Science MMPA Marine Mammal Protection Act MPA Marine Protected Area NCRMP National Coral Reef Monitoring Program NESP National Ecosystem Services Partnership NGO Non-governmental Organization NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NPS U.S. National Park Service NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service NWR National Wildlife Refuge PR Puerto Rico SEA St. Croix Environmental Association SGCN Species of Greatest Conservation Need SPAW Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife SPNWR Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge STAR Sea Turtle Assistance and Rescue STEER St. Thomas East End Reserves STJ St. John STT St. Thomas STX St. Croix SWAP State Wildlife Action Plan SWG State Wildlife Grant TCRMP Territorial Coral Reef Monitoring Program TNC The Nature Conservancy TVIL Trust for Virgin Islands Lands UNEP United Nations Environment Programme USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture USFS U.S. Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS U.S. Geological Survey USVI U.S. Virgin Islands UVI University of the Virgin Islands VI Virgin Islands VICRNM Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument VICS Virgin Islands Conservation Society VIERS Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station VIMSIA Virgin Islands Montessori School and International Academy VINP Virgin Islands National Park WAP Wildlife Action Plan WCR Wider Caribbean Region WR Wildlife Restoration WRRI Water Resources Research Institute Table of Contents Chapter One: Habitats of the U.S. Virgin Islands ....................................................... 1 St. Croix ...................................................................................................................................... 3 St. Thomas .................................................................................................................................. 5 St. John ........................................................................................................................................ 7 1.1 USVI Habitats: Terrestrial Communities................................................................................ 10 Forests ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Shrublands and Grasslands ....................................................................................................... 19 Beaches and Rocky Shorelines ................................................................................................. 23 1.2 USVI Habitats: Wetlands ........................................................................................................ 29 Guts ........................................................................................................................................... 31 Freshwater Ponds ...................................................................................................................... 37 Salt Ponds and Salt Flats ........................................................................................................... 41 1.3 USVI Habitats: Marine Habitats ............................................................................................. 47 Mangroves................................................................................................................................. 49 Seagrass Beds............................................................................................................................ 58 Coral Reefs................................................................................................................................ 63 Sargassum Mats ........................................................................................................................ 71 Chapter Two: Wildlife Species of the U.S. Virgin Islands ...................................... 75 2.1 Freshwater Fauna .................................................................................................................... 77 2.2 Amphibians ............................................................................................................................. 83 2.3 Terrestrial Reptiles .................................................................................................................. 91 2.4 Landbirds .............................................................................................................................. 106 2.5 Waterbirds ............................................................................................................................. 113 2.6 Seabirds ................................................................................................................................. 121 2.7 Terrestrial Mammals ............................................................................................................. 132 2.8 Sea Turtles ............................................................................................................................ 142 2.9 Marine Invertebrates ............................................................................................................. 150 2.10 Marine Fish ......................................................................................................................... 161 2.11 Marine Mammals ................................................................................................................ 173 Bibliography Chapter One: Habitats ................................................................................................................. 182 Habitats of the US Virgin Islands ........................................................................................... 182 Forests ..................................................................................................................................... 183
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