CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WI LDI FE REFUGES
CULEBRA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
DESECHEO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
CABO ROJO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
BUCK ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
GREEN CAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
SANDY POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
VIEQUES FIELD STATION
ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT
Calendar Year 1986
U. S . Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM REVIEW AND APPROVALS
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES
CULEBRA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
DESECHEO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
CABO ROJO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
BUCK ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
GREEN CAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE I SANDY POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE VIEQUES FIELD STATION
ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT
Calender Year 1986
RefugeId-4A, Sup rvisor4A,Review Date
1 0 face Date
0 Caribbean Islands NWR's
0 INTRODUCTION
The Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuges began its administrative existence as the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge in 1978 and was named with its present title in 1981 . The complex functions over an area estimated to cover about 20,000 sq. miles and every unit of the complex has a different animal and plant species composition . Depending upon the° refuge, the. individual emphasis of units are : seabirds, endangered sea turtles, endangered ground lizards, endangered blackbirds, native waterfowl, and endangered plants . In Puerto Rico and the U .S. Virgin Islands, the complex administers four distinct island units (Desecheo NWR ) Culebra NWR, Buck Island NWR, Green Cay NWR), a unit on the island of St . Croix (Sandy Point NWR), a unit on the island of Puerto Rico (Cabo Rojo NWR), and a technical assistance program for 30,661 acres of Navy land (Vieques Field Station) . Two additional units (Laguna Cartagena NWR, Laguana Tortugero NWR) on the island of Puerto Rico were authorized for acquisition in FY 1985.
Additionally, since the complex represents the entire Refuges and Wildlife Resources program rather than representing only Refuges, the staff provides resource management assistance for land management, migratory game bird management and endangered species management activities to a variety of Federal, Commonwealth and Territorial agencies . The complex also provides support functions for the Law Enforcement, Research and Fish and Wildlife Enhancement programs on an as requested basis .
CRB PAGE 1
INTRODUCTION Page TABLE OF CONTENTS i
A. HIGHLIGHTS 1
B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1
C . LAND ACQUISITION.
D. PLANNING
Master Plan (NTR) 1 . Mana ement Plan 2 Public Participation (NTR) Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates .(NTR) 2. Research and Investigations 3 3 . Other (NTR)
E . ADMINISTRATION
1, Personnel 5 2. Youth Pro rams 6 Other Manpower Programs :(NTR) 3 . Volunteer Programs 7
4. Safety 7 5 . Technical Assistance (NTR)
F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT 7
2. Fire Management 8
G . WILDLIFE
Wildlife Diversity (NTR) 1 . Endangered and/or Threatened Species 9 2 . Waterfowl (NTR) Marsh and Water Birds (NTR) 4. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species (NTR)
CRB Page i i
G. WILDLIFE (Cont .) Page 5. Raptors 11 Other Migratory Birds (NTR) Game Mammals (NTR) 6. Other Resident Wildlife 11 7. Marine Mammals (NTR) Fisheries Wildlife Propagation and Stocking (NTR) Surplus Animal Disposal (NTR) Scientific Collections (NTR) 8. Animal Control 9. Marking and Banding I ...... (NTR)
H. PUBL I C USE
1 . General 13 2 . Law Enforcement 13
I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 14
J . OTHER ITEMS 14
K. FEEDBACK 18
CRB PAGE 1
A. HIGHLIGHTS
The in- the-water capture and release sea turtle project started . (Culebra NWR Section 'D.1)
Louisiana State University awarded research project contracts . (Desecheo NWR Summary, Culebra NWR Section D .2, Green Cay NWR Summary)
Sea Turtle work continues at Sandy Point . (Sandy Point NWR Section G)
Monkey business continues at Desecheo . (Desecheo NWR Summary)
Navy terminates Memorandum of Understanding . (Vieques Field Station Section E .5)
B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Weather data for Cabo Ro jo, Culebra, Vieques and St . Croix are provided in the respective narrative sections and give an overview of the climatic differences between the various areas . All areas administered by the refuge are classified as subtropical dry forest but do vary from one another In subtle .ways. No major storms occurred in our area in 1986 .
C. LAND ACQUISITION
No progress was made with the acquisition of lands at either Laguna Cartagena • or Laguna Tortugero . Talks with the U .S. Navy continued in an effort to speed up • the license agreements for Laguna Flamenco and the Punta Flamenco Observation Post at Culebra Island.
The Commonwealth has not yet begun the process of adjudicating water rights which were filed in November 1985 .
D. PLANNING, 1 . Management Plan
During 1986 no new management plans were approved for the Caribbean Refuges. The Fire Plan and the Reforestation Plan for Cabo Rojo NWR were updated. The draft sign plan for Desecheo NWR was prepared for Regional Office review . CRB PAGE 2 CRB PAGE 3
2. Research and Investigation
A general summary of the various refuge studies is provided in this section, details of individual refuge studies will be found in the appropriate refuge narrative reports .
Doctoral student Cynthia Staicer completed the third year of her three year project on Adelaide's warbler ecology at Cabo Ro jo NWR, Doctoral student Fred Schaffner completed the third year of his three year project on the white-tailed tropicbird at Culebra NWR. The third year of the Earthwatch sea turtle program for Culebra was undertaken in 1986 and the fifth year of the Earthwatch leatherback sea turtle program at . Sandy Point was completed . Canadian seabird biologists Drs, John Chardine and Ralph Morris finished the second year of a three year project on noddy terns and bridled terns . Jorge Saliva of Rutgers completed the first of his three years of research on sooty I terns at Culebra NWR . Caribbean Islands NWR's NR86 - "Shorebird survey of the Cabo Rojo salt flats ." (41520-01)
This project was initiated by Biologist Collazo -in October 1985 . The objectives of the study were to : 1) obtain an estimate of shorebird abundance and ascertain species composition, 2) document seasonal fluctuations in abundance and species composition, and 3) monitor nesting activities of snowy plovers.
From October, 1985 to the same period of time in 1 .986, a total of 41, 404 shorebird observations represented by 24 species were entered in our data sheets, Sixty-seven percent (67%) were comprised of peeps (i .e., western, semipalmated, least, and white-rump sandpipers) . Yellowlegs followed peeps in cumulative sightings throughout the period of observations . Peak shorebird numbers occurred during fall . An initial influx of shorebirds was recorded during late-July and early-August, and was presumed to be juveniles . Numbers remained high in the salt flats until a crash was recorded towards late December. It is believed that shorebirds continue to their final destination in different parts of South America . Nesting activities of the snowy plover started In February, 1986 and continued until July . This project will continue into 1987 with emphasis on turnover rates and habitat utilization patterns . Earthwatch volunteers will be used to assist in mist-netting and monitoring color-marked shorebirds in the salt flats area . CRB PAGE 4
Caribbean Islands NWR's NR86 - "Shorebird powerline mortalities at the Cabo Rojo salt flats ." (41520- 2)
This project was started in late August of 1986 when large numbers of shorebirds were being found dead by a powerline that crossed a salt pond area south of the Cabo Ro jo NWR . The objectives of the study are to : i) obtain an estimate of the shorebird kill and ascertain species composition, and 2) document seasonal fluctuations in the kill and species composition .
Preliminary review of the data indicates that the kill rate depends upon the population levels and species composition of the overall population using the salt flats, i .e. it is species and density dependent . The vast majority of the dead birds encountered are semipalmated sandpipers and the peak of the mortality occurs in September when the largest numbers of migrant birds are present.
3 . Other
The third and final year of island wide waterfowl surveys was completed, As in previous years, peak migratory waterfowl numbers were recorded during September-October. The majority of migratory waterfowl was comprised of blue-winged teal (total of 1,713 observed individuals) although lesser scaup, American wigeon, and ring-necked duck were recorded as well . The most common resident waterfowl were the common moorhen and West Indian ruddy duck . The numbers of white-cheeked pintails were higher than in previous years. High numbers of coots were recorded during winter and it is believed that most- were the migratory American coot . Helicopter flights were conducted this year to evaluate their feasibility for future monitoring efforts . Numbers collected from helicopter were invariably higher than those collected from fixed-winged aircraft . Highest differences were noted in closed-canopy wetland areas (i .e., mangroves). Despite these differences, fluctuations were similar in direction for both types of aircraft . The latter fact indicates that data sets generated from either aircraft are adequate to calculate population trends and that fixed-winged aircraft provide the most cost/effective means of collecting such information .
CRB PAGE 5
E. ADMINISTRATION
1 . Personnel
1, Sean Furniss, Refuge Manager, GS-1 1, EOD 7/78, PFT 2. Roger Di Rosa, Refuge Manager, GS-9, EOD 1 1 /84, PFT 3, Jaime Collazo, Biologist, GS-9, EOD 7/85, PFT 4. Bud Oliveira, Refuge Manager, GS -9, EOD 3/86, PFT, Transferred 9/86 5. Marc Weitzel, Refuge Manager, GS-9, EOD 9/84, PFT 6. Carmen Mendez -Santoni, Secretary, GS-5, EOD 12/82, PPT 7, Mariano Rodriguez-Fl ores, Maintenance Worker, WG-7, EOD 12/84, PFT . 8. Henry Morales, Maintenance Worker, WG-7, EOD 8/85, PFT 9. Jose Velez-Carrero, Laborer, WG-3, EOD 1/85, Terminated 9/86, Temp . I 10. Indalecio Comacho, Laborer, WG-3, EOD 1/85, Terminated 1/86, Temp . 11, Anton Tucker, Biological Technician, GS-4, EOD 7/85, Temp . 12. Ron Childs, YCC Laborer Foreman, WS 1, 5/85-7-85, Temp .
A table showing the five year staffing pattern for the Caribbean follows below :
Caribbean Refuges Staffing Summary Permanent Total Full-Time Part-Time Temporary FTE
FY 1982 2 1 .6 0 3.6 FY 1983 3 0 .6 0 3.6 FY 1984 3 0 .6 0 3.6 FY 1985 6 0 .8 3.8 10.6 FY 1986 6 0 .8 2.5 9.3 CRB PAGE
CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
The "Boss Man," Project Leader , Sean Furniss . P . Gertler. AN - 86- CRB-03
The fearless primary Assistant Manager, Roger Di Rosa (in the cute tights) . B . Kozuchowskl . AN-86 - CRB-04
r~rrrrII~iYl~li~~/rW/Y~W16Wnlm .~l i JoldI,
CRB PAGE 7
t Talented Assistant Manager Marc Weitzel kept the U .S. Navy in line on Roosevelt Roads Naval Station and Vieques Island . File Photo, AN-86-CRB-05
0
Charming Carmen Mendez - Santoni, Secretary, kept the crew and paperwork • in line at Cabo Rojo R . DI Rosa . AN-86 - CRB - 06 CRB PAGE 8
"Mr . Wild Kingdom," Herr Dr. Jaime Collazo, Wildlife Biologist with a student learning assertive behavior. B. Oliveira. AN-86-CRB-07
0
The "Wild Kingdom's Mr . Jim," Biological Aid Tony Tucker with one of his adoring children. J . Taylor. AN-86-CRB-08 CRB PAGE 9
"The Hammer," Cabo Rojo maintenanceman Mariano Rodriguez-Flores showing off his "built from scratch" handicapped restroom facility, to which he has the only key . R. Di Rosa . AN-86-CRB-09.
Maintenanceman "Big Henry" Morales kept Culebra NWR functioning with his many talents, R . Di Rosa . AN-86-CRB-10 CRB PAGE 10
2. Youth Programs
During 1986 both the Culebra and Cabo Ro jo NWR's had YCC programs. The Cu.lebra program hired 8 enrollees, 2 youth leaders and 1 work leader (2 if you count the one we fired for improper use of a government vehicle), and the Cabo Rojo NWR hired 8 enrollees, 2 youth leaders and 1 work leader for the 8 week summer programs . The programs are very successful as they were a major employment opportunity for local youth.
3. Volunteer Program
Volunteers worked with the Caribbean Refuges at Cabo Rojo, Culebra and Sandy Point NWR's . The majority of the volunteer help came from the two Earthwatch programs at Sandy Point and at Culebra. At these two refuges we had over 150 people donate weeks of their time to work on our sea turtle programs . Additionally, the various professional contacts made by the project leader and t the staff biologist resulted in continuing requests for research studies on the Caribbean Refuges. Our motto here is "When you have time, hustle" .
4. Funding
The funding for the Caribbean Refuges comes under one consolidated budget, which is then utilized as the project leader feels is appropriate, subject to lobbying efforts of the rest of the staff . The funding listed for the Caribbean Refuges does not include the funding from the Navy for the operation of our cooperative field office . The funding for the Navy project is discussed under the Vieques Field Station narrative report . While our existing funding levels are adequate to take care of our current needs at existing stations, we are still in need of funding for the Sandy Point NWR .
Budget Summary
Fiscal Wildlife Endangered Total Year Resources Species
1983 $91,000 . $16,000. $107,000 . 1984 120,000 120,000 1985 416,000 - 416,000 1986 483,600 22,000 505,600 1987 384,000 384,000 CRB PAGE 11
5. Safety
During 1986 we had only one significant accident to report . During the first week of June, the Work Leader for the Culebra YCC program was involved in a vehicle accident. He was returning the GSA vehicle to the office well beyond the end of the working day and ran into a fence post along the way . Minor damage occurred to the vehicle and the fence . The employee left the scene of the accident on foot and could not be relocated until the next day . Given the situation that occurred and the driver's condition at the time of the accident, it was decided to terminate the individuals employment for Inappropriate conduct while operating a government vehicle .
One non-work related accident that occurred involved the Earthwatch volunteers at Culebra NWR . While out taking a one day scuba course, one of the volunteers inhaled water, ceased breathing, and floated up to the surface with f his face in the water . Prompt action by Biological Technician Tony Tucker and Coop Unit Student Cynthia Lagueaux in starting mouth-to-mouth resusitation resulted in the saving of the man's life .
6. Technical Assistance
The Vieques Field Station is the most intensive assistance program of the Caribbean Refuges. It is essentially a hundred percent commitment of one staff person to assist the U .S . Navy In staying within environmental guidelines . This program is discussed in the Vieques. section of the narrative .
FWS provides the Commonwealth Department of Natural Resources assistance in reviewing hunter surveys, harvest surveys and waterfowl inventories .
The project leader serves as FWS representative to the Jobos Bay National Estuarine: Sanctuary, the Virgin Islands Resource Management Advisory Committee, the Puerto Rico Sea Grant Program, the Vieques 'Management Advisory Committee and the Culebra Conservation and Development Authority Board.
Refuge staff coordinate all manatee salvage efforts for the FWS Gainesville Lab.
Training assistance is provided to the Boy Scout Nature Team each spring to prepare them as summer camp environmental instructors .
CRB PAGE 12
Assistance Is provided to the FWS Office of International Affairs and to the Agency for International Development . This assistance is usually in the form of direct training and providing instructors for training groups.
7. Other Items
Manager Furniss attended the Sea Turtle workshop in Georgia in February .
Refuge Manager DI Rosa and Biologist Collazo attended a 40 hour supervisory training course in San Juan in March.
Refuge Supervisors Grabill and McDaniel vi ,sited the Caribbean Refuges in April for the annual station review and to prepare for the change of District 0 Supervisors. Biologist Collazo presented a paper on brown pelicans at the AOU meeting in Mississippi in August .
Manager Furniss attended the Colonial Waterbirds Group meeting in Charleston, S.C . in October .
Assistant Regional Director Benson and Supervisor McDaniel visited the Caribbean in November to review the Navy MOU for Vieques and to look at land Issues at Culebra NWR .
F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT
Habitat management activities included continued reforestation efforts and Installation of nest boxes at Cabo Ro jo NWR, the preparation of least tern habitat at Sandy Point NWR and vegetative manipulation of the sooty tern nesting habitat at Peninsula Flamenco at the Culebra NWR .
0. WILDLIFE
1 . Endangered and Threatened Species
All of the lands administered by FWS in Puerto Rico and the U .S. Virgin Islands have one or more federally listed species and one or more Commonwealth or Territorial listed species . The more significant federally listed species CRB PAGE 13
include the yellow-shouldered blackbird, tundra peregrine falcon, West Indies brown pelican, Culebra giant anole, leatherback sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, green sea turtle, loggerhead sea turtle, and St . Croix ground lizard. Active management programs for the federally listed species are currently restricted to the sea turtle programs on Culebra and Sandy Point NWR's, and are described in more detail in the respective narratives . No active, management programs are currently undertaken for Commonwealth or Territorial listed species .
2. Waterfowl
Currently, all FWS activity regarding waterfowl occurs off of refuge lands . The Caribbean Refuges began an aerial waterfowl survey of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in September 1984 . The second year of the survey was completed s in March 1986 and the third survey year was started in September 1986 . This survey was funded from the refuge budget and is conducted cooperatively with the Dept, of Natural Resources . This survey was established because no one was obtaining any data on waterfowl populations, habitat use, or migrational distribution, but the FWS was allowing the hunting of the resource . Since hunting a resource without data is a very questionable practice (yes, we know it occurs in other places too), it was decided (the interest of the Humane Society helped) that we should make some effort to obtain at least basic information on the waterfowl populations in Puerto Rico. Preliminary indications are : 1) that we can locate concentrations of blue-winged teal, West Indian ruddy ducks, West Indian brown pelicans and ospreys ; and 2) that the teal appear to like the shallowly flooded (4-16") areas'that are only seasonally covered with water and produce a lot of widgeongrass (Runpiamaritima) .
3 . Marsh and Water Birds
The Green Cay NWR is the only Caribbean refuge with a known breeding colony of herons and egrets . All refuges provide at least minimal habitat for one or more species in this group .
4. Shorebirds . Gulls, Terns and Allied Species
Desecheo and Culebra NWR's provide breeding habitat for 13 different species of seabirds . Included in this group are terns, gulls, boobies, tropicbirds, shearwaters and frigatebirds . A great deal of effort is spent in monitoring, studying and banding seabirds on Culebra NWR . Much of the basic research effort comes from non-service employees who come to Puerto Rico to assist us CRB PAGE 14
in obtaining basic information on the ecology of our locally breeding species. i n an effort to restore the seabird colonies at Desecheo NWR, an ARMM project for the removal of rhesus monkeys at Desecheo Island was funded in 1985 and continued in 1986. The contractor worked hard at getting monkeys but he had to give it up because of reduced effectiveness of the removal program . He came back again in December 1986 for his third attempt to remove monkeys . For more information on the monkey business read the Desecheo NR .
5. Raptors
Red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, and short-eared owls breed on the Cabo Rojo and Culebra NWR's . Both the local and migrant raptors (including peregrine falcon, northern harrier, merlin) are found-on most of the refuges . Cabo Rojo, Desecheo and Culebra NWR's provide Wintering territories and food (e.g. boobies and slow moving cattle egrets) for 1-3 peregrines, per refuge, each winter s season.
6 . Other Resident Wildlife
Culebra is the only refuge with an exotic "game" animal introduced to the area . On July 20, 1966, four white-tailed deer (one buck and three does) were introduced to the island of Culebra as part of a cooperative project between the Federal Assistance program In the Atlanta Regional' Office and the Commonwealth Natural Resources program (before the DNR was established) . The deer are doing well and utilize the entire area of Culebra as part of their established habitat . Since hunting is not allowed in the municipality of Culebra and since the largest blocks of publicly owned land contain unexploded military ordinance, there is probably only the remotestt chance that this "game" species will ever be reported as a game mammal in the annual reports .
7. Marine Mammals
No manatees were salvaged in 1986 . Tom Carr of the Florida State Museum continued with his salvage efforts, thereby relieving the refuge of the task .
8 . Animal Control
The refuge staff assisted the Kentucky Field Station of the FWS (now USDA/APHIS) Denver Wildlife Research Center with the shiny cowbird control project at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station and helped with trap construction at the Cabo Rojo NWR. Cowbird trapping with FWS support took place at Roosevelt CRB PAGE 15
Roads, Cabo Rojo NWR and the Boqueron State Forest . Additional information is available in the Cabo Rojo and Vieques Field Station NR's .
9. Marking and Banding
Banding of tropicbirds, Audubon's shearwaters, and sooty terns occurred at Culebra NWR . All tropicbird banding was done as part of a graduate research project, the results of which are discussed in the Culebra narrative . The banding of shearwaters was done on an opportunistic basis, since this species is so poorly known in Puerto Rico and is only known to nest at Culebra . The sooty tern banding is conducted during the annual seabird surveys and is being used as a tool to enable us to better monitor the population at Culebra, At Cabo Rojo NWR, mist netting and banding are conducted as part of a doctoral research project. Male cowbirds captured during the cowbird trapping efforts s were banded and released to see if the birds would habituate to a trap and lead other birds to the trap. Results of the male cowbird trapping were poor due to the late start of trapping and problems with the initial trap design . Color marking was conducted as part of a study of migrant warblers at Cabo Rojo in 1986 .
H. PUBL I C USE
1 . General
Limited authorized public use takes place on the Caribbean Refuges . Due to the personnel limitations that we have experienced in the past, we actively encourage only very selective public use programs . Our greatest commitment is to the local community on Culebra . We want them to feel that the Culebra NWR is a=real part of their community and we feel that spending time with local school students, local handicapped groups and the local media (i .e. the island radio station has its antenna on our land) provides a very positive image with the local folks . Outside of Culebra, we do not advertise our services but word of mouth lets people know that we are here . We do maintain an open door policy, so that whenever the gate is open (weekdays, weekends, or nights) then folks are welcome to come by . We do not get a lot of traffic but folks have come to know that they are welcome anytime they can find us in the office . Increased staffing and funding for displays will assist us in putting out a positive image everywhere, rather than just the image of mere presence we have now . CRB PAGE 16
2. Law Enforcement
In the past we did little active law enforcement mostly because of the lack of staff and time, not because we did not have violations . Our active law enforcement program efforts are spent in trying : 1) to discourage, through a highly visible presence, the attempts at violations of the Endangered Species Act by turtle poachers and eggers ; 2) to discourage, again through a highly visible presence, the attempts to egg the Culebra seabird colonies ; and 3) seeking out waterfowl hunting violations in southwestern Puerto Rico through a hunter monitoring program .
Assistant Manager DiRosa 'assisted Special Agent Sisco with several surprise searches of commercial tuna boats during the year at the port of Mayaguez . Reliable information had been received that crew members had been storing s then selling sea turtles in port to restaurants or fishing coops . No turtles were discovered . Timing is everything since tuna boats take 1-1 /2 to 3 days to unload the entire catch . Searching and making a bust is difficult . However, on one occasion 5 frozen porpoises were discovered in the hold of a ship. The officers did not know the exact course of action to take but were positive there must be something wrong . After a consultation with National Marine Fisheries a course of no action was taken . Porpoises have no value here therefore they take up valuable tuna space in the ship's hold . Apparently they get into the holds accidentally when tuna are loaded . Even though regulations do not allow for any incidental take of porpoises in Atlantic waters the normal course of action is nothing more than a slap on the wrist . Case closed.
The project leader, assistant manager and special agent checked waterfowl and dove hunters during the respective seasons . One citation for shooting a closed species (white-cheeked pintail) and several unplugged firearm citations were issued.
1 . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
Currently our facilities consist of an office building and garage at Cabo Rojo NWR and an office trailer and residence trailer at Culebra NWR . We anticipate little in the way of new construction, although some permanent facilities are needed for Culebra in the future . One new vehicle was requisitioned in FY 86 and three new vehicles were acquired . CRB PAGE 17
Most of our major maintenance efforts are aimed at keeping the fences up, maintaining the structures and facilities, and having YCC help us do the work . Major interior rehabilitation, for the new Visitor Contact Facilities, of the Cabo Rojo NWR office was completed.
The unexpected surge in illegal public use and illegal alien activity on Desecheo NWR forced the refuge to emergency purchase two marine transceivers. The equipment allowed the "Monkey Busters", on Desecheo at the time, and any personnel on the island in the future to be in reasonably rapid contact with the Coast Guard, any ships in the area and the refuge headquarters . Contact with the headquarters had_ to be prearranged since there was no direct or line of sight access between the two points .
An Apple Macintosh Plus was purchased by the Florida Wildlife Cooperative Unit for use at the Caribbean Refuges . We greatly enjoy the ease of use with which f the computer can be put to work .
J. OTHER ITEMS
Marc Weitzel wrote the Vieques section of the narrative . Roger Di Rosa wrote the Desecheo, Cabo Ro jo, Culebra, Green Cay and Sandy Point sections of the narrative . Sean Furniss wrote the Caribbean Islands section of the narrative . Jaime Collazo assisted with input, about the biological programs . Carmen Mendez-Santoni did the typing . Roger and Sean did the editing with help from Carmen and Jaime. Z
This narrative report was prepared with the assistance of the Wild Kingdom's Apple Macintosh Plus . CRB PAGE 18 0 K. FEEDBACK Mostly, things have gotten better for us, and we do take some large share of the credit for getting it done in spite of everything . The added funds and personnel have helped to bring us up to where we think we should be operating . It has been a pleasant change to find that the Caribbean resource problems are finally getting some of the national support that was needed .
Now for my favorite subject - computers. This makes three years in a row that it has been on my list . Things still are not much better but there are certainly more people working on it . No matter what standards are developed for today, the capability of even the most basic office computer will surpass those standards long before we get everyone computerized . The most important thing is to get the types of machines that will make everyone feel comfortable and confident using them in a short amount of time . This will probably require that s several different options be made available and will provide us the opportunity to find something that is being used by other folks in the local area . The best machine in the world is useless unless there is someone nearby who can tell you how to solve your problem, help you become more efficient and/or exchange ideas with. One brand, one type of computer will not help make us more efficient. We need to be flexible and get things that are easy to use . We do not need some industrial analyst or computer programer to tell us what we need . We need field people getting involved in this issue, going out and test driving some of the different equipment to find out what is user friendly for them .
Now let's see as to delivery date for specifications (not equipment), we were told Sept . 1985, Feb . 1986 and then April 1987. That is progress of a sort but certainly not good for most folks performance standards . At $3,000 for a megabyte unit with printer and 20 megabyte hard disk drive, we will bet that each refuge could have had at least two user-friendly units in operation for what it is .costing in consultants fees, reviews and lost productivity. Now let's see if the guess of IBM AT or compatible will continue to be right, especially since they will no longer be the "current standard" of the Fortune 500 . Does it really take three years to write a justification for a computer that will not even be state of the art when the contract is written? Does it really take five years to bring FWS refuges to a level that is already out of date?
And for those that are looking for the little glint of wisdom in these pages, remember these words "El momento es siempre bueno para hacer lo que es bueno", "arriesgarse con cautela no es lo mismo que ser temerario", and "planea de antemano ; no estaba lioviendo cuando Noe construyo el arca" CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WI LD I FE REFUGES
CULEBRA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT
Calendar Year 1986
U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM 1
Culebra NWR
NTRODUCT I ON
Culebra, an island of approximately 6,747 acres, lies 17 miles east of Puerto Rico, and 12 miles west of St . Thomas in the U .S. Virgin Islands . The Culebra archipelago is part of the Puerto Rico Bank, a group of islands extending from Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands .
An archaeological survey in 1979, revealed the presence of two distinct aboriginal populations, one occurring between 800-1000 A.D . and the other between 1200-1500 A.D. Columbus discovered the Culebra archipelago (his second NWR of the trip) during his second voyage to the new world in November, 1493. Early settlers on the island included Taino Indians who were escaping from Spanish slavery in Puerto Rico in the early 1500's . Culebra was later 0 reported to have been a base for pirates who operated against Spanish commerce. Due to the lack of a potable water source on the island, Spanish colonization was delayed until 1889, when the settlement of San Ildefonso was built at what is now called Lower Camp . The settlement was moved twice before permanent establishment at Lobina Lagoon .
After the Spanish-American War of 1898, the residents of the island came under American jurisdiction . Between 1902 and 1911, Culebra was the main anchorage for the U.S . Caribbean Fleet, which was then relocated to Guantanamo, Cuba . It was probably during this time that an American officer, noting the vast seabird populations, recommended the surrounding islands as a wildlife preserve . On February 27, 1909, by Executive Order 1042 of President Theodore Roosevelt, the publicly owned islands and cays of the Culebra group, s excluding the main island of Culebra, were designated as a wildlife preserve subject to naval and lighthouse purposes .
The Navy became active in the Culebra area again in 1936 with the approach of WWII, when target ranges for naval ships and aircraft were established . Naval exercises continued until 1973 on many of the outlying islands and cays (which had been included in the refuge) and on the northwest peninsula of Culebra Island (Peninsula Flamenco) . Between 1972 and 1976, the Navy excessed most of its land holdings in the Culebra archipelago, and primary jurisdiction for the outlying islands and cays was passed to the Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1982, 776 acres on the main island of Culebra were transferred to the Service . In 1985, 90 acres belonging to the Navy were placed under long term . lease to the 0 Fish and Wildlife Service . The refuge currently totals 1,568 acres . 2
The refuge's diverse wildlife habitats include : a subtropical dry forest unit ; two mangrove units; a peninsula covered with grasslands, shrubs and isolated woodlands; surf swept rocks ; sedge covered cays ; and islands covered with grasslands, shrubs and forest .
The Mt. Resaca unit is the largest remaining forest block on the island of Culebra. The northern slopes host microenvironments of tropical rain forest types. These areas, occurring chiefly in boulder strewn canyons and ravines, are hosts to one of the most unique vegetative communities in-Puerto Rico . Trees In this area have canopies of 50 feet or more, and trunk diameters of three feet, Natural thorn thickets occur on the drier sites of this unit . Wildlife here includes many of the 25 reptile and amphibian species of the island, including the endangered Culebra giant anole (which may be extinct). A 0 variety of avian species is found here, as is the introduced white-tailed deer . Peninsula Flamenco is currently in a subclimatic grassland state . The climax forest vegetation was cut over for timber by the local residents and mechanically destroyed through bombardment and fires when used by the Navy . The largest seabird colony of the refuge is the sooty tern colony (30-40,000 birds) located at the northwest tip of the peninsula .
Two mangrove units of the refuge help assure protection of these vital links between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The Ensenada Honda unit consist of mainly red mangroves and is the largest mangrove tract in the archipelago . The Puerto Manglar unit is a fringe of mangroves around a highly productive bay . It is an important area for brown pelicans and protects the coastal fringe of the phosphorescent bay which is a nursery and feeding area for marine life I including green turtles and spiny lobster .
CBR P ffJE 1
INTRODUCTION Page
T A DI r nr, f nf,ITrPITC I /1ULC OF CON 1 UV 1 J
A. HIGHLIGHTS 1
B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 2
C . LAND ACQUISITION
Fee Title Nothing To Report (NTR) .. F ~,IT E-aSe I ICI.,1tS IV 1 R) 1 . Other 2
0 D. PLANNING
Master Plan (NTR) Management Plan .. : (NTR) Public Participation (NTR) Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates ,(NTR) 1 . Research and Investigations 3 Other (NTR)
E. ADMINISTRATION
1 . Personnel 6 2 . Youth Programs 7 S 3 . Other Manpower Programs (NTR) 4. Volunteer Programs 8 5. Fundin 10 6. Safety 10 7. Technical Assistance 1 1 8. Other 1 1
F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT
1 . General 1 1 2. Wetlands 11 3 . Forests 12 CBR PAGE i i
HABITAT MANAGEMENT (Coat .) Page Croplands (NTR) 4. Grasslands 12 5. Other Habitats 12 Grazing (NTR) Haying (NTR) 6. Fire Management 14 Pest Control : (NTR) Water Rights (NTR) Wilderness and Special Areas (NTR) WPA Easement Monitoring (NTR)
G. WILDLIFE 0 1 . Wildlife Diversity 14 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species 15 3. Waterfowl 24 4. Marsh and Water Birds 25 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species 26 6.. Raptors 27 Other Migratory Birds (NTR) Game Mammals (NTR) 7 . Marine Mammals 27 8 . Other Resident Wildlife 28 Fisheries (NTR) Wildlife Propagation and Stocking (NTR) Surplus Animal Disposal (NTR) 8 Scientific Collections (NTR) Animal Control (NTR) 9 . Marking and Banding 28 Disease Prevention and Control (NTR)
H. PUBLIC USE
1 . General 28 2. Outdoor Classrooms - Students 29 3. Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers (NTR) Interpretive Foot Trails (NTR) Interpretive Tour Routes (NTR) 0 Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations (NTR) CBR PAGE iii
PUBLIC USE (Copt) Page 3. Other Interpretive Programs 29 Hunting (NTR) Fishing (NTR) 4. Trapping 30 Wildlife Observation (NTR) Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation 30 5. Camping ; 22 Picnicking (NTR) Off-road Vehicling (NTR) 6. Other Non-wildlife Oriented Recreation 30 7. Law Enforcement 31 Cooperating Associations (NTR) 0 Concessions (NTR) I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
New Construction (NTR) Rehabilitation (NTR) Major Maintenance (NTR) 1 . Equipment Utilization and Replacement 32 Communications Systems (NTR) Computer Systems (NTR) Energy Conservation (NTR) 2 . Other 33 8 J. OTHER ITEMS 1 . Cooperative Programs 33 Other Economic Uses (NTR) Items of Interest (NTR) 2. Credits 33
K. FEEDBACK 34
Cu NATIONAL WILDLIFE R~GE
UNITED STATES CULEBRA ISLAND GROUP-PUERTO RICO UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 65°25' 65°20' 65°15'
0 C E A N O A T L A N T / C O r - .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .- .-
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IB°20' 18°20'
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EI Mono I I I I I I I I O C E A N O 4 7 C A N T / C O I (CULEBRA NWR I ` LEGEND I 0 DES _ . REFUGE LANDS PUERTO RICO 11111111 S ~NDA DE V/EOUES I E s I Q .
I J IB°15' 18 . 1v u ' s EXECUTIVE ORDER BOUNDARY OF FEBRUARY 27,1909 NOTE ALL PUBLICLY OWNED ISLANDS VICINITY MAP WITHIN TOE EXECUTIVE ORDER 0 5 IO BOUNDARY, EXCEPTING ISLA DE SCALE ® MILES. CULEBRA, ARE A PART OF THE REFUGE . I 65°25' 65°20' 65°15' COMPILED IN THE DIVISION OF REALTY FROM SURVEYS BY USGS MEAN DECLINATION 0 2500 5000 10000 15000 20000 FEET 1969 Scale REVISED '8/79 2 3 4 MILES ATLANTA, GEORGIA APRIL, 1969 4R PR 52 403 CBR PAGE 1
A. HIGHLIGHTS
Culebra NWR gains additional land . (Section C .1)
Culebra's research program expands with additional projects and research personnel . (Sectrion D .1)
Research was conducted to determine the status of the endangered Culebra giant anole . Section D.1)
The in - the-water capture and release sea turtle project got off the ground (in the water?). (Section D . I )
A new refuge manager arrives, and leaves . (Section E .1) 0 B . CLIMATIC CONDI_TIONS
8
A tranquil afternoon view from the Culebra NWR headquarters area . R . Di Rosa. AN-86-CBR-01
CBR PAGE 2
No major storms passed by Culebra during 1986 . The weather patterns were pretty much the same throughout the year - hot and dry intermixed with hot and wet .
CL I MATOLOG I CAL DATA-CALENDAR YEAR 1986 Month Inches of Rainfall
January UNK February UNK March UNK
April 0 1 .39 May 8.25 0 June .67 July 1 .00 August 6.03 September 2.82 October 2.94 November 2.12 December 2.08
C. LAND ACQUISITION
8 1 . Other
The Fish and Wildlife Service asked the U .S. Navy for a long term use permit for the Navy Observation Point (OP) at Punta . Flamenco and for Laguna Flamenco . As of year's end we had been given a short term permit for the OP but the Laguna Flamenco permit was still under review . Acquisition of the OP area will provide extended protection for the forests on the north side of Culebra and increase the FWS holdings of the Critical Habitat for the Culebra giant anole . Control of the Laguna Flamenco area will ensure protection of the most important habitat for the white-cheeked pintail . 3
0
The many beautiful bays and reefs around Culebra provide ideal habitat for turtles, seabirds and reef fish. A place to sit back, relax and enjoy the good life before the tourists find us . S. Furniss. AN-86-CRB-Intro-O1
8 CBR PAGE 3
D. PLANNING
1 . Research and Investigations
Culebra NR86 - P er o Rico" (41522-5)
Fred Schaffner of the University of Miami completed his third and-final year of . a tropicbird bloenergetics study at Punta Cruz and the Southeast Peninsulaa of Cayo Luis Pena . Through regular visits to each colony, 104 different nest sites were identified, representing 110 pairs . This represents a larger population than was first estimated. Egg weights, chick weights and morphometric measurements have been collected regularly over the three year period . In addition, data on incubation shifts, regurgitation identification, nest site 0 selection and fidelity and interesting behavioral observations have been recorded . A remote weighing device for measuring chick weights was field tested by Schaffner and Colin Pennycuick during the 1985 season and after a few modifications was used in the 1986 field season . A total of 58 clutches were discovered at both colony locations in 1986 . Hatching success estimated by the Mayfield Method was estimated at 38% and fledging success was estimated at 67% .
Cu l ebra NR86 - 1' • _ n lb Puerto Rico" (41522-6)
c The Island of Culebra is the major nesting site, for leatherback sea turtles (Dermocfielys coriacea) in Puerto Rico. All night beach - patrols were conducted in the 1984, 1985 and 1986 nesting seasons . The complete beach coverage with a saturation tagging program on Resaca (1 .0 km) and Brava (1 .2 km) enabled nearly all nesting females to be observed . The nesting season extended from 13 February until 16 July, and all night patrols occurred from . 31 March until 8 July . Within the study site, 107 nests and 12 false crawls occurred . Fourteen females were tagged . An average of 7 .0 nests per turtle was observed with an Internesting interval of 9 .3 days. One individual was documented laying ten nests within the season . The peak of the nesting season occurred in the second week of May with three nests per night being deposited . Mean ; clutch size counts at oviposition were 79.9 yolked eggs, 30,6 yolkless eggs, total clutch size was 110.6 eggs. The average incubation period (64 .9 .days) varied throughout the season, but decreased as the season progressed . Nesting female CBR PAGE 4
measurements were 156.4 cm . OC notch-tip and 148.4 cm . SL notch-tip . Inter-island migration between Culebra and St . Croix was not documented in 1986 as occurred in the two previous nesting seasons . All nests were left to incubate in situ . A total of 4,517 hatchlings emerged from 89 nests . Natural hatchling success is approximately 75 .1 o . Salt water inundation caused failure of nine of the nests . Hatchling predation by crabs, herons, and ants was negligible. No nests were poached on the study site during 1986 .
0
Biological Aid Tony Tucker returned for a third year to continue the 8 research on nesting leatherbacks and coordinate the Earthwatch project File Photo . AN-86-CBR-02
Culebra NR86 - "Parental behavior and Foraging Ecology of Brown Noddies (Anous stolidus)"(41522 - 7)
This is the second year Brock University of St . Catharines, Ontario, researchers Morris and Chardine studied the Cayo Noroeste brown noddy colony site to examine and compare temperate and tropical seabird differences in breeding biology . Eighty-one adults were captured, measured, weighed and color handed during the 1985 and 1986 field seasons . Approximately 200 hours of behavioral data (obtained from a blind) on the activities of these and other 0 adults included information on partner status, courtship feeding rate,
CBR PAGE 5
incubation and brooding shifts, agonistic interactions and food delivery type and rate to the chick . Much of the data is still in the process of extraction and analysis. . However, preliminary analysis indicates that hatching success ranged from 47-97% depending on the location of the nests . Fledging success for nests with complete history was 81 .8%. Studies will continue during the 1987 nesting season .
Culebra NR86 - "Behavior and habitat preferences of Sooty Terns nesting under r ,- r en a I of v tat v o r a d ve etation t es" 41522-09
The sooty tern (Sterna fuscata) is a pantropical species that has been poorly studied in the West Indies . The primary objective of this study is to document the breeding behavior and nesting success of this "species under varying nesting cover. This study will also yield information on sooty tern habitat requirements. Behavioral data is. still being analyzed. This study will 0 continue in 1987. Culebra NR86 - "Adaptive behavior of Roseate tern chicks on a rocky nestina habitat" (41522 - 10)
The roseate tern is a ground-nesting colonial bird whose worldwide populations have decreased in recent decades . Due to population decline in continental populations, the species has been petitioned for listing as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The purpose of this project is to : 1) examine the adaptive behavior of roseate tern chicks nesting on rocky substrate, and 2) identify the potential causes of mortality that are habitat related in chicks . This project was directed by Joanna Burger, Rutgers University . f Culebra NR86 -"Energy budget of the white -tailed trooicbird" (41522-11) The objectives of this study are to : 1) determine separately the energy income and expenditure of breeding adult white-tailed tropicbirds and also of nestlings, 2) to investigate whether being fitted with a tracking transmitter causes a detectable increase in a tropicbird's energy expenditure and/or a decrease in its income, and 3) to follow the radio-tagged tropicbirds on foraging flights out of Culebra to find out where they forage, and how fast they travel out and back . Preliminary radio-tracking of tropicbirds took place this year. This project will be a joint effort between the University of Miami, Florida, and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Maryland . CBR PAGE 6
E . ADMINISTRATION
1 . Personnel
Information regarding permanent personnel working at Culebra is covered in the Caribbean Refuges narrative section . Culebra remained without a resident manager after the transfer of John Taylor from December 1985 throuth March 1986. In April, Manuel "Bud" Oliveira from the Wetlands Management District . was selected as manager . Bud was relatively new to the Service With only one . station and 3 years experience under his belt . He received a baptism of fire at Culebra. His arrival occurred at the beginning of the turtle and seabird nesting seasons, and the beginning of the 1986 YCC season . In addition, the refuge was expecting 9 researchers and various assistants to move into refuge . facilities and begin Culebra NWR's biggest research season to date . Bud had his hands full and worked many hours of overtime to keep programs and projects operating 0 and people happy . He had a tough task and completed it admirably with dedication and enthusiasm . We will miss him and his family . Miss him?! Yes . He and his family spent 6 months at Culebra before Bud was selected as assistant manager for Great Meadows NWR . His desire to move was for personal reasons, but we warned him that he'll miss the fun in the sun, surf and sea.
FWS Florida Coop Student Cynthia Lagueaux arrived at the refuge in January to assist with the sea turtles research . She replaced researcher Kathy Hall on the Earthwatch program (Secrtion D .1).
Biological aid and turtle researcher Tony Tucker returned to continue his research on leatherbacks, conduct (with Cynthia Lagueaux) the summer 8 Earthwatch leatherback turtle nesting program and assist with the in-the-water sea turtle research .
The following volunteers and YCC personnel worked at the Culebra NWR in 1986 .
Volunteer biologists
Fred Schaffner, 2/86-8/86 Jorge Saliva) 5/86-7/86 Liz McGowan, 5/86-8/86 David Wiggins, 7/86-8/86 Dr. Joanna Burger, 6/86 CBR PAGE 7
Dr. John Chardine, 4/86-7/86 Dr. Mike Gochfeld, 6/86 Dr. Colin Pennyquick, 5/86 Dr. Ralph Morris, 4/86 and 6/86
YCC supervisors and enrollees
Dudley Mansfield, labor foreman (terminated) Ron Childs, labor foreman (replacement)
Mildred Monell-Ayala Aixa Romero-Morales Nestor Cecillo Glorimar Sanes-Garay 0 Mariana Villanueva Manuel Batista Nelson Rodriguez-Sanchez Ivan Romero Milton Romero-Morales Ramon Vazquez
2. Youth Programs
The fourth annual YCC program was successfully completed . The hard-working and enthusiastic group of enrollees was essential in enabling the refuge to fulfill many refuge project goals . Among their many accomplishments were the building of fencing on newly acquired land, building an extension to the refuge 8 maintenance shop, assisting researchers with nesting sea turtles and beach patrols, and fence and trail rehabilitation .
Nelson Rodriguez-Sanchez was chosen by his peers as the YCC Trabajador del Ano for Culebra NWR 1986.
The Camp was a huge success . This was due mainly to the caliber of students willing to work at the refuge . Culebra island does not offer many employment opportunities for students so the number of applications we receive each year far exceeds our 10 YCC positions . The students take a lot of pride in working for the refuge, and take home a lot of new knowledge about the refuge and wildlife . The Service reaps a hefty amount of good public relations from this .
CBR PAGE 8
Each year an effort is made to increase the enrollees environmental awareness . The enrollees received slide/lecture programs from many of the researchers conducting research on the refuge and refuge staff members . We encouraged the researchers to use the enrollees to assist in the research . The enrollees were taken on a day trip to visit the Caribbean National Forest at El Yunque, Puerto Rico and to attend presentations by U .S. Forest Service personnel .
Ref ugio ~ :r I~hc **" Nacional De Vida Silvestre De Culebra
Y VIDA SILVEST SERVICIO DE PESCA DEPARTAMENTO DR N'F
r J 4
Culebra's 1986 YCC crew and foreman Ron Childs, another good team . M. Oliveira . AN-86-CBR-03
3. Volunteer Program
Once again the volunteers of Culebra NWR contributed one the largest amount of hours by a refuge to the regional total . There were 15,006 hours contributed by the volunteers. The greatest amount of service was donated by Earthwatch volunteers . They spent 10,706 hours assisting researchers and patrolling beaches all night during the leatherback turtle nesting season . An additional 4,150 hours were donated by researchers studying various aspects of seabird behavior and biology . The remaining 150 hours were donated by local residents assisting the researchers and refuge staff with seabird and sea turtle projects . As you might imagine the volunteers litterally make or break our research CBR PAGE 10
0
Fred Schaffner of the University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, assisted 8 us with his research on tropicbirds and helped out with the banding of brown noddies and other species . J . Taylor. AN-86-CBR-05
4. Funding
This is covered in the Caribbean Refuges section of the report .
5. Safety
As part of the station safety program, staff at the Culebra NWR reviewed safety materials sent from the complex headquarters . Due to the additional summer staff, weekly safety meetings were held, and dally tailgate safety discussions were an important YCC function .
CBR PAGE 11
7. Technical Assistance
Assistance was provided to: the U.S. Coast Guard on rescue operations for stranded boaters and routine boarding operations; to the PR DNR whenever input was needed on resource protection activities on their Culebra lands ; to FWS Ecological Services in preventing and assessing illegal projects in the navigable waters around Culebra ; to FWS Special Agents during the Puerto Rico waterfowl hunting seasons ; and to NMFS Special Agents in turtle poaching operations in waters around Culebra .
8. Other Items
Bob Turner, dive master for Region 4, visited Culebra to conduct a FWS SCUBA certification of several Culebra Refuge and Cabo Rojo Refuge staff members in 0 preparation for future in-the-water sea turtle work and other activities .
F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT
1 . General
Habitat conditions on Culebra are greatly dependent on rainfall . The rainy season gives rise to a burst of activity in this environment much the same as the end of the dormant season does in temperate climates . A normal climatic pattern prevailed through the year . The rainy season usually begins in May and the sometime severe weather can affect the wildlife . Rain storm losses to nesting wildlife included several leatherback nests on Playas Resaca and Brava and several nests in the sooty tern colony where terns were incubating newly laid eggs. ;a
2. Wetlands
Water conditions in the seasonally flooded, brackish lagoons were excellent due to consistent rainfall . Fluctuating water levels provided excellent habitat throughout the year for resident and migrant waterfowl and for marsh, wading and shorebirds. No active management 1 ,-) ajID, I icd to `t.I layuviiD iiui i5 aiiy anticipated. CBR PAGE 12
3 . Forests
The largest remaining tract of semi-evergreen to deciduous forest on the island comprises the Mt . Resaca unit of the refuge and includes the tree species Ouaoi-a fragons, Bucida bUCeras, Susera simaruba, Mastichodend'ror, foetidissimum and S,oondias mombir: These trees can reach heights of more than 50 feet and have diameters of up to 3 feet . Natural thorn thickets occur on the drier sites and reach heights of 15 feet and have stems less than 3 inches in diameter. Large boulder covered areas in the Mt . Resaca forest have park-like open forests of cupey and Maguey trees, whose roots entwine the boulders like the knarled fingers of an old man . The rock surfaces provide a terrerium-like atmosphere of silky orchids and colorful bromeliads and the waxy jade green leaves of the threatened Wheeler's peperomia (Pe,neromii w/heeleri) creates an Oriental setting .
0 Isla Culebrita and Cayo Luis Pena both have well developed deciduous, semi-evergreen forests containing Bursera simaruba, Pisonia subcordata, Bourreria succulents, andExostema caribaeum No forest management occurrs on any refuge forests and none is anticipated .
4. Grasslands
Peninsula Flamenco contains large areas of guinea grass with encroaching stands of acacia and mesquite . Overgrazing activity that occurred before the unit was transferred to the refuge resulted in a mesquite and acacia infestation that replaced solid stands of guinea grass. Guinea grass is a preferred nesting habitat of sooty terns . Range conditions on the peninsula were good in 1986 due to brush control in the historic colony in 1985 using Spike herbicide .
5. Other Habitats
a. Mangroves
The Puerto de Manglar unit of the refuge is a mangrove fringe coastal area surrounding the bioluminescent body of water called Puerto de Manglar . Four species of mangroves (red, black, white and button) are found _here, with red mangrove dominating the community. Turtle grass or Thalassic in the bay provides excellent foraging habitat for green turtles . 0 CBR PAGE 13
t
Volunteers were an integral part of the research programs on Culebra . Biologist Collazo and volunteers surveyed underwater transects in various sea grass beds to assess the condition of sea turtle foraging areas . R . DI Rosa . AN-86-CRB-06
The unit was a land transfer from the Navy which obtained the land from Spain in the Spanish-American War. A problem occurred when the 1985 boundary survey indicated that the boundary transected part of a neighbor's homestead . Discussions are underway with the adjacent landowners to determine the best way to correct the boundary problems .
S The Ensenada Honda unit, also known as El Cayo after an old townsite in the, . area, is the most extensive coastal mangrove area on Culebra . All four species of mangrove are also found here . Several mangrove islands within the unit provide pleasant boating through the area, A land ownership dispute between the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Miguel Gonzalez family centers on the upland area located within the unit and on an upland fringe on the east side of the unit. The family has refused to allow FWS access to the uplands in the Ensenada Honda unit and the situation was referred to the Regional Solicitor for further action . When the situation is resolved, the unit will be surveyed, posted and fenced where needed . A civil suit was brought by the Gonzalez f family in an effort to resolve the land boundaries in question . CBR PAGE 14
b. Cays
Most of the 23 cays surrounding the main island of Culebra are FWS owned . They vary from rocky projections of a few acres to brush and tree covered small islands containing picturesque beaches . All receive seabird use and several harbor seabird breeding colonies where much of our research occurs . Habitat management is confined to protection and the hand clearing of vegetation in tern nesting areas .
c. Beaches
Refuge beaches include those on Peninsula Flamenco, Isla Culebrita and Cayo Luis Pena . Most of these beaches have recorded hawksbill nesting, and Playa Este on Isla Culebrita also has experienced leatherback nesting activity . During 1986 the beaches on Culebrita and Cayo Luis Pena were cleared of drift trash t to facilitate turtle nesting and hatchling emergence . 6. Fire Management
No . fire management plans have been prepared for Culebra NWR because of the remoteness of the individual units, their small size and, more importantly, the presence of unexploded military ordnance .
0. WILDLIFE
1 . Wildlife Diversity
Culebra, like most oceanic islands, is limited in terrestrial wildlife diversity . The island does support an assortment of 25 reptilian and amphibian species including four species of endangered and threatened sea turtles . Four species of introduced terrestrial mammals (black rat ) Norway rat, house mouse, white-tailed deer) are found here . Four species of bats (fisherman bat, big brown bat, Brasilian free-tailed bat, velvety free-tailed bat) are known from the area. The greatest diversity occurs in the known avifauna, with over 90 species having been identified. The most striking component of the avifauna Is the seabird group. Thirteen species are known to breed on Culebra, and the breeding season extends year round . Peak populations of seabirds have exceeded 180,000 individuals . CBR PAGE 15
2. Endangered and Threatened Species
a. Sea Turtles
Four species of sea turtle are present and have been known to nest in the Culebra archipelago . They are the leatherback, the Atlantic green, the hawksbill, and the Atlantic loggerhead . The 1986 nesting season marked the fourth year of regular beach surveys on the island. Playas Resaca and Brava again were patrolled nightly by Earthwatch volunteers during the entire leatherback nesting season . (see Section D .1) Tony Tucker, marine turtle biologist completed the second year of the hawksbill nesting and foraging study.
In-the-water hawksbill habitat surveys were initiated in 1985 and continued in 1986 utilizing SCUBA equipment . In addition ) the bays of Culebra and its cays were surveyed to determine the best and most accessable green turtle habitat in preparation for the proposed netting activities .
A green turtle tagging and monitoring program for the Culebra area began in March 1986 . For several years the Virgin Islands Division of Fish and Wildlife has, had a turtle netting and tagging program for estimating their green turtle population . By using various measurements and recapture data they were able to document turtle movements and growth rates . In 1985, the Culebra staff participated in two turtle netting drives with Virgin Islands personnel to learn the techiniques of underwater turtle capture .
A 600 foot by 30 foot weighted and floated turtle net was constructed by Joe LaPlace of the Virgin Islands Department of Fish and Wildlife, Tony Tucker and Cynthia Laqueux assisted in the construction. The net was designed more to act as a barrier to prevent turtles from escaping than to entangle them . Two trial I capture sessions were conducted at Culebra by refuge personnel and volunteers to perfect capture skills and eliminate the bugs inherent in any new operation .
The technique consisted of entering a bay containing good turtle habitat and deploying the net from the boat in a half or quarter moon configuration in water depth of 30ft . or less . Two or three good free divers and several volunteers would enter the water at intervals as the net was being deployed . The divers and volunteers would begin to swim back and forth the length of -the net to detect any turtles that were trapped in the net or attempting to get through it . The diver would dive to the turtle, subdue it if necessary and bring it to the surface. Volunteers swimming at the surface would assist by helping to detect CBR PAGE 16
0 turtles and transport them to the boat after the divers brought them to the surface . They also would assist in net deployment and retrival . For mixirnum safety we used only experienced refuge personnel capable of free diving to depths enough to retrieve a turtle and avoid entanglement in the net . Safety of personnel and volunteers was a primary concern . The free divers were constantly aware of the possibility of underwater blackout and entanglement in the net . This system worked well and no problems occurred . t
t I Before our in-the-water sea turtle capture and release project could bear fruit we needed to work the bugs out with some practical exercises . Some one had to do the dirty work, so the project leader stayed home to mind the store while the rest of the staff got to splash in the water . 5.Oliveira . AN-86-CBR-07 0 CBR PAGE 17
Asst. Mgr. Oliveira and Biol . Aid Tucker take the net out to begin the first trial run at catching turtles . S. Oliveira . AN-86-CBR-08
A small portion of the 600 ft . net as it is being deployed . s B. Oliveira . AN-86-CBR-09 CBR PAGE 18
f
Biologist Collazo retrieving a small green turtle from the net . F . Lopez . AN-86-CBR- 10
Biologist Collazo accompanied by a volunteer takes a turtle to the surface . R . D1 Rosa. AN-86-CBR-1 I CBR PACE 19
0
Biologist Col lazo (the one with the snorkel) at the surface with a turtle R . Di Rosa . AN-86-CBR-12
Assistant Manager Di Rosa brings one up J. Col lazo . AN--86-CBR-13 0 CBR PAGE
t prepares to boat it . The best single net haul by the rookies was 5 turtles, .A.. .andlittle more practice was needed . D. Mignogno . AN -86-CBR-l4
All turtles captured were weighed, measured, checked for scars and parasites . R. Di Rosa . AN-86-CBR- 15
CBR PAGE 21
0
I Before being released into the water, all turms im i , .,yj m National Marine Fisheries Service tags . R. D! Rosa . AA-86-CBR- 16
a
I
40
The ci ew i-,auis 1h the net . A was never quite as ej3y as I mg it . 0 5,011velra . AN - 86-CBR- 17
CBR PAGE 22
0
Everybody out of the water!!!!! Whew! Opps, a friendly dolphin having some fun with us before we finish the days work (7) . R .DiRosa . AN-86-CBR-18
The following is a summary of leatherback hatching results in the Culebra archipelago . Personnel involved in data collection were Earthwatch principal investigators, Earthwatch volunteers, Caribbean Islands Refuge staff, resident researchers, local and off-island volunteers .
The duration of the 1986 leatherback nesting season lasted from February 25 until July 5 Fourteen females were tagged during this period after nest deposition. The following table shows frequency of utilization of the nesting beaches .
Beach nests did not lay false crawl ~ total activities Resaca 39 5 8 39 0% Brava 68 10 s 60 .5% Zoni 1 0 .5% total 107 15 12 0
CBR PAGE 23
Total number of hatchlings 4517 Total number of yolked eggs counted at excavation 6015 Hatching percent 4517/6015 = 75.1 Dead hatchlings found in nest 157 Stragglers found in nest and released 398
Salt water innundation occurred in nine nests and fresh water innundation from lagoonal outflow happened twice . Nests which were not relocated were termed unknown results.
b. West Indies Brown Pelican
The Culebra archipelago 1s an Important roosting and feeding area for the endangered brown pelican . Up to 60 individuals roost and feed in Puerto de Manglar and groups of 10 to 15 birds are regularly seen feeding off beaches and rocky points.
c. Culebra Giant Anole
No documented sightings of this species have been made since 1932 . A field investigation by the Puerto Rican Department of Natural Resources (funded with Section 6 money) was conducted in 1986 in an effort to detect its presence or determine its extinction . By the end of 1986 the researcher was unable to find any specimens or document any recent sightings among the island residents.
A researcher working at the Harvard Museum of Comparative Anatomy was able to find several previously unknown specimens of the - Culebra giant anole in museums in Europe . With the new data, the range of the species was extended from Culebra to include the islands of Vieques (PR), St. .John (USVI) and Anegeda (BVI).
d. Peregrine Falcon
The Caribbean island chain is an important wintering area for the tundra subspecies of the threatened peregrine falcon . Three or four birds generally arrive in Culebra in November and remain until March . The birds commonly feed on booby chicks and on occasion take nesting tropicbirds on Cayo Luis Pena . CBR PAGE 24
e . Wheeler's Peperomia
Wheeler's peperomia (Peperomia.wheelerf) was listed as a threatened species during 1986 . Little change in management activities will occur as a result of the listing but we hope to be able . to encourage outside researchers to take an interest in the ecology of the species .
f. Commonwealth Plants
Their are five endemic species of plants on Culebra and the surrounding islands that are considered to be rare : Peoeromia wheeler! (Mt. Resaca forest) ; Caesal,oin!a culebrae (coastal on Culebrita); Justicia culebr!tae (local forb species on Culebrita); Tillano's!a Ilneatlsolca(local forb species on Culebra) ; t and Leptocereusgrantianus(local cactus on Culebra) .
3. Waterfowl
Water conditions for waterfowl were very good this year . Major lagoons held sufficient water to support migrating blue-winged tealand resident West Indian ruddy ducks and white-cheeked pintails . Peak numbers of the latter of West Indian ruddy duck population (which do not nest on Culebra) and pintails occurred in September .
White-cheeked pintails, our resident nesting species, sustained good numbers from January to May averaging 306 ducks and peaking with 453 in September . Several broods were seen on Laguna Flamenco, Laguna Zoni, various stock ponds f around the island and in Ensenada Honda . White-cheeked pintails are suspected of nesting in guinea grass stands around Laguna Zoni and the airport tract which accounts for the number of broods seen in the bay . Nest locations around Laguna Flamenco remain unknown . Numerous white-cheeked pintail nests have been found on the out-lying cays, some as far out as 4 miles . It is not known if the lack of suitable nesting habitat on mainland Culebra is forcing this dabbling duck to nest on the surrounding cays . Biologists from the Commonwealth Department of Natural Resources are conducting studies to look into the habitat requirements and nesting distribution of pintails and ruddy ducks in all major lagoons at areas on Culebra . s CBR PACE 25
4. Marsh and Water Birds
Five species of heron (tri-colored, green-backed, great blue, little blue, yellow-crowned night-heron) are common on the island . By far, the most common is the yellow-crowned night-heron which thrives on land crabs in the mangrove _ire as and i also ~n of~l?ortuni stir predator on hatchling turtle and seabird chicks . The only rookery known on Culebra is a cattle egret rookery located in the mangroves on the north end of Ensenada Coronel containing 300-350 nests.
Other common marsh bird species on Culebra included clapper rails, pied-billed grebes, least grebes, common moorhens, and American coots .
Three species of booby breed at Culebra, Depending upon the time of year you can find two to five nests of the red-footed booby, eight to 15 nests of the masked booby, and 20 to 200 nests of the brown booby . Nesting is continuous t throughout the year with August and September being the peak egg laying months . Most of the birds fledged before the end of the year . f
A pair of masked boobies with their chick on one of Culebra's offshore islands File Photo . AN-B6-CBR-19 CBR PAGE 26
Audubon's shearwater nests increased this year . Cayo del Agua had 7 nests, 2 were found on Cayo Matojo, and a single nest on Cayo Alcarraza . The return of banded birds on Cayo Matojo indicate annual nesting by the species and high nest site tenacity.
5. Shorebirds . Gulls, Terns, and Allied Species
Shorebird populations on Culebra were monitored monthly . Sixteen species were recorded in 1986 . No new species were recorded for -r1986 . Large concentrations of black-necked stilts, lesser yellowlegs and least sandpipers were noted during September.
The annual tern and gull population survey was conducted in June and all nesting colonies were surveyed . The sooty tern population was estimated using a circular plot sampling technique for each colony; all other population 1 estimates were based upon direct counts of the breeding colonies . The following table shows the populations estimates for 1971 and 1981-1986 .
SPECIES 1971 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986
Sooty Tern 187,570 17,900 30,680 30,420 48,148 37,750 30,606 Bridled Tern 720 975 900 850 1,000 606 452 Brown Noddy 1 ) 110 1,090 1,420 1,360 1,608 1,566 1,044 Royal Tern 310 210 252 336 286 174 306 Sandwich Tern 1,472 840 500 . 356 342 210 810 Roseate Tern 650 400 690 550 - 482 1,082 504 9 Laughing Gull 1,290 1,318 810 1,370 1,288 1,452 1,344
The sooty tern population declined on the Peninsula Flamenco due to the effects of egg poaching and overgrazing in the late 70's and early 80's . The resulting low recruitment (sooty terns take at least 7 years to enter the breeding cohort) to the population and probable emigration (suggested by band recovery data) to nearby Saba Cay in St . Thomas are reflected in the current sooty tern population numbers . The sandwich and royal tern population declines in 1985 were probably due to poaching activity on Cayo Matojo . Both species seem to be fluctuating around 500 individuals . The roseate tern population present at Culebra is of special significance because of its pending federal listing as a threatened species in the Caribbean . CBR PAGE 27
Roseate terns had a good nesting season at Cayo Moliiios For the tern experts in the field who are about to say that these look like common terns, think of tropical roseates not temperate roseates . They don't look the same . S. Furniss . AN-86-CBR-20 .
6. Raptors
American kestrels were common throughout the island. Red-tailed hawks occurred along Mt . Resaca and in areas where seabirds nest in dense colonies . A pair of short-eared owls were residents at Peninsula Flamenco . Ospreys, f peregrine falcons and merlins ~jre usual winter visitors to Culebra and prefer the coastal areas and outlying cays .
7. Marine Mammals
Observations of hump-backed whales from the ferry between the islands of Puerto Rico and Culebra are common in February, March and April during migration periods . Bottlenosed dolphins can be seen throughout the year and large groups are observed in April .
In November upon returning from a trial netting of sea turtles a lone dolphin CBR PAGE 28
appeared at the boat dock . It swam around the dock until five members of the turtle netting group jumped in the water with their snorkling gear . The the fun was on. The dolphin "played" with the divers for 15 minutes and then departed . It appeared to enjoy itself as much as the divers enjoyed themselves. Obviously such behavior in the wild is rare and led us to do a little research . Apparently, in the past at least one major commercial marine attraction had released captive dolphins in the Culebra area .
8. Other Resident Wildlife
There exists a non-hunted, introduced population of white-tailed deer on Culebra Island . The population is roughly estimated by Commonwealth biologists to be 90-100 animals . The population fluctuates yearly depending on weather conditions and appears to be quite healthy .
The Commonwealth government has been attempting to eradicate ticks that 1 affect the local cattle industry . The deer act as a reservoir of ticks that limits the effectiveness of the cattle treatment program on Culebra.
9. Marking. and Banding
Twenty-two sooty tern chicks and adults were banded on Peninsula Flamenco and Cayo Yerba as part of a hatching and fledging study . Three Audubon's shearwater adults and chicks were banded on two cays . Recapture data indicated strong nest site tenacity by adult shearwaters . Twenty-nine brown noddy adults and chicks were banded and color-marked as part of a behavioral study on Cayo Noroeste by Brock University . Thirty-nine white-tailed and red-billed tropicbirds were banded as part of a bioenergetics study on Cayo Luis Pena by the University of Miami . Limited opportunistic banding of bridled terns also occurred on Cayo del Agua.
H. PUBLIC USE
1 . General
We continued to inform the public about to the roles and objectives of the U .S . i Fish & Wildlife Service and Culebra NWR . After attempting to educate the local CBR PAGE 29
public about the USFWS we got tough in 1985 and began issuing citations to violators of refuge regulations . We made it very plain that we would take strong stance against seabird and turtle egg poachers . We carried the same attitude into 1986 and it seemed to have been beneficial since refuge problems were minimal . Rapport is maintained with the public via the local radio station by periodically conducting natural resource programs . Constant contacts with refuge users and local residents are a staple of the refuge program,
2. Outdoor Classrooms
As last year, outdoor classrooms were combined with classroom instruction for a more meaningful field experience. Outdoor classrooms are continuous throughout the seabird and leatherback turtle nesting seasons . These activities comprise the two basic resource themes .
The transfer of the refuge manager and the short tenure of his replacement limited the amount of time that could be devoted to student and teacher outdoor education. Maintenanceman Morales did an admirable job of filling the vacant manager's position. He conducted environmental excursions with students and took special interest in the handicapped youth.
After a sea turtle presentation and orientation about the methods involved in the leatherback study, students participated in all night beach patrols . Some students became quite proficient in "working" a turtle when it emerged . The students organized several expeditions to the beaches during the season.
Programs about seabirds are presented at the local school and then students are recruited to participate in research studies when possible . Such activities aid the local islanders at understanding the reasons behind wildlife and refuge t regulations .
3 . Other Interpretive Programs,
The third annual outreach program for island handicapped youth was held in the the summer. The refuge was used as a focal point for outdoor education experiences . Programs were presented and field trips conducted .
Refuge programs were presented on a regular basis to rotating groups of t Earthwatch volunteers and local turtle patrol volunteers . CBR PAGE 30 i
0 Volunteer Jorge Saliva took time to ccnd ,jct environmental educ !,ion ogram for Culebra's kids during the sooty tern research project . B. Oliveira . AN-86-CBR--20
4. Trapping
Illegal land crab trapping continued on the Ensenada Honda Unit . Refuge regulations against the activity can not be enforced due to the uncertainty of refuge boundaries in that area. Trapping is prohibited on the newly surveyed t Puerto de Manglar unit of the refuge . 5. Campinq
Overnight camping is prohibited on the refuge . Areas are adequately signed and no problems occurred in 1986,
6. Other Non-Wildlife Oriented Recreation
Beach use draws as many as 500 refuge visitors per holiday weekends to beautiful beaches on both Cayo Luis Pena and Isla Culebrita . The newly placed regulatory signs and increased enforcement of the regulations eliminated most i otf the problems associated with the holiday crowds . CBR PAGE 31
8. Law Enforcement
Great strides in resource protection have occurred on the Culebra NWR in the past four years . Leatherback turtle and egg poaching has declined to just a few isolated cases on the island after years of being a truely chronic problem . The decline is attributed to the Earthwatch volunteer program and members of the local community, that have patrolled major leatherback beaches nightly . Other beaches recorded only sporadic nesting, chiefly by hawksbills . We strived to maintain a high profile in these areas to discourage poaching activities .
Having brought leatherback turtle egg poaching under control on Culebra beaches, emphasis has shifted to controlling illegal turtle netting operations in 300 square miles of Culebran waters . Due to the shortage of personnel patrolling this large area is difficult . Working with the local community, at least two netting operations have been detected . We have been working with the Fish & Wildlife Service special agent and the National Marine Fisheries Service special agents in an attempt to make an apprehension . Although a few local persons in the community have been implicated, the majority of these activities are based in neighboring Puerto Rico and Vieques .
Frequent patrols were conducted during the peak seabird egg laying periods . During that time it was difficult to be everywhere at the same time . Volunteer biologists working at various colonies served as additional eyes and ears to detect and deter poaching. Regardless of our efforts we still lost eggs to poachers . However no major losses were detected this year . However, the Coast Guard did a brisk business on at least one holiday weekend . For the last few years we have been assisting the Coast Guard on occasions when they work in Culebrian waters and need a small craft to act as a boarding platform . We provide the platform and operator and they provide the boarding officers and gasoline. We only standby and do not engage in the boarding operations . The benefits that we gain from this are the close working association with the Coast Guard and the higher visibility we receive due to these operations . The public becomes much more aware of our presence .
During the 4th of July weekend we assisted the Coast Guard with their boarding activities that resulted in the issuance of over 100 citations . The violations ranged from the typical no life preserver to the discharge of oily waste in inshore waters . The later carried a penalty of $10,000 (an a very disgruntled boat operator) . Needless to say, the Coast Guard loves our little get-togethers . s CBR PAGE 32
Gun hunting is prohibited by the Commonwealth on Culebra which eliminates related law enforcement problems . Nonetheless, illegal migratory game bird and deer hunting exists .
Illegal construction in mangroves was reported to both FWS Ecological Services and the Army Corps of Engineers . Most of the reports resulted in cease and desist orders issued by the Corps . Unfortunately, the Corps is ineffective in enforcing its orders and some violators have made no effort to remove the illegal structures.
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico also has jurisdiction regarding fills (construction) In wetland (mangrove) areas, since many of the problem areas are located on lands transferred to them through the Department of the Interior. Lack of enforcement for removal of the illegal structures contradicts restrictions outlined in the transfer agreement . A beach in the Punta Soldado area has experienced a rash of new beach house developments, little or no action has been taken by the Commonwealth to correct the situation . In the end it is up to the Department of the Interior to either force the Commonwealth to take effective action against these squatters or revert the lands back to the Interior Department .
I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
1 . Equipment Utilization and Replacement
The 1979 Dodge 4x4 crewcab was retired because of structural deterioration and excessive rust . The island environment finally exacted its full toll . It was replaced by a new 1986 Dodge 4x4 crewcab . Certain precautions will be taken and preventive maintenance activities will be performed to maximize the lifespan of this vehicle . The refuge AMC jeep is not far behind the old crewcab . Rust is taking its toll and plans are to replace it with a trade or new vehicle i 1987.
The boat trailer for the Boston Whaler was put in the gunny sack and tossed in the creek as well . It too finally succumbed to the salty island conditions . A new trailer was on order at year end . Only so much care can be given to the refuge equipment used in or close to the ocean (everywhere on the island is closed to the ocean) . A fresh water wash down is minimally helpful since even tap water is blackish and nonpotable . Fresh water is at a premium on the island and drinking water is obtained from rain water collected by cisterns. On 1 Culebra freshwater is not used for many other purposes than drinking .
2/
NE SAN JUAN STAR*- Thursday . August 7. 1986. .
go or land reverts t® U.S. . shoreline to ulebra told squatters ae- ly 800 acres along Culebra's baseball fields on some of the land as well find out exactly how much of the' By HARRY TURNER as reforest much of the rest of it . 'quir•ed land the squatters are occupying. the Commonwealth Department of Natu- Scripps Howard News Service None of this has been done to date .- "The land occupied by the squatters is ral Resources. , agreement, - Natural Re- WASHINGTON - The Puerto Rican Instead, both the Romero and the clearly in noncompliance with the land' Under the sources was obligated to-fence off areas government should be made to give back HernAndez Col6n'administrations looked transfer agreement," Baker said. "I that contained nesting grounds for threat- to the federal government a sizable chunk the other way while scores of squatters would recommend that the General Ser- and birdlife, keep vehi- of public land on Culebra if scores of from Puerto Rico - many of them vices Administration take it back if the ened sea turtles off the beaches, limit nighttime use squatters cannot be removed from the took over the public land and squatters can't be removed." . cles wealthy - esches and keep turtle poachers land, a federal official said Wednesday . built houses on it. Dick Copaken, the HernAndez Col6n of del The official, Robert Baker, Park Ser- Baker, in a telephone interview from administration's chief counsel in Wash- away. The agreement also called for Natural vice regional director, added : "We're ap- his Atlanta offices, indicated he does not ington who has been doing the negotiating Resources to get -rid of the lop ne proaching the problem with the idea that expect a quick solution to the Culebra with the National Park Service, ba%said squatters on the land and preven, ew the squatters are there for good ." dispute, which has been dragging on for the Commonwealth is trying to build ones from taking up residence. However, Aides to Baker said squatters now years housing for the Culebra squatters so they Natural Resources has done virtually occupy 87 of the 156 acres that the Puerto On the other hand, he said, his agency can be moved off the public land. nothing, according to Fish and Wildlife Rican government acquired from the is prepared to ultimately recordmend Beyond that, Copaken has refused to Awrals who are troubled by the continu- ?ark Service in 1980 after the Navy was that the federal government take back discuss the matter, saying the public had forced to give up Culebra as a target the entire 156 acres if the HernAndez no right to know . ing damage being done to the shoreline range. Colon administration does not live up to The HernAndez Co16n administration's environment. Under a legal contract signed by the its commitment to build the recreation dispute with the National Park Service is Fish and Wildlife is also putting pres- Herngndez Col6n administra- Romero administration, the Common- facilities. - only half the problem on Culebra, howev- sure on the wealth government was supposed to build Baker said the Commonwealth govern- er. Another federal agency, the Fish and tion to live up to the Culebra land . hiking trails, a children's park and two ment has begun' a six-month survey to Wildlife Service, in 1982 transferred near- transfer amt CBR PAGE 33
2. Other
Maintenanceman Morales provided the office trailer interior with a face lift . It Is quite nice and looks like a professional office now .
Additional fenceline was built by the YCC at the old military observatiuon point that became refuge land in 1986 . It establishes the refuge boundary and prevents livestock tresspass in teh area .
The 1985 fencing of the Mt . Resaca unit was accomplished by clearing dense tropical vegetation. I t is a major yearly project to keep the fence lines clear and much of the YCC enrollees' time was accounted for by this project . The YCC built a storage addition to the refuge garage and storage facility . The additional storage was needed because of the increase in staff, research projects and equipment.
J. OTHER ITEMS
1 . Cooperative Programs
The cooperative agreement between the Culebra Conservation and Development Authority and the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge has worked very well over the last three years. Authority personnel have helped out the refuge staff on several occassions with habitat improvement projects, boat transportation and vehicle repairs . Now that we have a maintenance man on board, we can pool our resources for repairs and other similar projects . Refuge gasoline and secretarial services (including use of the copy machine) are purchased from the Authority under a cooperative agreement . The refuge headquarters site is also ]eased from the Authority .
2. Credits This report was written by Roger DiRosa and Sean Furniss and prepared in final form by Carmen Mendez on the Macintosh . 1 CBR PAGE 34 0 K. FEEDBACK With the support of Earthwatch, private researchers, the Congressional Appropriations Committee, and the FWS Endangered Species Program, the Culebra resource management programs are fairly well in hand . We still have three problems : 1) resolution of land ownership issues, 2) enforcement of the land transfer agreement, and 3) the need for permanent facilities . Item Number 1 . Land ownership issues involving the Ensenada Honda and Puerto de Manglar Units, and at Laguna Flamenco need to be resolved . First, at Ensenada Honda a determination of .title needs to be made in regard to the upland areas and a general boundary survey is needed for the whole unit . 1 Second, at Puerto Manglar and Ensenada Honda a determination as to the ownership of the mangroves is needed in view of the Jones Act amendment that gave the Commonwealth all submerged lands not reserved by the U .S. government . Third, management issues need to be resolved at Laguna Flamenco in order to see that the important resources are protected. The clear ownership of the lagoon areas is essential to the future management of the white-cheeked pintail, a candidate species for listing as threatened . Item Number 2 . There has been no progress on resolving squatter issues on the transfer lands (Navy to DOI to PR) on Culebra and only minor progress in implementing management practices . The Commonwealth has been studying the situation for years with seemingly little progress . If DOI makes a resource commitment, then it should see to it that there is follow through with action on the part of the Commonwealth and land reversion if there is no action . Item Number 3 . We need some permanent facilities for Culebra . We are protecting valuable resources and we need an adequate base of operations to work from. Given the local interest in the refuge and the significant tourism to Culebra, a small Visitor Contact Station would be a tremendous asset in helping to educate the visiting public and protect the resources . At present, there are not even any plans for this necessity . We feel this merits consideration and evaluation, and should become part of the FWS budgetary needs. 1 CBR PAGE 35 0 0 Culebra Island's other habitat a truly magnificent vista of the aquatic environment . Little noise and few people to disturb your visit to paradise . R. Di Rosa, AN-86-CBR-21 & 22 f S CARIBBEAN'ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDIFE REFUGES DESECHEO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1986 U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM I NATIONAL WILDLIFE DES PAGE 1 Desecheo NWR or INTRODUCTION The refuge is located in the Mona Passage, about 15 miles west of the northwest corner of Puerto Rico . The name for the island is thought to have originated from the Indian word Sikeo, which means "high mountainous land" ; derived from Si for high, ke for land, and o for mountain . The early Spanish explorers believed that the island was called Cicheo by the Indians . On the early maps (from 1500 to 1600) the island was known as la Isla de Zecheo, then became known as Desecheo probably as a result of the merging of the last two words of Isla de Zecheo . 0 0 Desecheo Island, its rugged coastline and topography are clearly evident . R. DI Rosa . AN-86-DES-01 The island is bounded on the north by the Atlantic and on the south by the Caribbean. Desecheo NWR encompasses the entire 360 acres of Desecheo Island . The island is extremely rugged and rocky . Its highest peak is 676 feet according to photogrametric calculations . Geologically, the island is underlain 0 chiefly by deformed fragmental volcanic rocks of the early Tertiary Period . DES PAGE 2 The early explorer Christopher Columbus passed by the island (seeing his third National Wildlife Refuge of the trip) on November 22, 1493 on his way to the island of Hispanola . In 1788, the early Puerto Rico historian Fray Inigo Abbad y Lasierra wrote that Desecheo was " ...uninhabited, although covered by trees, has many wild goats which are hunted by smugglers . ..." The island was not visited by naturalists until B. S. Bowdish visited the area to collect bird specimens on June 24, 1900 and again from July 6 to 10, 1901 . Dr. A. Wetmore stayed on the island June 13-16, 1912 and recorded his avian observations in a series of publications . The first botanical exploration was conducted by W. E. Hess and F . L . Stevens in May 1913 . Dr. N. L. Britton made a botanical exploration of the area February 17-20, 1914 and was accompanied by a group of American entomologists. The geologist B . Hubbard visited Desecheo in the summer of 1916, where he was the first to recognize the two marine benches which he labeled the Upper Desecheo Stage and the Lower Stage. P. H. Struthers visited the island to make ornithological observations in January 1922 and in 1926 . Dr. 0 S. Taylor and some of his students spent 4 days (May 7 to 9, 1927) on the island making further ornithological observations . No records of any visits to the island for scientific purposes appear to have been made between 1927 and 1965. The most significant recent scientific work on the native plant and animal . life were the visits of botanist Dr. R. Woodbury to the island April 5, 1967, July 12-14,1968, and in November 1974 . Desecheo Island was part of the original Crown Lands that came to the United States at the end of the Spanish-American War . It was originally reserved by Executive Order of President Taft in December 1912 for use as a forest and bird preserve. At that time it was the site of the world's largest brown booby 0 colony as well as a breeding area for laughing gull, brown noddy, bridled tern, magnificent frigatebird and red-footed booby . The island was transferred, by the Presidential Proclamation of President F . D: Roosevelt, to the insular government of Puerto Rico on June 16, 1937, for use as a forest and bird preserve. In April 1940, Desecheo was transferred to the U .S. War Department for use as a bombing and gunnery range. The island was used from 1940 to 1952 as a practice target for aerial bombardment . From 1952 until 1960 Desecheo was used as a survival area for the U .S. Air Force. (It still is a survival area for all forms of life on the island .) In July 1964, the area was transferred to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) . In July 1966, NIH introduced 56 rhesus monkeys to the island to establish a free ranging monkey colony to be cropped for medical research . In December 1976, Desecheo Island 0 and its monkeys returned to the National Wildlife Refuge System . DES PACE 0 a The principal source of our management problems are the rhesus monkeys which were introduced to the island. These two adults and the infant were among the individuals which were removed alive from the island . J . Herbert . AN-86-DES-02 Desecheo was formerly known as the location of the world's largest colony of brown boobies (15,000 birds) . Currently no brown booby breeding is known to occur on the island . Both brown booby and red-footed boobies are known to be on the island and an estimated 300-400 red-footed boobies are believed to be 0 breeding. As early as 1969, studies of the rhesus monkeys released by NIH indicated extensive predation on the boobies by the free ranging monkeys . Efforts were made to remove the monkey population in 1977, 1979 and 1981 . None of these early efforts resulted in more than partial removal of the animals, Calendar year 1985 marked the first time that an intensive and adequately funded monkey removal program was attempted . Other noteworthy fauna of the island are feral goats that became established in the 1700's . Feral cats and rats are resident at Desecheo Island . Peregrine falcons are seen irregularly as they stop off to harvest a red-footed booby or two during their winter visits to Puerto Rico. Three endemic species and subspecies of lizards and one species of snake are also found on the island DES PAGE 4 The island's distance from Puerto Rico (14 mi), rough seas and rugged coast line combine to make management difficult . Boat travel to the island is slow and once you get to the island you might not be able to land or once landed you might not get off. Helicopters are faster but at $600 an hour they can suck the budget dry in a hurry. Therefore, we do not often set foot on the island, The Coast Guard checks the island visually whenever their aircraft are in the vicinity . They respond well to requests for assistance and have helped us with non-emergency helicopter support in the past . Their mission comes first and funding is tight so their non-emergency support is limited . 0 0 The Coast Guard made almost daily flights past Desecheo checking for illegal aliens and drug smuggling . The island lies on a well used route between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico . R. Di Rosa. AN-86-DES-03 Illegal visitation to the island continued despite knowledge that public use is restricted, and drug and alien smugglers use the island for their activities . In the past the Coast Guard has air-lifted aliens off Desecheo when the smugglers abandoned their passengers or when the aliens became ship wrecked . Evidence of such activities commonly is found on the island . DES PAGE 5 For years we have known about the recreational boaters, goat hunters, bird hunters and land crabbers that camp, hunt and heavily litter the island . We did not realize the extent of this illegal use until the Monkey Busters began the monkey removal project in 1985 . They recorded public use that ranged from hunting and camping to illegal alien smuggling and apparent drug smuggling . Such activities began to cause the monkey removal contractor numerous problems when he returned in December of 1985 to continue the operation until April 1986 . Yes, they returned and for those of you who read the 1985 narrative and were dismayed at the unfinished ending here is "the rest of the story" . 0 0 The ubiquitous Desecheo hermit crab . They even come bigger than this! Their tremendous numbers and voracious appetites were a constant source of annoyance to everyone who worked on the island . R. Di Rosa . AN-86-DES-04 . As you may recall, we left the Monkey Busters in December 1985 with 1 1 more monkeys being recycled by the hermit crabs . By the first of the year the illegal use problems on the Island were causing so much distraction and so many problems to the contractor that we prepared an L .E . campaign . Notices were produced (in Spanish) detailing the status of Desecheo NWR and the DES PAGE 6 consequences of trespass and other illegal activities. These notices were posted at all the local pescaderias (fishing cooperatives) and marinas on the west coast of Puerto Rico . Notices were also published in local newspapers . Refuge personnel were stationed for a period of time on the island to enforce the refuge regulations and the notice . The tactic worked well enough that the local news media paid the project leader a surprise visit for an interview . The Puerto Rican legislature in San Juan even examined the situation thinking we might be usurping Commonwealth rights . The project leader deftly handled all inquiries, and the project continued. 0 0 Taking a well deserved break on one of Desecheo's peaks. S. Rohnke . AN-86-DES-05 DES PAGE 7 By April the contractor had removed an additional 22 monkeys (1 1 since Jan 1, 1986). He believed at that time that the monkeys were eliminated . Subsequent examinations of the island by refuge personnel located at least three monkeys and possibly more remaining on Desecheo . It had to be black magic or at the very least spontaneous generation . On December 26, 1986 a tired but dedicated contractor returned to the refuge to continue the elimination project . Tune in next year for the rest of the story (or at least another segment) . 0 0 Assistant Manager Di Rosa helps the "Monkey 0 Busters" on their return to Desecheo . B . Ol iveira. AN-86-DES-06 CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDIFE REFUGES CABO ROJO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1986 U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM Cabo Ro j o NWR INTRODUCTION The Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1974 when 587 acres of upland habitat were obtained from the Central Intelligence Agency . The refuge lies along a coastal plain and has a few gently rolling hills overlooking the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico . The establishment of the refuge was justified for the value that the habitat held for migratory birds, 9 doves and pigeons in particular . The area has turned out to be increasingly valuable as the only block of wooded upland in southwestern Puerto Rico remaining in public ownership and for the great variety of native birds species, including the endangered yellow-shouldered blackbird . The habitat on the refuge consists of roughly 210 acres of grassland, 320 acres of forest and 50 acres of brush . The area is classified as sub-tropical dry forest under the Hoidridge classification of world life zones . A total of 244 species of plants and 145 species of birds have been identified on the refuge and adjacent lands through 1986. Preliminary objectives of the area are to restore the native vegetation in such a manner as to provide optimal habitat for both native woodland and grassland species, with special considerations for locally and federally listed plant and animal species . 0 8 The headquarters and central processing unit for the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuges located in the heart of the high security zone of the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge. Be careful of what you say, we may be listening in on your frequency!!! R. DI Rosa, AN-86-CAB-01 ChB PAOE $ INTRODUCTION Page, TABLE OF CONTENTS i A.' HIGHLIGHTS 1 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1 C. LAND ACQUISITION Nothing to Report (NTR) D. PLANNING 0 Master Plan (NTR) 1 . Mana ement Plan 2 Public Participation (NTR) Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates .(NTR) 2. Research and Investigations 3 Other (NTR) E. ADMINISTRATION 1 . Personnel 5 2. Youth Pro rams : 7 Other Manpower Programs (NTR) 3. Volunteer Programs Funding I 4. Saf et 9 Technical Assistance (NTR) Other (NTR) F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT General (NTR) Wetlands (NTR) Forests 9 Croplands (NTR) Grasslands (NTR) Other Habitats (NTR) CAB PAGE I1 Page 0 F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT (Cont .) Grazing (NTR) Haying (NTR) 2. Fire Management 10 Pest Control (NTR) Water Rights (NTR) Wilderness and Special Areas (NTR) WPA Easement Monitoring (NTR) : G. WILDLIFE Wildlife Diversity (NTR) 1 . Endangered and/or Threatened Species 11 0 Waterfowl (NTR) Marsh and Water Birds (NTR) Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species (NTR) 2. Raptors 12 Other Migratory Birds (NTR) Game Mammals (NTR) 3. Other Resident Mammals 13 Marine Mammals (NTR) Fisheries (NTR) Wildlife Propagation and Stocking (NTR) Surplus Animal Disposal (NTR) Scientific Collections (NTR) Animal Control (NTR) 8 Marking and Banding (NTR) Disease Prevention and Control (NTR) H. PUBL I C USE 1 . General 13 Outdoor Classrooms - Students (NTR) Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers (NTR) Interpretive Foot Trails (NTR) Interpretive Tour Routes (NTR) Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations (NTR) Other Interpretive Programs (NTR) Hunting (NTR) CAB PAGE i i i Page H. PUBL I C USE (Cont, ) Fishing (NTR) Trapping (NTR) Wildlife Observation (NTR) Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation (NTR) Camping (NTR) Picnicking : (NTR) Off-road Vehicling (NTR) Other Non-wildlife Oriented Recreation (NTR) 2. Law Enforcement 13 Cooperating Associations (NTR) Concessions (NTR) 0 I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 1 . New Construction 14 2. Rehabilitationn 15 Major Maintenance (NTR) 3. Equipment Utilization and Replacement 15 4. Communications Systems 15 Computer Systems (Wish We Had Some) Energy Conservation (NTR) 5. Other 15 8 J. OTHER ITEMS Cooperative Programs (NTR) Other Economic Uses (NTR) ~a 1 . Items of Interest 16 2. Credits 16 K. FEEDBACK 17 , CAB PAGE 1 A. HIGHLIGHTS 9 Louisiana State University awarded research project contracts . (Section D .2) Anti-government activity, threats and Voice of America project interests in the area spark concern about the safety of FWS personnel . (Section H.3) New construction and rehabilitation of the of the office and VC area was completed and awaiting the new exhibits . (Section 1 .1) The refuge entrance road was repaved . (Section 1 .2) 9 Welcome to the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge, the hub of the Caribbean Islands . S. Furniss . AN-86-CAB-02 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS Cabo Ro jo NWR is located in the path of the easterly trade winds that promote a fairly stable temperature throughout the year . The long term mean temperature varies between 75 ° F and 82°F, with a record low of 55°F and a record high of 96°F . During 1986 the highest temperature of the year was 94°F CAB PAGE 2 in Sept ., and the lowest temperature was 59°F in March. With 28.10 inches of rain, this was the driest year since record keeping began in 1980 . WEATHER DATA SUMMARY 1986 Temperatures (°F) 1986 1980-86 Mean Mean Inches of Inches of Month High Low High Low Rainfall. Rainfall Jan. 86 69 86 64 0.24 0.84 Feb. 85 66 87 64 0.56 1 .53 Mar. 86 64 87 65 0.21 2.02 Apr. 87 72 88 69 0.89 2.26 May 87 74 88 71 14.21 8.07 June 88 76 89 73 0.88 0.65 July 87 74 90 72 0.82 2.60 Aug. 91 75 91 72 2.92 2.09 Sept. 91 73 91 72 1 .05 4.33 Oct. 92 71 90 71 1 .09 5.30 Nov. 87 70 89: .. 69 3.14 4.53 Dec. 86 68 87 65 0.83 1 .86 Average Average 89 69 Total 28.10 Total 36.07 C. LAND ACQUISITION c Nothing to report. D. PLANNING 1 . Management Plant No new management plans were completed . The station fire plan was updated and the reforestation plan was modified . CAB PAGE 3 2. Research and Investigations Cabo Rojo NR86 - "The song and behavioral ecology of the Adelaide's Warbler (Dend~oica adelai(q)"41521-01 The purpose of this study is to understand the system of vocal communication and its relationship to the behavior and ecology of the Adelaide's warbler (Dendcoicaadelaida~ . Information on the following subjects will be recorded during the course of the study : song variation, use of vocalizations, time budgets, territoriality, population dynamics, and song function. Financial support for this study was received from the Frank M . Chapman Memorial Fund, the Alexander T . Wetmore Award of the American Ornithologist's Union, the Stewart Award of the Cooper Ornithological Society, and a grant-in-aid from the Sigma Xi Scientific Society . The 1986 field season was the last of the three year study conducted by, 0 doctoral candidate Cynthia Staicer of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. As in previous years, additional warblers were caught in mist nets, measured, banded with unique color combinations of plastic bands and released . Vocalizations of Adelaide's warblers were recorded extensively, and the territorial and reproductive behavior of pairs were monitored . Males remained paired and sang during breeding and non-breeding . periods, had large song repertoires, shared many songs with neighbors, and used different songs in different contexts . Currently, data is being analyzed . Cabo Rojo NR 86 - "Environmental physiology of Cardisoma quam umi respiratory, acid-base . and cardiovascular physiology" 41521-03 The purpose of the study on the local land crab covered four areas : 1) 8 environmental conditions of the microhabitat with particular attention paid to the crab -burrows; 2) behavior and activity in relation to changing environmental conditions ; 3) respiratory and acid-base physiology of the crabs in the burrows; and 4) the investigation of a baroreceptor reflex which modifies heart rate in response to changes in blood pressure . The research was conducted in the field and laboratory by Dr. Alan Pinder from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Preliminary results indicate that C. guanhumi spends most of the dry season in burrows that go down to water ; burrows may be 3-4 meters deep and may be capped with dried mud for more than 3 months . Samples of gas and water from CAB PAGE 4 burrows were analyzed for 0 2, C02, and ions. The samples suggested that C . guanhumi are exposed to extreme P, C0 2 and the attendant acid-base 0 disturbances under some circumstances . Cabo Rojo NR 86 - "Resource usage by land birds in the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge" 41521-04 The objectives of this study were to provide an objective classification of the similarities and differences of how the avifauna of the refuge community exploit food resources, and to identify measured parameters that are important in determining the structure of the community . This project was directed by Dr. Alex Cruz, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO . Results indicate that flycatchers used 1 1 foraging modes . Sally-hovering from substrate accounted for 47% of the observations . The flycatcher had a varied diet, and animal sterns taken included two animal classes (arthropoda and vertebrate) and 9 animal 0 orders. Insects predominated in the diet of flycatchers . 0 R t I N 0 • 0 5 tivit hi n OW 1 d southwestern Puerto Rico" 41521-07_I. Despite the widespread distribution and continuing interest in the shiny cowbird, surprisingly little is known about a fundamental aspect of cowbird demography : fecundity . The reproductive cycle of the shiny cowbird through time will be determined by examination of cowbird gonadal material . Over 800 dead cowbirds have been transferred to the University of Colorado for later analysis . This project is directed by Dr . Alex Cruz, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. t Research initiated in 1986 Cabo Rojo NR 86 -Breeding biology and foraging ecology of the Puerto Rican Flycatcher(rlyiarcihus antillarum)at Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge 41521-09. The Puerto Rican Flycatcher is an endemic species to the Greater Puerto Rican Region. Although some aspects of its ecology have been studied, detailed information on its nesting biology is not available . The purpose of this project is to study the nesting biology and foraging behavior of adult and juvenile flycatchers . Objectives include : 1) studying the role of adults in nest building, incubation, feeding the young, brooding, and nest defense, 2) determine nesting CAB PAGE 5 success, 3) determine growth rates of nestlings, and 4) determine foraging patterns and success of adults and juveniles . Preliminary data were collected in 1986 indicating the peak nesting activity occurs in April/May . In addition to 0 natural cavities, flycatchers are using artificial nest structures available throughout the Refuge . This project will continued into 1987 . Cabo Rojo NR 86- Movement patterns and habitat utilization of shiny cowbirds in southwestern Puerto Rico, 41521-10 Brood parasitism by the shiny cowbird is the most significant factor contributing to the population decline and endangerment of the endemic yellow -shouldered blackbird . Improvement of yellow-shouldered blackbird nesting success has been achieved by . providi.n g artificial structures and trapping and removing cowbirds . Lack of detailed information of cowbird movement patterns and habitat preferences throughout the year precludes a more effective removal program . Movement patterns and habittat use patterns 0 will be determined by means of radio-telemetry and color-marking and releasing cowbirds captured on refuge lands . A familiarization trip to southwestern Puerto Rico and the Cabo Rojo NWR was made during summer of 1986 . Field work will begin in 1987 . This study will be conducted by doctoral candidate Paul MacKenzie of Louisiana State University . E. Administration 1 Personnel The Cabo Rojo NWR is administered as part of the Caribbean Islands Refuges by personnel assigned to the complex. The principal assistant manager Roger DiRosa handles most of the routine activities associated with the refuge except when the project leader has a specific interest in things . During 1986 there were two individuals specifically assigned to the Cabo Rojo NWR. Both were hired under temporary not to exceed one year appointments and both had worked previously for the refuge . Maintenanceman Mariano Rodriguez-Fl ores was responsible for directing presuppression fire activities and maintenance work . Jose Velez-Carrero was a laborer hired to support presuppression and maintenance activities for a short period of time . 0 CAB PAGE 6 Temporary maintenanceman Rodriguez was converted to a full time WG-7 appointment in December 1986 . Refuge Secretary Carmen Mendez-Santoni 0 received a grade increase to GS-5 to compensate her for the increased duties that had accrued to the position . The Caribbean Islands complex employed a cooperative education student, Wylie Barrow, from Louisiana State University, during June and July . He was a PhD candidate with past biological experience on refuges . His work experience here included everything from administration to biological activities to personnel, supervision. He was based at Cabo Rojo NWR and completed most of his work there. He performed admirably on all counts, and it was a pleasure to have him work with us . The next station to get him should consider themselves lucky . 2. Youth Programs 0 8 The 1986 YCC Crew with maintenance worker Rodriguez at Cabo Rojo NWR . W. Barrow. AN-86-CAB-03 Ten YCC enrollees were hired for the 8 week summer employment season from May to July. Like the previous years program it was a big success for us and the enrollees. Several major projects were completed that included : the 0 painting of the garage/storage building, repair and replacement of the refuge CAB PAGE 7 entrance road guard rails, the building and placement of 75 nest boxes for the yellow-shouldered blackbird and the cleaning and painting of the headquarter's 0 basement. Many minor projects were completed as well . The total YCC program costs (salaries and materials) totaled $14,853 . The work completed had an estimated appraised value of $15,500 . As usual, we made a tidy profit, so to speak, plus the added benefits of hiring local youth in a job depressed area . We received some excellent public relations and good work, and they received some paychecks, environmental education and choice field trips . 3. Volunteer Program In 1984 there was one volunteer doing research on the refuge . In 1985 there were 7 and in 1986 we had 10 . All the major research conducted on the refuge in 1986 was conducted by volunteers (graduate students and professors) . 0 Undergraduate students and high school students assisted with numerous projects . Total volunteer hours contributed at the Cabo Rojo NWR were 6,202 and were devoted to research activities or assisting in the activities . The numerous rooms and the size of the headquarters building al tows us to offer the sweet bait of free accomodations and kitchen facilities to graduate students. The response has been very good and the quality of the volunteers has been excellent . 4. Safety No lost time accidents occurred at Cabo Rojo NWR during 1986 . Monthly safety meetings combining refuge, Endangered Species and Ecological Services staffs S were held. YCC held short weekly safety meetings . Roosevelt Roads Naval Station sent two medical personnel to the refuge to instruct and certify or recertify FWS personnel in first aid and CPR . The staff from all FWS offices and refuge based Puerto Rico DNR personnel attended . F . HABITAT MANAGEMENT A 10 year reforestation plan for Cabo Ro jo NWR was written in 1985 and the first plantings began then . In 1986 we planted 900 Ucar (Bucida buceras) trees. It was less than we would have liked but abnormally dry weather prevented us from planting more . Tree survival depends on adequate moisture during the CAB PAGE planting period, Last year's survival rate was a surprising 959 after one year . Eased on limited previous reforestation data for the area we expected a survival rate of only approximately 50% . Weather in 1986 was not near as conducive to growth of the trees as 1985's weather . We expect a higher percentage of lost plantings for 1986 and maybe some losses of 1985 plantings . Even so the survival rate may be well beyond our original estimates . The program was designed to eventually establish a canopy forest in various successional stages that would be similar to the original forest and habitat of the endangered yellow-shouldered blackbird . Historical observations and literature references indicate that yellow - shouldered blackbirds nested and foraged in the mature ucar forests . 0 I Temporary laborer Jose Velez assisted with many projects including the planting of 900 trees on the refuge . M . Rodriguez . AN-86-CAB-04 2. Fire Management Presuppression activities were initiated in 1985 and consisted of clearing all brush and plants from defined fire lanes around and through the refuge . The lanes were periodically mowed to keep the vegetation down during the two dry seasons in 1986 . Approximately 7 miles of lanes exist in the refuge The CAB PAGE 9 refuge has extreme and high fire hazard ratings due to the thick high grass cover over most of the refuge . The fire lanes act as a deterent to fire spread and as avenues for transport of equipment . However, it all may be only academic. The type of fuel, dry trade winds, small refuge size, limited refuge and local fire fighting abilities and limited communications will probably make retreat the better part of valor should a wildfire occur . G . WILDLIFE 1 . Endangered and Threatened Species 0 S Any yellow-shouldered blackbirds caught in the cowbird traps are carefully removed, examined, banded and released . J. Wiley . AN-86-CAB-05 CAB PAGE 10 The past year saw a considerable amount of on and off refuge activity directed at the endangered yellow-shouldered blackbirds . The majority of the work went toward the trapping of shiny cowbirds . They are nest parasitizers of the blackbirds and activities are directed at trapping for removal and research purposes. The trapping of cowbirds using two large baited stationary traps continued on the refuge. Puerto Rico DNR has a much larger program being conducted off the refuge . Much of the trap monitoring was accomplished by student volunteers and the coop student. 0 I Dr. Will Post examining male and female shiny cowbirds that were captured in a cowbird trap . Dr. Post received a contract to study the yellow-shouldered blackbird on the proposed Voice of America transmitter site that is within the Critical Habitat for the blackbird. File Photo, AN-86-CAB-06 The YCC enrollees built 75 yellow- shouldered blackbird nest boxes and placed them on the refuge . Puerto Rico DNR has had limited success in the past with attracting the blackbirds to the nest boxes in different types of habitat . We are attempting to build up a nesting population on the refuge but at least for the first year success was very limited . CAB PAGE 11 The reforestation program (Section F .2) is a long term program directed at the yellow-shouldered blackbirds . We do not expect any significant results for at least 30-40 years . In the interim we are assuming that current and future programs will at least arrest further decline of the yellow-shouldered blackbird population . Refuge personnel assisted FWS Endangered Species and the Puerto Rico DNR in a census of yellow-shouldered blackbirds . Personnel were stationed at . roosting areas and flyways . Shiny cowbirds and greater Antillian grackles as well as blackbirds were counted . Three hundred and forty three blackbirds were counted . That indicates a 19% decrease from the 1982 census and an 80% decline since 1976 in SW Puerto Rico. A population of approximately 20 exists on the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station and a population of 300 exists on Mona 0 Island. 2. Raptors The antenna posts at Cabo Rojo provide roosting, hunting and feeding perches for the .endangered tundra peregrine falcon . Generally a peregrine is seen daily at Cabo Rojo from November through March, where It enjoys a leisurely winter taking the slow moving cattle egrets . Resident raptors (red-tailed hawk, American kestrel, short-eared owl) and migrant raptors (merlin, northern harrier, peregrine falcon) are found at Cabo Rojo . 3. Other Resident Wildlife Observations of mammals on the refuge are . limited . No native land f mammals,except bats, exist in Puerto Rico . However irregular sightings occur of such exotics as: mongoose, rhesus monkeys, patos monkeys, Illegal aliens and land crab poachers . The refuge and local community received an interesting surprise when a local fisherman reported 4 strange birds In the salinas by the refuge . They turned out to be wild juvenile flamingos, and Puerto Rico has no wild or captive breeding populations . We assume they came from more exotic ports, probably the Dominican Republic . In mid-July we were notified that one of the flamingos was injured, couldn't fly and had been picked up by a local resident . We accepted possession of the bird, had its wing splinted by a local vet and began caring for it . Now, how do CAB PAGE 12 you care for a filter feeding flamingo? A few phone calls to Florida experts solved our problem (use a high protein dog food and water slurry), but the prognosis was grim . They are delicate birds . Well, 2-112 weeks later it was still alive and had gained 9 oz. What could we say? About one month and 1 1 oz . after we received the bird, we released it close to its companions at the salinas . They greeted him with indifference but he stayed anyway. He did not fly until at least a week after being released and within a few weeks was just one of the bunch, basking in the sun with his. friends and enjoying the human visitors . It is tough in the real world and there may not always be someone available when you need help . However, there is Mutual of Cabo Rojo that can help the small finned, feathered and furred creatures of the Caribbean . 0 I Mutual of Cabo Rojo's Sean Furniss releasing the juvenile flamingo ba into the wild kingdom after a successful recovery at the Cabo Rojo Hilton . R. Di Rosa . AN-86-CAB-07 Refuge Biologist Collazo and volunteers continued with the long term seasonal surveys of the shorebird community that occupies the large salt salinas adjacent to the refuge . Almost no work has been done with the shorebirds in CAB PAGE 13 Puerto Rico and nothing has been accomplished in our area of the island . The surveys are an excellent opportunity to find out what is here and how many there are by using a very limited amount of manpower and time . H. PUBL I C USE 1 . General Currently the refuge does not actively promote public use of the refuge due to the lack of facilities on the site . Public facilities were improved in 1986 in preparation for the installation of the educational exhibits and displays . All major renovation and construction wass completed by the end of the year . However, the installation of the exhibits was delayed at the Regional Office level (due to the Kennedy Space Center exhibits) and our exhibits were not due 0 to be Installed until 1987 . When our exhibits are installed, we will be a small but well designed, attractive and informative museum . By local standards we will be highly attractive and unique to the island . To the best of our knowledge there is nothing else like our future display center between here and South America . This uniqueness and attractiveness will draw large numbers of visitors to the refuge from the thousands of people who pass by (especially in the summer) on their way to heavily used beaches . 2. Other Interaretive Programs Biologist Collazo conducted a weekend wildlife training course for the Boy Scouts at their camp facilities in Guajataca . Other programs were presented 8 when possible at various professional or public meetings by the refuge staff, The YCC enrollees received various programs presented by refuge and Puerto Rico DNR staffs . The programs ranged from endangered species to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . The enrollees also were treated to field trips to the Marine Research Center at Magueyes, the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Mayaguez Zoo . 3 . Law Enforcement The proposed Voice of America (VOA) facility that will move in adjacent to the refuge (Section J) has caused us to re-evaluate our security system . A small CAB PAGE 14 political faction, (independentistas, socialists, etc.) advocating Puerto Rican independence, has voiced strong opposition to the VOA facility . Rallies have been held and posters have been liberally applied in our local area . In addition, there are two (possibly more) radical groups that have embraced terrorism and maintain a significant anti-federal policy . These groups have performed violent acts against government property and personnel in Puerto Rico and the US mainland, Our concern is not so much with the legitimate expressions of protest but with the possibility of violence directed at the refuge and personnel working at our facility. Since we occupy and old CIA facility, have a government profile and some people haven't yet made a distinction between us and the CIA, we can be considered as a possible target . Some local people also feel that the VOA is subversive in nature, and that we may be connected with them . Representatives from GSA conducted a security assessment of the headquarters . area . They assessed the site strictly from a facilities security perspective and did not consider FWS goals and objectives as a part of the evaluation process . The recommendations from GSA included the installation of razor ribbon on the top of our chain link fence, rehabilation of the existing exterior floodlights, installation of a metal detector at the front entrance and the hiring of full-time security personnel to monitor visitor activities . We declined to implement all their recommendations but have adopted many of the more common sense recommendations . The Regional Office was also involved in the review process and several additional actions (i .e ., passenger carrying vehicles are unmarked and have Puerto Rico license plates ; FWS uniforms are not worn while traveling off of FWS lands) were implemented at their request . I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 1 . New Construction The major part of the remodeling and new construction of the office complex building for the new display center was completed in 1985 but there was still a lot to do in 1986 to make the area acceptable for display installation and public use. ' Maintenanceman Marlano Rodriguez and laborer Jose Velez finished the CAB PAGE 15 a lot to do in 1986 to make the area acceptable for display installation and public use . Maintenanceman Mariano Rodriguez and laborer Jose Velez finished the headquarters remodeling and completed the remodeling of a staff and refuge meeting and audio-visual room . They built a bathroom facility for exclusive use by handicapped persons, since the existing restrooms could not be miodif ed . 2. Rehabilitation Maintenanceworker Rodriguez rehabilitated the original fire alarm system at the Cabo Rojo headquarters . This was no small feat for a 45 room building filled with old electrical computer and facility wiring . The system had not been operational since 1974 and there were no accurate wiring diagrams . Hats s off for a job well done . The refuge spent $28,000 to resurface the refuge entrance road . For various reasons the project dragged out but finally was completed within a hair's bre:-, t h o 8 All the guard rails along the entrance road were repaired or replaced and painted by the YCC crew under the direction of maintenanceman Rodriguez . R. Di Rosa. AN-86-CAB-08 CAB PAGE 16 0 The YCC crew gave the refuge garage and storage facility a fresh coat of paint as part of our keep Puerto Rico beautiful program . R . Di Rosa. AN- 86- CAB-09 In addition to the large and elaborate antenna net existing over the headquarters area there were two smaller rhombic antenna sites located in the refuge . A local salt plant operator expressed interest in the 70ft . poles of those sites. In exchange for the 8 - 70ft . poles, he removed the poles and support wiring, saving us the time and expense . Maintenance staff dismantled and removed the old CIA incinerator from its I outdoor concrete facility . The structure was roofed and painted to produce an enclosed garbage holding facility . 3. Eauipment Utilization and Replacement The refuge received the new 4x4 pickup we ordered in 1985 . Prior to the pickup, we only had a sedan delivery to haul major supplies and equipment, CAB PAGE 17 J . OTHER ITEMS Items of Interest In 1985 the Voice of America chose a 1500 acre site adjacent to the Cabo Rojo NWR for installation of their facilities . The facilities will include massive antenna curtains maybe as large as 800ft . wide by 400ft . high . 0 Dr. Will Post checking a yellow-shouldered blackbird nest in an ucar tree, in an area with habitat similar to the proposed Voice of America site . S. Furniss . AN-86-CAB-10 CAB PAGE= 18 The current Puerto Rican government tends to be anti-federal in its policies, and was apposing federal acquisition of the land . An arrangement was reached where the land would . be purchased by the PR government (with Federal funds) and long term leased to the VOA. There was local opposition., especially from adjacent communities, to the VOA facilities . (see Section H3) Another, and more significant, obstacle to the , VOA was the endangered yellow-shouldered blackbird that utilizes the area (Critical Habitat) . We arnd the Caribbean Endangered Species Field Office staff worked with the Corps of Engineers and the private contractors .to determine the' magnitude of impact the VOA facility Will - have on the blackbirds . Research was continuing at .yearae.nd . 2. Credits Roger DiRosa wrote out all the early drafts of . the .Narrative Report and edited the final report. Sean , Furniss added editorial changes- and Carmen Mendez typed it on the Macintosh. K. FEEDBACK Cabo Rojo had another good year. With the addition of a permanent maintenance worker position to our staff, our basic staffing level is satisfactory . The manner in which our exhibits have been held up by the contractor was a continuous cause for concern during the year but, even that issue was nearing a state of resolution at the end of the year . Of course one of the best things about Cabo Rojo are its people (the staff and numerous volunteers) . With that in mind we dedicate the last few pages to some photos of our volunteers . Thanks for another great year . 0 CA P "' 5( 1 VOLUNTEERS IN ACTION Numerous volunteers don, ted substantial amounts of time and expertise to the refuge during the year . It was a pleasure to have met and hosted each one. We salute them all with this sampling of photos . 0 Gwen Jongejan (left) studied bird behavior and songs with doctoral student Cynthia Staicer, P. Hark, AN-86-CAB-1 1 & i 0 CAB PAGE 20 0 Cheerful Cindy Staicer (c) spent the entire year based at the refuge doing research on Adelaide's warbler and various wintering species . Chris Cutler (1) assisted her for several months . Jose Colon (r) donated much Z time to helping both the staff and volunteers C . Hill . AN-86-CAB-13 0 CAB PAGE 21 0 Dr. Alan Pinder, University of Chicago, liked studying our protected land crab populations . His most characteristic pose was bent over trying to locate a land crab in it's burrow . R. DI Rosa. AN-86-CAB- 14 CAB PAGE 22 0 Peter Hark spent long hours studying bird behavior with Cindy Staicer and the other volunteers . He also helped in putting up shorebird skins from the many powerline kills at the nearby salinas . T. Blodgett . AN-86-CAB-15 . 0 914 CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDIFE REFUGES BUCK ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1986 U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM BUCK ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE UNITED STATES UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 64°54'00' 64'53'40" 64'53'20" 64-53'00" I8°17'00' 18°17'00' 18°16'40' P E 8 I8°16'20' 18° 1620 8 1 R P G N \" R ° Tq ~ B ° O L FOSgTAIIY ES P ST THOMAS c IS . ST. JOHN IS. o 5 BUCK ISLAND NWR 0 C AR/BBEAN SEA LEGEND VICINITY MAP REFUGE I BOUNDARY 5 0 Scale Miles 64°53'40" 64°63'20" 64°53'G~I 64 - 5I 9' 00" 9° COMPILED IN THE DIVISION OF REALTY MEAN 0 FROM SURVEYS 8Y U . S . G . S . I-. SET) NATION 500 1000 I`,00 2000 FEET REVISED :8/79 Scale 9 ~ APRIL, 1969 1 /8 1/4 MILE ATLANTA, GEORGIA 0 2 4R V 1 800 403 B I S PAGE 1 Buck Island NWR INTRODUCTION Buck Island is one of the two Capella Islands located approximately two miles south of the island of St . Thomas in the U .S. Virgin Islands. The refuge consists of the entire 45 acre island and is covered with cactus forest, brush, open grasslands and a rocky shoreline . About 35 .5 acres were obtained in 1969 from the U.S. Navy and the remaining 9 .5 acres were obtained in 1981 from the U .S . Coast Guard . The original justification statement for establishment of the refuge could , not be located but probably was based upon "its value for migratory birds" . A limited number of species have been noted on the island . The most noteworthy species on this island is the red-billed tropicbird, about three pairs are believed to nest here . Black rats are the most numerous wild animal species found here . Incidental use of the island occurs by divers and snorkelers visiting the reef areas and shipwrecks around the island . SUMMARY OF CURRENT ACTIVITIES No personnel are assigned to Buck Island. The Buck Island Refuge was placed under the management of the Culebra NWR Refuge Manager at the end of 1984 . Long term plans call for the elimination of black rats on the two Capella Islands in order to enhance the value of the area for breeding seabirds . Assistant managers DI Rosa and Oliveira visited Buck Island to check boundary signs and island activity . The Coast Guard maintained light house was found to be in a dangerously deteriorated condition . Visitors had access to the light tower through an unlocked door and could climb up deteriorated stairs with missing railing. The Coast Guard was notified of the situation and recommendations were made to them regarding public safety and liability . 0 CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDIFE REFUGES GREEN CAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1986 U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM GRC PAGE 1 Green Cay NWR I NTRODUCT I ON The Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge consists of the entire 13 .77 acre island of Green Cay (pronounced key) . Green Cay is an uninhabited island 62 feet high, about 1 /3 of a mile long, lying 1 /4 of a mile off the north shore of St. Croix,* and nearly 2 .5 miles east of the town of Christiansted . This refuge was purchased from Mrs . Virginia Bright on December 15, 1977, in order to protect the endangered St . Croix ground lizard (Ame/va polops) . Green Cay preserves almost 75% of the remaining habitat and over 99% of the remaining individuals of the species. In addition, brown pelicans, great egrets, great blue herons and little blue herons nest here . This area was the first National Wildlife Refuge seen by European man (i .e. . Christopher Columbus, November, 1493) and was used by Indians at least as early as 1020 A.D. Weiss and Gladfelter studied Green Cay In 1975 and found evidence showing that Neo-Indians used Green Cay as a site for processing of conchs for food. It has been estimated that there were at least 33,000 discarded shells In the midden. Green Cay is of volcanic origin . Outcrops of lava, tuffs and brecclas are the most common geologic features of the Island . Three soil types have been recorded on the island . The flora of Green Cay Is composed of 60 species distributed in four major vegetation types . All the vegetation Is composed of native species except for one tree species and one grass . Species diversity is low at about 4.5 species per acre . Natural forest is poorly developed except for a mesic forest on the southwestern part of the island . Other forested, less dense, more xeric areas are found scattered throughout the southern half of Green Cay. GRC PAGE 2 SUMMARY OF CURRFNTACTIVITIES a No personnel are assigned to Green Cay . The FWS has a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Park Service to provide daily patrols and surveys of the island. Since NPS makes routine trips to the Buck Island Reef National Monument, it is a relatively simple matter for them to check on the area. As a result of their surveys, it was estimated that about 100 visitor use days occur on the island each year . In May of 1986, the Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Unit at Louisiana State University was awarded a research contract that included research at Green Cay NWR . The research, a study of the ecology and behavior of' the endangered St. Croix ground lizard, will begin in early 1987. Assistant Manager DiRosa accompanied the LSU researchers to Green Cay in June 1986 for a preliminary t reconnisance of the island and meetings with National Park Service personnel . Green Cay lies a short swim off the north coast of St . Croix . This small island, along with Protestant Cay (a developed island owned by the VI government), contain the last remaining populations of the endangered St . Croix ground lizard. S. Furniss. AN-86-GRC-01 CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDIFE REFUGES SANDY POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1986 U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM 9 Sandy Point NWR INTRODUCTION The Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge was established, for the protection of nesting leatherback sea turtles on August 30, 1984 when the West Indies Investment Company agreed to sell 398 acres of land and beach front in southwestern St . Croix to the Fish and Wildlife Service for $2,500,000 .00. The Sandy Point rookery was "discovered" in the mid-1970's and is the largest known nesting population of the leatherback sea turtle under United States jurisdiction . In September 1978, the Fish and Wildlife Service designated a strip of land on Sandy Point as Critical Habitat and in March 1979 the National 9 Marine Fisheries Service determined the surrounding waters to be Critical Habitat for the leatherback sea turtle . Sandy Point NWR . The refuge boundary cuts across the salt pond at the top of the photo . The refuge includes the entire peninsula. Senator S. Lee. AN-86-SDP-01 SDP PAGE I INTRODUCTION Page TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 A. HIGHLIGHTS 1 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1 C. LAND ACQUISITION 2 0 D. 'PLANNING 2 E. ADMINISTRATION 4 F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT 6 G. WILDLIFE 6 H. PUBL I C USE 9 I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES 9 J. 'OTHER ITEMS 9 0 K. FEEDBACK 1 O SANDY POINT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ODP PAGE 1 9 A. HIGHLIGHTS The leatherback sea turtles returned for another nesting season (Section G) Fred Mohrman, House Appropriations Committee, visited Sandy Point (section J) 4 qM i . . . .. a •. .' I Sandy Point's main attraction and most noteworthy visitor. A female leatherback sea turtle begins the season's nesting activities . S. Eckert. AN-86-SDP-02 B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS During 1986 the island of St . Croix did not experience any major storm systems. As we were unable to obtain a summary of the 1986 weather for St. Croix, a copy of the Weather Service's long term averages is presented so that you can see that we also have winter in the Caribbean . Have you ever tried to swim in water that is only 72'F? That is really frigid after the summer waters in the low 80's. We knew that you would all be able to empathize after reading this, especially all you folks above 19°N. Sandy Point is the longest beach area in the U.S. Virgin Islands . The geological 9 formation of the point is unique in the Virgin Islands . The peninsula probably grew from oscillating north and south shore currents which formed spits that gradually closed to form Westend Salt pond . Westend Salt pond may have been formed as far back as the Pleistocene epoch (about one million years ago) . Sand deposition and erosion occur continually, and the width of the beach at any one point is very changeable . The trend in the past four to five years has been toward more erosion than deposition; however, the basic geologic feature is quite stable. Maps dating back to 1667 show Sandy Point essentially as It Is today. Sandy Point is a flat area and virtually all of it is below the 10-foot contour line . The littoral woodland vegetation type occurs on the flat sand Inland from the beach areas. Plant species diversity is low because of salt stress . The shore 0 of Westend Salt pond is characterized by small patches of mangroves . The animal diversity on Sandy Point is low, as Is typical of oceanic Islands, because of the relatively harsh beach environment . Birds are the dominant vertebrate life form . a SDP PAGE 2 Long Term Weather Summary for St . Croix. U.S. Virgin Islands 6 Temperature 'F Ave Ave Ave Daily Daily Ave Ave Inches of Month Max Min Max Min Rainfall Jan. 83 70 86 65 2.23 Feb. 83 70 86 66 2.19 Mar. 84 71 86 66 1 .73 Apr. 86 73 88 68 2.83 May 86 74 89 70 4.31 June 88 76 90 71 3 .10 July 88 76 90 71 3 .51 Aug. 89 76 91 72 4.58 Sept . 88 75 91 71 6.65 0 Oct. 88 75 90 70 5.45 Nov. 86 73 89 68 4.65 Dec. 84 72 87 67 3.34 Year 86 73 92a 64b 44.57 a = Average annual highest temperature b = Average annual lowest temperature C. LAND ACQUISITION 0 Nothing To Report D. PLANNING In 1985 researchers Scott and Karen Eckert left the Earthwatch program and research activities after four years in order to continue their educational programs. In 1986 the research and Earthwatch program were continued by Robert Brandner and Susan Basford (N.Y. Zoological Society) with support from the Center for Field Research and Earthwatch . Funding for the project comes through the U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service from a grant to the Virgin Islands Department of Fish and Wildlife under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act . The Earthwatch volunteers were supported by fees and funds contributed to the Earthwatch Organization by the volunteers . SDP PAGE 3 Sandy Point NR86 - "5reeding ecology and habitat management of least terns at 4 St, Croix . U.S. Virgin Islands" (41526-01) . The least tern has been designated a National Species of Special Emphasis . According to data collected by the V .I . Division of Fish and Wildlife in 1975 and a private study in 1983 and 1985, the breeding activity of this species appears to be declining in the Virgin Islands. This decline is believed to be caused chiefly by human interference with the nest sites . Other factors believed to be' affecting the least terns' breeding success are vegetation succession, predation, and flooding . Sandy Point NWR harbors one of the most important least tern colonies in St . Croix . To prevent the least tern from becoming yet another species extirpated from this part of their range, a management and recovery plan must be developed . To achieve these needs, the Division of Fish 0 and Wildlife of the US Virgin Islands is conducting a study to obtain data on population numbers, distribution, breeding success, and habitat requirements . Data collected during the 1986 season is being analyzed. Sandy Point NR86 - "Genetic variability in the leatherback turtle (Oermoc/relyy cor'iacea) and its implications for the management of the species" (41526-02) . The leatherback turtle is a highly migratory and pelagic species . Leatherbacks are sensitive to disturbance, elusive to observe, and virtually impossible to raise in captivity. These reasons, coupled with the rarity of the animal, explain the paucity of data on behavior, ecology, and population dynamics of this species. One crucial and as yet unanswered question about this species concerns the degree to which individuals within a deme or between demes 0 interbreed . The question of stock cohesion and degree of interbreeding between and within regional sub-groups is an important one for management considerations . Reduced genetic variability may hinder the species' ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments . An analysis of genetic variability exhibited by different populations of leatherbacks will help to define stock structure and the corresponding units of management . The proposed research will entail three distinct stages of investigation : sampling, electrophoretic analysis, and data analysis . Sampling was conducted at Sandy Point in 1986 . Ten blood samples were obtained from ten different turtles in April . Sandy Point NR 86 - "Daily movement patterns of the mongoose as determined by radiotelemetry" (41526-03). The mongoose on St . Croix is an exotic predator which feeds opportunistically, and has demonstrated a predilection for the eggs and flightless young of ground SDP PAGE 4 nesting birds as well as the eggs and hatchlings of sea turtles . It has also been 6 instrumental in eliminating the ground lizard Amefva oolvpsfrom St . Croix . The purpose of this project was to : 1) determine daily movement patterns of individual animals, 2) determine whether animals return each night to a home den or nest, 3) determine whether individuals forage or hunt in a set pattern each day or hunt at random, and 4) determine whether each animal's territory is a fixed area or changed at regular or frequent intervals . The findings will reveal whether: future mongoose predator control methods will be effective or futile. Dr. Roy Horst, S .U.N.Y. Postdam, Postdam, NY, directed this project . . E. ADMINISTRATION 0 1 . Personnel No personnel are assigned to Sandy Point NWR . All administration of the area is handled from the Caribbean Refuges Headquarters at the Cabo Rojo NWR In Boqueron, Puerto Rico . Eventually the refuge may be staffed with a GS-9 Refuge Manager and seasonals . Personnel from Cabo Rojo NWR are assigned temporary duty at Sandy Point whenever situations require their services (i .e., movie productions, law enforcement) . Bob Brandner and Sue Bashford (N.Y. Zoological Society) were selected to conduct the turtle project in 1986 . 2. Volunteers a Earthwatch volunteers provided assistance to the turtle research project for the fifth consecutive year. Bob and Sue coordinated all the activities of the volunteers and Earthwatch program . During the 1986 leatherback nesting season 64 Earthwatch volunteers compiled 5,120 hours of service and walked 3,683 miles in search of turtles and nests . The project would have been impossible without these volunteers . 3. Funding Sandy Point NWR has no specific budget . Funds come from the refuge complex and are allocated as necessary. SDP PAGE 5 9 4 The second most noteworthy visitors to Sandy Point, the Earthwatch volunteers. S. Eckert. AN-86-SDP-03 & 04 0 SDP PAGE 6 6 F. HAB I TAT MANAGEMENT The rehabilitation of the sand mining (begun prior to refuge establishment) site was completed early in the year . The area received a layer of light colored sand spread over the darker fill materials to make the area attractive to nesting coastal least terns . Plans are to keep the old mine site free of vegetation for the benefit of the nesting tern colony . G . Wildlife The most significant wildlife species at Sandy Point NWR is the endangered leatherback sea turtle . Green and hawksbill sea turtles are also known to nest at Sandy Point . A large variety of wading birds is found associated with the West End Salt Pond, and numerous shorebirds visit the pond and the beach during migrations. White-tailed deer and mongoose have been introduced to St . Croix and both have been reported at Sandy Point NWR . Fred Sladden of the Virgin Islands Department of Fish and Wildlife began the first year of a five year study of the nesting population of the coastal least tern . The terns were nesting on the restored sand mine in the central part of the peninsula. The nesting activity was limited by the past mining activity . We expect the population to exhibit a respectable (whatever that may be) increase now that the area is being managed for the nesting colony . s Dr. Roy Horst, State University of New York at Potsdam and world authority on mongooses conducted mongoose research activities at Sandy Point NWR . His work was not as fruitful as he had hoped . The brush on Sandy Point was too thick to allow for Dr . Horst's telemetry work to be an adequate monitoring technique of mongoose movements . By year's end his research results were inconclusive. Leatherback sea turtle nesting activity on Sandy Point was disappointingly low in 1986. Eighteen individual leatherbacks nested 76 times, compared with 200 nests laid in 1985 . Three green turtles nested 5 times. Eight nests were destroyed by unusual, unexpected and extensive beach erosion form high seas . Losses could have been much greater if Bob and Sue had not anticipated the 0 extensive erosion and relocated many of the nests . SDP PAGE 7 6 9 1 The Earthwatch volunteers literally make or break the leatherback sea turtle programs with the tremendous amount of personal effort that they put into the projects . B. Oliveira. AN-86-SDP-05 Between 2900-3000 hatchling were successfully hatched in 1986, compared to 1985: 9200-9300, 1984 : 5200-5300, 1983 : 4200-4300, 1982: 2200-2300). The reasons for the low number of nesting females were unknown . Fifteen new nesters were recorded during the 1986 season . Since 1977, a total of 130-136 individuals have been identified on Sandy Point . Nesting began in early March and terminated in mid-July, with a peak in late April/early May . Between 2900 and 3000 hatchling leatherbacks were released in 1986 . There were no indications of nests being destroyed by predators or poaching in 1986 . SDP PAGE 8 6 Final outcome of leatherback nests on Sandy Point NWR, St . Croix since 1982 . KNOWN RESULTS UNKNOWN TOTAL surviving to term lost prior to term RESULTS % success, erosion poaching N X SD N(%) 1 N(%) N(%) 1986, Relocated 30 68.9 --- 2 0 5 37 In situ 25 64.6 --- 6 0 14 45 0 Total 55 66.8 --- 8(9.8) 0 19 (23.1) $2 1985, Relocated 110 53.2 17.8 1 1 8 120 I n situ 90 62.8 21 .2 16 2 14 122 Total 200 57.6 20.0 17(7.0) 30 .2) 22(9.1) 242, 1984 Relocated 82 54.8 19.9 0 0 6 88 In situ 41 67.7 16.8 7 1 4 53 Total 123 59.1 19.8 7(4.9) 1 (0.7) 10(7.1) 141.. 1983 0 Relocated 69 50.5 20.5 3 0 77 I n situ 28 64.4 23.9 6 2 0 36 Total 97 54.5 22 .3 9(7.9) 20 .8) 5(4.4) 113 1982 Relocated 23 64.4 21 .3 1 0 3 27 In situ 22 61 .4 24.5 25 0 12 59 Total 45 62.9 22.7 26 (30.2) 0 1507.4) $S2 1 = proportion total nests ; --- = SD not calculated in 1986 . SDP PAGE 9 4 H. PUBL I C USE Sue Basford and Bob Brandner handled all the interpretative public use for the area. The turtle nesting and research activities have become so popular with the public that we had to coordinate with Bob and Sue to establish a reservation system . The number of groups and people wishing to view the activities were beginning to interfere with the project . Public acceptance of the reservation system was excellent and the problems were eliminated . Over 200 visitors visited Sandy Point to view the turtle activities . Sue and Bob presented programs to school and organized groups whenever their schedules allowed . They were a major force in educating the public about Sandy Point leatherbacks and the plight of all sea turtle species . 4 In addition, they acted as our eyes and ears and notified the refuge headquarters about any public use and law enforcement problems. It was their and the Earthwatch volunteers constant presence on the beach during the nesting season that eliminated turtle and egg poaching at Sandy Point . Their presence also greatly reduced other criminal activities (during the nesting season) that have occurred on Sandy Point in the past . I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES Sandy Point NWR has no equipment or 'facilities specifically assigned to it . Earthwatch furnishes the necessary equipment and facilities for the 0 volunteers. We furnish any materials or equipment the researchers might need to prevent or solve problems associated with the refuge or sea turtles . J. OTHER ITEMS Fred Mohrman (House or Representatives Appropriations Committee) visited Sandy Point NWR with Project Leader Furniss. Mr. Mohrman was in the Caribbean to view FWS and refuge activities . He was particularly interested in Sandy Point's future plans and problems and the Earthwatch program. SDP PAGE 10 9 K. FEEDBACK The Earthwatch project has been a big factor in minimizing negative impacts on turtles. The program will not continue indefinitely and the Virgin Islands government does not have the resources to adequately monitor the area . It is logistically difficult and expensive in manpower and money for us to provide even limited support to Sandy Point from the current complex staff . It is essential that at least one full time and one part time staff position be assigned to Sandy Point to coordinate sea turtle, public use and educational activities if the refuge is to fulfill its function . 0 0 The protection given to nesting turtles, nests and hatchlings would be 0 impossible to maintain without dedicated volunteers at Sandy Point . S. Eckert. AN-SDP-86-06 CARIBBEAN ISLANDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES V I EQUES FIELD STATION ANNUAL NARRATIVE REPORT Calendar Year 1986 U. S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM Vieques Field Station INTRODUCTION At the request of the U .S. Navy, the Vieques Field Station was inaugurated in 1981 . The Station's original objective was to provide technical assistance to the Navy in all phases of natural resource management relative to the Vieques Island Naval Reservation, a unit of the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station . In 1984, a revised FWS/Navy agreement expanded Field Station advisory responsibilities . to encompass Roosevelt Roads. A priority function of the Field Station was to insure Navy compliance with established Federal, Commonwealth and Navy Environmental policy on both Vieques and Roosevelt Roads . In late 1986, Navy administrators indicated their intent to assume natural resource management responsibilities of Roosevelt Roads and Vieques, and on 31 December 1986 the 6 Vieques Field Station was offically closed . The Field Station provided technical expertise in such areas as erosion control, mangrove restoration, archaeological reconnaissance work and cultural site protection, mariculture, cattle/range management, timber development and conservation zone management . Field Station personnel participated in a brown pelican population study, manatee distribution surveys, monitoring of marine turtle nesting activities, yellow-shouldered blackbird recovery efforts, environmental education programs with local schools, and in the preparation of various Navy resource management documents . Vieques Island is situated approximately 11 km (6 .8 mi) southeast of the main island of Puerto Rico . The physiography of this 135 sq. km (52.2 sq. mi) island is typified by low hills and small valleys in the central . portion; and extensive, planiform coastal zones, characterized by broad belts of red and black mangrove forests . As the island exhibits both a high evapotranspiration rate and lacks perennial freshwater, floral and faunal communities are dominated by xeric species . Floristically the eastern half of the island has been greatly modified by cattle and military activity . The vegetation is distinguished by such invader species as mesquite, acacia, and giant milkweed . The western half of Vieques, while supporting acres of microphyllous thornscrub, also preserves associations of endemic flora, especially in the upland forest habitat of Monte Pirata . Approximately 9150 ha (22,606 acres) of Vieques is owned by the Navy, and this property - the Vieques Naval Reservation - is utilized by the military for numerous activities, Including amphibious landings, bombing exercises and use as a permanent ammunition depot . In addition, as cattle grazing on the Vieques Naval Reservation Is considered by the Navy to be compatible with military operations, 4130 ha (10,200 acres) are leased to the Cooperativa de Ganaderos de Vieques . Due to mismanagement, some of the Naval Reservation's paramount environmental problems are the result of both severe overgrazing of lease acreage and trespass grazing in ecological sensitive zones outside of the lease area. For a number of political reasons the Navy has been reluctant to deal . with this grazing problem . Nearly 8,000 civilians inhabit the remaining 4300 ha (10,620 acres) of Vieques. The Navy with FWS assistance, has established seven conservation zones that incorporate environmentally sensitive areas within the Naval Reservations. These zones protect wetlands, cultural sites, sea turtle nesting beaches, rare flora, a brown pelican nesting colony, and other valuable resources . Intensive archeological surveys have Identified 218 colonial and prehistoric 6 cultural sites within the Reservation, thirty-three of which have been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places . Civilian occupational pursuits include cattle ranching, construction trades, and commercial and art isana1 fishing, Including turtle poaching and egging . Located on the Island of Puerto Rico, the 3482 ha (8600 acres) Roosevelt Roads Naval Station was commissioned as a naval base in 1943, At any one time, up to 3400 military personnel and 3000 dependents are posted to the base . The Station employs up to 1100 civilians who perform support duties . Station acreage is categorized as improved/semi-improved or unimproved. Improved/semi-improved includes that property utilized for such facilities as housing, air operations, dock yards, golf course, administrative buildings, arms t ranges, etc: Unimproved areas (1900 ha, 4700 acres) Include the mangrove and dry coastal forest associations, and beach strand habitat which support a large percentage of the Station's fish and wildlife resources . Six prehistoric cultural sites, including two petroglyphs, have been located and nominated to the National Register of Historic Places . The entire Naval Station, excluding manmade structures, is designated as Critical Habitat for the endangered yellow-shouldered blackbird . VFS PAGE I INTRODUCTION Page TABLE OF CONTENTS i A. HIGHLIGHTS 1 B . CLIMATIC CONDITIONS 1 C. LAND ACQUISITION Nothing to Report (NTR) 9 D. PLANNING, Master Plan (NTR) 1 . Management Plan 2 Public Participation (NTR) 2. Compliance with Environmental . and Cultural Resource Mandates . . . ; 3 3. Research and Investigations 4 4. Other 7 I E. ADMINISTRATION 1 . Personnel 7 Youth Programs (NTR) Other Manpower Programs (NTR) Volunteer Programs (NTR) 2. Fundin 7 3. Safet 8 4. Technical Assistance 8 5. Other 1 1 F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT 1 . General 12 2 . Wetlands 13 3 . Forests 14 Croplands (NTR) Grasslands (NTR) 4. Other Habitats 14 VFS PAGE i i Page F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT (Cont .) 5. Grazin 18 Haying (NTR) Fire Management (NTR) Pest Control (NTR) Water Rights (NTR) Wilderness and Special Areas (NTR) WPA Easement Monitoring (NTR) G. WILDLIFE 1 . Wildlife Diversity 19 2. Endangered and/or Threatened Species 20 3 . Waterfowl 22 4, Marsh and Water Birds 22 5. Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns and Allied Species 22 6. Raptors 23 Other Migratory Birds (NTR) Game Mammals (NTR) Other Resident Mammals (NTR) 7. Marine Mammals ,23 Fisheries (NTR) Wildlife Propagation and Stocking (NTR) Surplus Animal Disposal (NTR) Scientific Collections (NTR) t Animal Control (NTR) 8. Marking and Banding 23 Disease. Prevention and Control (NTR) H. PUBLIC USE 1 . General 23 Outdoor Classrooms - Students (NTR) Outdoor Classrooms - Teachers (NTR) Interpretive Foot Trails (NTR) Interpretive Tour Routes (NTR) Interpretive Exhibits/Demonstrations (NTR) 2. Other Interpretive Programs 24 3. Huntin 26 VFS PAGE i i i Page H. PUBLIC USE (font.) 4. !shin 26 5. Trappin 26 6 . Wildlife Observation 27 Other Wildlife Oriented Recreation (NTR) Camping (NTR) Picnicking (NTR) 7. Offroad Vehicling 27 Other Non-wildlife Oriented Recreation (NTR) 8. Law Enforcement 28 Cooperating Associations (NTR) 0 Concessions (NTR) I . EQUI PMFNT AND FACILITIES 29 J. OTHER ITEMS Cooperative Programs (NTR) Other Economic Uses (NTR) 1 . Items of Interest 29 2 . Credits : 30 t K. FEEDBACK 31 U.S. 1AVA% STATION ROOSEVELT ROADS VFS PAGE I A. HIGHLIGHTS Navy contractors initiate or complete various natural resource management documents for Roosevelt Roads and the Vieques Naval Reservation (Section D.1). FWS/USDA yellow-shouldered blackbird recovery activities continue on Roosevelt Roads (Section D.3). The Navy served notice to terminate the FWS/Navy Memorandum of- Understanding (Section E.5). A major contaminate spill Impacts yellow-shouldered blackbird Critical Habitat on Roosevelt Roads (Section F.4) Land crabbing within the Vieques Naval Reservation became a local political issue in May (Section H.5). Adverse public use impacts a wetland and least tern nesting area on Roosevelt Roads (Section H.7). Portions of the Warner Brothers/Clint Eastwood motion picture, "Heartbreak Ridge", were filmed within the Vieques Naval Reservation (Section J.1). B. CLIMATIC CONDITIONS i According to Holdridge's life zone classification system, which Is based primarily on mean annual precipitation and blotemperature, the eastern half of Vieques is considered subtropical dry, while the majority of the western half is listed as subtropical moist. Roosevelt Roads lies within a subtropical dry zone. Roosevelt Roads and Vieques Island are located in the path of the easterly trade winds and this climatic factor promotes a fairly stable temperature throughout the year. For Vieques, the long term mean temperature varies between 76°F and 82°F, with a record low of 60°F and a record high of 98°F . On Roosevelt Roads, long term mean temperature ranges between 73°F and 86°F, with a recorded low of 59°F and a recorded high of 95°F. During 1986, the high for Roosevelt Roads was 90°F In July, August and September, and the~recorded low was 62'F in March . VFS PAGE 2 Data for Vieques, maintained over the period 1910-1969, shows that rainfall averages 45.0 in. per year, with March usually the driest month with an average of 1 .70 in. and September typically the wettest month with an average of 5 .90 in. Rainfall on Roosevelt Roads averages 57 in . per year, with November through April considered "dry season", while May through October is listed as "wet season". Precipitation for 1986 totaled 53 .17 in. at Roosevelt Roads . The usual effect of high precipitation is extended inundation and severe . accelerated runoff at many localities within both Roosevelt Roads and the Naval Reservation. Especially in the case of Vieques, severe runoff promotes excessive sediment transport to the mangrove fringe systems along the southern coast. WEATHER DATA SUMMARY ROOSEVELT ROADS NAVAL STATION Temperature °F Inches of Month High, Low Mean Rainfall Jan. 86 65 75.5 1 .40 Feb. 86 66 76.0 3.04 Mar. 87 62 74.5 . 2.12 Apr. 88 66 77.0 5.38 May 89 67 78.0 12.30 June 89 75 82.0 1 .85 July 90 72 81 .0 2.62 Aug. 90 72 81 .0 6.12 Sept. 90 74 82.0 3.81 e Oct . 90 71 80.5 7 .21 Nov. 89 71 80.0 3 .97 Dec. 86 68 77.5 2.50 D. PLANNING 1 . Management Plan, In May, the Navy distributed the final "Land Use Management Plan for Naval Facilities, Vieques, Puerto Rico" . This comprehensive document, the product of field studies completed by Navy contractors (Ecology and Environment ) Buffalo, N.Y.) during December 1984 through February 1985, presents individual f management schemes, including implementation schedules, for numerous VFS PAGE 3 resource programs, such as wildlife/endangered species, forestry development, construction zones, mangrove protection, cultural resources protection, cattle/range issues, etc . To effect implementation, the plan calls for the employment of a land manager, two assistants, and a small force of laborers, In November, Manager Weitzel met with F . Mestey, Environmental Coordinator/RRNS, and R . Acevedo, Engineering Branch Manager/RRNS, to discuss budget aspects of implementing the Land Use Management Plan, and a previously completed Soil Erosion Control Plans, and a cultural Resources Management Plan, all - relative to the Vieques Naval Reservation (VNR) . In the near future, the Navy may have up to one million dollars available for such implementation efforts . The Navy also distributed the preliminary and final draft "Land Management Plan, Naval Station Roosevelt Roads,Ceiba, Puerto Rico" for review . This plan, completed by Ecology and Environment and Mangrove Systems, Inc . (Tampa, Fl), concentrates on soil/water management and grounds maintenance within the Naval Station . The final document is expected in early 1987 . The Navy (Norfolk, VA) contracted the Regional Office (Fish and Wildlife Enhancement) to update fish and wildlife management plans-for numerous Naval facilities in the southeastern U.S., Including Roosevelt Roads . In October, Manager Weitzel, Fish and Wildlife Enhancement/Caribbean Field Office (CAR) Supervisor P. Gertler, and Biologist B . Pace, met with Navy representatives (RRNS and Norfolk) to coordinate aspects of this project . CAR has hired a temporary employee to write the plan and efforts will commence after the s first of the year. 2. Compliance with Environmental and Cultural Resource Mandates A "Cultural Resources Management Plan", produced in 1985, provides guidelines in reference to the protection of known aboriginal and colonial sites, and recommendations on how to approach additional archeological reconnaissance activity. During 1986, the final volumes of the "Cultural Resource reconnaissance Survey of the Vieques Naval Reservation" were distributed . The Navy is currently responsible for the protection of 33 Class 1 prehistoric VFS PAGE 4 and historic sites located within the VNR, and 6 Class 1 and 3 Class 2 prehistoric sites at RRNS . In addition, as numerous areas within RRNS have not been surveyed for their cultural value, the Plan dictates that those areas be formally inspected by a qualified archeologist prior to initiating any land disturbance project (e.g. operating heavy equipment) . 3. Research and Investigations In March, seasonal field activities of the yellow-shouldered blackbird (YSBB) recovery project were initiated by the Kentucky Field Station, a unit of USDA/APHIS (formerly FWS/DWRC) with funding from the FWS Endangered Species Program . This season's field work was terminated in late August . Project personnel this year included USDA Research Biologist John Heisterberg, and Biological Aides F. Nunez and A . Diaz . Project activities 4 concentrated on removal of shiny cowbirds, a brood parasite that is considered to be the primary factor affecting the reproductive success of the YSBB . Additional activities included : banding cowbirds and YSBB census work . A major project at the Roosevelt Roads Naval Station was the trapping of shiny cowbirds in the mangrove areas . M. Weitzel . AN - 86 - VFS-Ol VFS PAGE 5 0 I The installation and operation of the traps was a challenging experience John Heisterberg (yellow shirt) directed the project and Fernando Nunez (white shorts) was in charge in the field . M. Weitzel, AN-86-VFS-02 &03 0 VFS PAGE 6 The reason behind all of the hard work. Getting off another clutch of endangered yellow-shouldered blackbirds is the reward for a job well done. J. Wiley. AN - 86-VFS-04 To trap cowbirds, 16 walk-in decoy traps were placed at selected sites throughout RRNS . Three traps were monitored seven days a week, with the combined trapping effort resulting in a capture of 691 cowbirds (compared to 2449 removed during July-September 1985 efforts) . Seventeen out of 18 nests of susceptible species (e .g . YSBB, yellow warbler) were known to have been t parasitized within the non-trapping area, however, only two out of 14 known nests were parasitized in the control (i .e. trapping) zone . In late August, Paul Gertler (FWS/CAR), Dr . Jim Wiley (FWS, Puerto Rico Field Station), Biological Aide Nui ez and Manager Weitzel, met with Navy representatives to discuss preliminary results of the YSBB project, and to solicit Navy financial assistance for future blackbird activities . It appears that the funding of future blackbird recovery efforts, within RRNS, will not be coming from the Navy . vr9 PAOE 7 4. Other In April, a' Vieques Management Advisory Committee meeting was held at Naval installation stop 7-1/2, San Juan . Besides the Station Manager and Project Leader Furniss, attendance included: representation from USDA/Tick Eradication Control Unit ; Puerto Rico Department of Natural Resources (DNR) ; U.S . Institute of Tropical Forestry ; and various Navy representatives . Points of discussion included the Vieques Forestry Project, the tick control program, and sea turtle poaching . Manager Weitzel presented a brief on the draft "Land Use Management Plan for Naval Facilities, Vieques, Puerto Rico ." At numerous times throughout the period,, the Station Manager met with Navy representatives to discuss aspects of a project to finalize "use" policies and establish exact boundaries relative to VNR's conservation zones. Manager Weitzel "ground-truthed" the boundaries of most of these zones, and to facilitate posting and boundary maintenance, modifications were recommended . These modifications will actually increase the area of the zones . The Navy will probably contract the actual posting to a private concern . E. ADMINISTRATION 1 . Personnel Field Station activities were conducted by Refuge Manager/Station Manager Marc Weitzel who was responsible for all field and office duties, except for budgetary and personnel matters that were handled by the main office at Cabo t Ro jo NWR . Manager Weitzel worked as the Station Manager throughout 1986 and was selected, in December 1986, as the first Refuge Manager for Tiuana Slough NWR, Imperial Beach, CA ., with a reporting date of mid-Jan/87 . 2. Funding The funding for this Station was a Navy responsibility, stipulated under the FWS/Navy MOU . The CY 1986 budget was $44,000, 15% of which was automatically deducted for overhead costs for use by the FWS administration (i .e. Regional and DFC support[?]). VFS PAGE 8 3. Safety All safety materials forwarded by the Complex Headquarters were reviewed . No personal accidents or damage to FWS equipment occurred in 1986 . Complex Safety Officer Carmen Mendez-Santoni completed a safety inspection in March . 4. Technical Assistance The Station Manager presented environmental briefings to all _newly arrived military construction units . These briefings emphasized adherence to Federal, Puerto Rican and Navy environmental regulations/guidelines . Technical advice was offered in such areas as erosion control, mechanical removal control of thornscrub, herbicide application, and protection of cultural sites conservation zones and other environmentally sensitive areas. Details of all military exercises (Army, Navy and Marine) scheduled for Vieques . were evaluated to ensure compliance with established environmental restrictions and, when appropriate, briefings (oral and written) were given to military personnel in charge of the exercises . The Station Manager monitored all construction activities on a routine basis . Military construction projects on the VNR for the period included : small arms range and road refurbishments, brush control, OP-1 upgrading, refurbishment of sewage treatment ponds, bridge construction and a gas station project . On RRNS, the Station Manager reviewed projects to ensure compliance with permit requirements and inspected all construction activities that had the potential to adversely impact manatee and yellow-shouldered blackbird habitat, wetland e areas, and zones of archeological importance. Examples of the projects reviewed in 1986 include the construction of a Coast Guard station piers in a manatee area, the building of new fuels storage facilities, and numerous brush clearing activities . During the year, the following draft documents were officially reviewed by Manager Weitzel ; -"Land Use Management Plan for Naval Facilities, Vieques, Puerto Rico" - the environmental and cultural/historical resources sections of the "Master Plan, U.S. Naval Complex, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico" . VFS PAGE 9 -"Land Management Plan, Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Ceiba, Puerto Rico" (both preliminary and final drafts) . -"Recovery Plan - Puerto Rico population of the West Indian (Antillean) Manatee". -"Brown Pelican - Recovery Plan - Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Populations". - NAVSTA Instruction 6280 .2-Natural Resources Protection at~ Roosevelt Roads" . During March-September, considerable time was spent assisting with segments of the RRNS yellow-shouldered blackbird recovery project . This assistance Included trap refurbishment, soliciting logistical support from the Navy for various facets of the project, environmental education activities, and conducting weekly staff meetings with project technicians . In June, Manager Weitzel met with B . Langhorn, R. McNamara, and M . Pagan, all officers of the Conservation and Historical Trust of Vieques, to assist, them in drafting a proposal to create the "Vieques Bioluminescent Bay Natural Reserve" . The Trust, which has, for this project, World Wildlife Fund backing and the blessings of the Commander Naval Forces Caribbean, hope to acquire property adjacent to the Bay . Funding will be requested from Puerto Rico DNR for development of a formal management plan. The proposed reserve borders the VNR. In September, the Navy received a request from a Vieques resident to harvest f shoots of the plant Aloe vulgaris . Aloe extract is a component of various cosmetics, and the individual hoped to obtain stock for his proposed Aloe plantation. Manager Weitzel provided the Navy with Information relative to Aloe, and Inspected areas within the VNR for the presence of the plant . Due to the fact that the plant could only be located within conservation zones, and to the apparent overall paucity of the plant within the VNR, the Individual was denied permission to harvest Aloee from within Navy property. Additional assistance was provided to individuals/groups who were involved in or interested in projects at RRNS, VNR or other Navy property . VFS PAGE 10 Examples of these projects include : -a request from C . Flemming, St . Croix Botanical Gardens, USVI, to visit Guantanamo Bay Naval Station (Cuba) on a plant collecting expedition . - A University of Puerto Rico graduate student project examining predator/prey relationships in seagrass habitats off Isla Pinones, RRNS . -An endangered species "index", relative to a project to extract hazardous wastes from abandoned dump sites on Navy property , being developed by NUS (an environmental consultancy concern). -A request from personnel of the Toledo Zoological Society, Ohio, to survey Isla Pinones for the presence of the Virgin Islands boa . 9 -discussions with Puerto Rico DNR biologists, relative to a sea turtle hatching operation on the VNR . -An energy biornass scheme, utilizing thornscrub, for the VNR . -USDA/Tick Eradication Unit interest in constricting cattle traps within the VNR. -A Mangrove Systems, Inc. (FL) wetland assessment study of the Navy's Sabana Seca property. -Field efforts of J . Bringham, British Royal Air Force, to gather information relative to RRNS's bird resources for an article in the British Journal of f Ornithology . -Field activities of T . Welland, North Carolina State University, to secure lower Cretaceous volcanic rock samples from various sites within RRNS . -A request from a science teacher from Rafael Rocca High School, Naguabo, to conduct classroom studies within RRNS's Los Machos Mangrove area . -A request from Puerto Rico DNR Terrestrial Ecology Section personnel to search for the endangered Anolis rooseveIti (Cu Iebra Giant AnoIe) , within the 0 VNR. VFS PAGE 11 -A request to secure performance data relative to an abandoned DOE/NASA windmill project on Culebra . There was interest in initiating such a venture on Vieques. -A request from Puerto Rico DNR National Heritage Program personnel to conduct wetland inventory activities within VNR and RRNS . 5. Other Manager Weitzel attended the following training sessions during the year : -Manatee Management Activities (capture/tagging/telemetry/necropsy) Ft . Meyers, Fl ; Jan. 26-31 9 -Introduction to Supervision ; OPM; San Juan; March. 10-14 -SCUBA Certification (NAUI/Openwater 2) ; Culebra, PR; May 5-9 -CPR Certification; Roosevelt Roads, PR ; June -Multi-media First Aid; Roosevelt Roads, PR; September -Supply & Services Seminar; GSA; San Juan, PR; September 30 -Conference on Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act ; NPS St. Croix, USVI ;October 29 11 -Sea turtle census training (netting/mark/recapture) ; Culebra, PR; November In March, range and soil management publications were secured from Soil Conservation Service headquarters, San Juan, for the Field Station library . In April: Manager Weitzel received civilian flight authorization to embark on VC-8 helicopters for the purpose of conducting sea turtle/Manatee surveys . The Weitzel family grew by one with the birth of Erika Alexandra in April . Refuge Supervisors B. Grabill and T . McDaniel, and Project Leader Furniss f completed the annual station inspection in May. VFS PAGE 12 0 In June, Manager Weitzel attended the formal inauguration of Coast Guard Patrol Boat Squadron Two, RRNS . The Field Station received a "Certificate of Achievement" from the U .S. Army, 24th Transportation Battalion, Ft. Eustics, VA, for assistance rendered in the environmental planning stages of exercise Bulldog Beach, held on Vieques . In November, discussions were held with the Navy relative to the future of the FWS/Navy Memorandum of Understanding, (MOU) . The Vieques Field Station was a product of this MOU. ARD Benson, Refuge Supervisor McDaniel, Project Leader Furniss, and Manager Weitzel spent 25 days' reviewing natural resource programs/issues relative to the VNR/RRNS. A briefing was held with RADM W.J.M. O'Connor, Commander/Naval Force Caribbean, and final discussions, to 0 solicit an increased Navy commitment (eg : clerical assistance, budget inflation increase etc .) to Field Station operations were held on November 5 . The Navy felt that they had finally reached the point where they would be able to coordinate their own natural resource management responsibilities, and in late November, they decided to terminate the MOU, effective upon the transfer of Manager Weitzel . A Dept. of Defense natural resource manager will eventually be hired. During the year the Navy formalized an agreement with the Caribbean Field Office (Ecological Services/Endangered Species) that allowed the Station Manager to evaluate the potential impact of proposed land disturbance projects on endangered yellow-shouldered blackbird habitat within RRNS (all of which is listed Critical Habitat) . This agreement freed SE personnel from having to 0 perform most on-site inspections within RRNS, during the year, and thus expedited the consultation process with the Navy . F. HABITAT MANAGEMENT 1 . General The Navy does not generally engage in habitat management/manipulation practices to benefit natural resources . In the past, actions such as various construction activities and military maneuvers typically have involved some type of habitat manipulation (e.g. unregulated vegetation removal, blocking natural drainages, etc .) that has negatively impacted the natural environment . 0 One of the principal functions of the Vieques Field Station was to recommend environmentally sound alternatives to such destructive practices . VF9 PAGE 1 2. Wetlands General Of approximately 330 ha (815 ac) of mangrove forests located within the VNR, 70±F (230ha/568)ac) of these mangroves can be classified as stressed. This stress is primarily due to excessive sediment deposition caused by upland soil runoff, old construction activities (e.g. roads and a railroad berm) that blocked traditional internal circulation and sea flushing channels, and excessive impact on the vegetation caused by trespass cattle . Cattle have had a devastating impact on VNR's black mangrove communities . 'These animals trample cable root systems and pneumatophores (resulting in abnormal aerial roots) and browse the leaves for their salt content . This causes a serious impact on the 0 black mangrove trees and the death of the more adversely affected individuals . The presence of cattle within the VNR wetland zones (i .e . mangroves) is a violation of the Navy/ Cooperativa lease agreement . The Navy, due to the political sensitivity of enforcing the lease provisions, has not actively responded to repeated requests that they, as the landowner, enforce the lease agreement requirements . In contrast to the VNR, the more than 810 ha (>2000 ac) of mangroves found within RRNS include some of the best protected (i .e . least impacted) mangrove systems encountered in Puerto Rico, although some minor negative impacts do occur in the Dema jagua and small arms range mangrove zones . An updated mangrove status report, outlining mitigative action, was distributed in January 1986 . This document recommended mitigative efforts in site of the 19 0 mangrove areas identified within RRNS . Mitigative Projects To comply with recommendations outlined in a 1981 status report on VNR mangrove forests, the Navy contracted the 8th Engineer Marine Battalion to complete numerous mangrove rehabilitation projects within the NW section of the VNR. The May 1985 restoration projects were directed at the Laguna Kiani/Arenas complex and the Boca Quebrada system . The work involved : a) opening up a direct flushing outlet to the sea at Boca Quebrada; b) constructing new 0 circulation cuts at Kiani/Arenas ( these cuts were made by using ammonium nitrate to blast open two channels in an old railroad berm) ; and c) widening an existing circulation channel from 2 .5± m (8 .24 ft) to 1 1± m (36 .3 ft) . VFS PAGE 14 These cuts are functioning quite well . The Boca Quebrada channel routinely closes due to beach sand deposition, but heavy rains, with the resulting runoff from Mt. Pirata, "blows" the channels out to allow renewed, although temporary, flushing action. Without a doubt these projects are assisting the recovery of these stressed mangrove systems . In November, a vehicular bridge collapsed and partially blocked the channel flushing Vieques' Playa Grande Mangrove System . The structure will be removed after the first of the year . 3. Forests, The Vieques Forestry Project, contracted by the Navy to Tropical Research and Development, Inc. Fl, was initiated in September 1985. The 40 ha (100 acre) experimental tree plantation will help determine the feasibility of commercial 0 timber production on Vieques . By June 1986, approximately 37.5 ha (92 .6 acres) had been planted with 28,000 mahogany seedlings . The U. S. Forest . Services' Institute of Tropical Forestry is employing about 2 .5 ha (6.2 acres ) of the plantation to examine germination and overall growth of additional species, such as Leucaena, and Caribbean pine. During the period, mahogany seedling growth averaged 15 .0cm (5.91n) per month, and ranged up to 30 .0 ± cm (12.0 ± in). Mortality was 12 ± %, with much of this attributed to cattle/horse trespass, and unauthorized cropping of seedlings/trees. The first managed thinning is scheduled in five years . At this stage, 1987 efforts will be strictly maintenance, handled by Tropical 0 Research and Development, Inc . It was hoped that . the project would be expanded another 81 ha (200 acres) In 1987, however, as of this writing, the Navy has not obligated funding for this effort . In May, one emajaguilla (Thesoesia, populnea) harvest permit was issued to a group of Vieques fishermen . The wood is employed for boat construction, and according to the fishermen, can only be cut during a full moon . 4. Other Habitats Throughout the period, the Station Manager issued freshwater sand extraction permits to residents of Vieques . Permitees were restricted to specific sites within the VNR and they were obligated to remove sand by manual methods only . VFS PAGE 15 The sand is used in local housing construction . The Commonwealth requires that stream sand removal not result in water table exposure. This requires that sand extraction activities be rotated between quebradas. Runoff eventually , redeposits sand in exploited quebradas . Routine removal of sand performs two functions : 1) provides local residents with sand, a sought after building material, and 2) maintains these channels in an "open" state, thereby reducing the potential for stream backup, during periods of heavy rains, that could promote erosion within the surrounding area . By allowing local residents to remove sand, the Navy Is spared the costly and time consuming job of- constantly unblocking these stream channels . The directed sand -removal also helps reduce the illegal extraction of sand in other areas that are more ecologically sensitive. Station Mgr. Weitzel attended all Vieques "Inner Range Refurbishment" meetings held at RRNS. As refurbishment activities Included land clearing 0 and/or applying herbicides. to selected sites, the Station Manager Inspected the target areas prior to issuing an environmental clearance . In February, Manager . Weitzel attended a meeting, coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to discuss the status of Vieques ground water resources. In May, the Station Manager met with Eric Williams, President Servicios Agricolas e Industriales, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to evaluate water reservoir/irrigation potential relative to numerous projects proposed for Vieques . In June, assistance was provided to USGS (Water Resources Section) personnel digging test wells at various localities within the VNR. 0 4. Other During the period, numerous brush land clearing, pier construction, and offshore dredging projects, scheduled for RRNS or the VNR, were evaluated relative to their potential to impact habitat of listed species, cultural resources, and other environmentally sensitive resources . In February, the Station Manager submitted erosion control recommendations relative to the new construction and or refurbishment of access roads to proposed range warning lights in the VNR to the Resident Officer-in charge-of-Construction . In December 1985, the Navy, without initiating the required consultations, placed 30 anchor buoys in RRNS's Ensenada Honda, an important manatee VFS PAGE 16 calving/feeding zone. The presence of these buoys, used to moor pleasure craft, would have: a) increased recreational boat traffic in the area, and increased the chances of boat/manatee collision; and b) destroyed manatee habitat (e .g. seagrass) due to scouring caused by the buoy's anchor chains . Fish and Wildlife Service (e.g. Vieques Field Station, Caribbean Field Office) pressure forced the Navy to remove all of these structures in January . In February, Manager Weitzel, and representatives from CAR and the Navy, inspected sites, in the Ensenada Honda area, where the Navy wished to place additional buoys. These sites were evaluated relative to the potential impact on listed species . In March, Manager Weitzel, along with representatives from RRNS and the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board, inspected sites at Camp Garcia, VNR, relative to establishing a new sanitary landfill for the Vieques municipality office . The Navy is considering excessing a parcel of land for this purpose, and the project's potential impact on listed species, cultural areas, and sensitive vegetation were evaluated . In June, the Station Manager, along with representatives from Norfolk, VA, RRNS, and FWS/CAR, attended a meeting at Environmental Quality Board (EQB) headquarters, San Juan, regarding proposed modifications of RRNS Cape Hart sewage outfall structures. The outfall provides a source of freshwater for manatees, and any modification of the structure could have a serious adverse impact on the species. The proposed action had been requested by EQB and US EPA, however, because of the potential impact to manatees, .it was agreed that the outfall would not be tampered with . In June, Manager Weitzel met with LCDR T . Breand, Medical Entomologist, Navy Disease Vector Ecology and Control Center/Jacksonville, FL, to outline environmental considerations applicable to a proposed Ades chemical control project targeted for RRNS's mangrove areas . Breand indicated that due to the environmental sensitivity and protected status of these areas, chemical control would not be pursued . In July, the station Manager evaluated a request to apply malathion, for mosquito control, to a grassy area near a RRNS park . After consulting with CAR, a clearance was issued . In August, the Station Manager inspected an illegal wetland fill between RRNS and the town of of Ceiba . A cease and desist order had been issued by the Corps of Engineers, and that agency requested comments from FWS relative to levying a fine . VF9 PAGE 17 0 At various times throughout the period, the station Manager met with representatives of SBG Puerto Rico, Inc . (Glie Herb Farms, Vieques) to secure details relative to the Farm's drainage canal that empties on to the eastern sector of the VNR. Runoff from the canal could include contaminates (e .g. fertilizers, insecticides) that may leach into Navy controlled wetlands . Throughout the year, the Navy expended considerable efforts to mitigate a severe erosion problem within the western sector of the VNR . Impervious to advice from external parties (e.g. FWS), a Navy construction battalion (Sea Beas) had attempted to construct (doze) a 0.5 km ( .3 mile) long section of road on a +70T slope . The resulting runoff left gullies with depths of almost 3 .Om (9.7 ft). Although this type of action is never officially publicized the story is that the Navy has already spent up to half a million dollars in alleviation 0 measures (until recently, the Navy again refused to accept external advice relative to proper mitigative procedures). Current efforts concentrate on slope terracing, using an annual/perennial grass mixture . This method appears to be working. The station Manager monitored this activity during the period . In January 1987, Manager Weitzel escorted C . Nieves RRNS Realty Specialist, and T.C. Horst and J .E. Nichols, both from LANTNAVFACENGCOM, Norfolk, VA , to this site. In May, RRNS's Cape Hart and Bundy sewage treatment plants failed temporarily . This shutdown resulted in 1000's of liters of raw sewage flowing into surrounding mangroves and a temporary cessation of treated freshwater outfall . In the case of Cape Hart plant the cessation of the waterflow would have had a direct, although short-term impact on the manatees that are 0 attracted to the outfall zone by the freshwater. In November, a 340,650 liter (90,000 gallon) J .P.5 occurred in Roosevelt Roads' Ensenada Honda, impacting a mangrove area in the northwest portion of the bay . The zone includes Critical Habitat for the yellow-shouldered blackbird, and adjacent breeding/feeding/loafing areas for manatees . The Station Manager functioned as the FWS on-site representative . Other on-site agencies included the Coast Guard (MSO, San Juan and Gulf Strike Team, Mobile, AL), NOAA SSC (Hazardous Materials Response Branch), and the Commonwealth EQB and DNR, a Regional Response Team Meeting was held to discuss approaches to the cleanup operation. The Navy's local oil spill team coordinated mop-up efforts . Due to the inaccessibility of the mangrove area, a thorough assessment of, impact to resources was difficult, however, invertebrate mortality was considered moderate . No impacts to manatees or seagrass were observed . Six days after the spill, some seaward mangroves exhibited leaf browning/withering . To VFS PAGE 18 ascertain full impact, long-term monitoring of the entire system has been 0 recommended. In November at the request of FWS/CAR, Manager Weitzel visited "C. Flores Sea Farms", Fajardo, to discuss their request for a section 10 permit from the Corps of Engineers. Flores plans to construct a pier in Bahia Dema jagua 5. Grazing In January, Station Manager Weitzel provided the National Resources Specialist, Navy/Norfolk , VA, with recommendations relative to a revised Vieques cattle lease. The Commonwealth placed the Cooperativa Ganaderos de Vieques In 0 receivership during the period . An experienced cattleman was hired to overhaul Coop. operations, and specifically, to reduce their debt by marketing . Coop. cattle. In May, Manager Weitzel met with Paco Carillo, Coop . Receiver, to delimit locations, within the VNR, suitable for the construction of small holding . pens. In June, the station Manager attended a meeting to discuss Carillo's request for a +120 ha (I300ac) parcel of land for use as a temporary cattle holding lot. An environmentally acceptable location was selected within the Reservation's western sector . Attendance at this meeting included Navy representatives (including RADM O'Connor) and J . Walker, archeologist for the state Historic Preservation Office . The Station Manager routinely inspected RRNS's 81 ha (200 acre) Dema jagua cattle lease area during the period . In March and October, Manger Weitzel 0 accompanied the Navy's Real Estate Specialist on formal lease compliance inspections, in which violations were noted, and range improvement strategies discussed with the leasee . The October inspection included SCS District Soil Conservationist J . Aponte, and Navy (Norfolk ) VA) Natural Resources Specialist A. Strasser. In November, Manager Weitzel, proposed, to A . Strasser, numerous modifications to the Demajagua lease, including a requirement to exclude unlimited cattle access to riparian habitat. Throughout the period, Manager Weitzel monitored Vieques Cooperative compliance with cattle lease provisions . Violations were reported to appropriate Navy personnel . VFS PAGE 19 In August, Mgr. Weitzel accompanied Dr . C. Myello (herbicide specialist, Navy, Norfolk, VA) to Vieques to inspect all military fences In reference to the application of a herbicide to control fence line vegetation . Glyphosate, with a short active life, was selected . for vegetation control in order to avoid the problem of herbicide runoff into sensitive areas (e.g. mangroves). G. WILDLIFE 1 . Wildlife Diversity Wildlife composition on Vieques, as is typical for most Insular habitats, is dominated by its avifauna, with 120 species. The more notable species include : zenaida dove, Puerto Rican woodpecker, Caribbean martin, Puerto Rican lizard 0 cuckoo, Antillean crested hummingbirds and West Indian nighthawk . Mammalian fauna is poorly represented, with bats constituting the primary form. Introduced mammals (e .g. Norway rat, black rat ) house mouse, mongoose) are frequently observed In a variety of habitats . No doubt some of these exotics are responsible for depressing populations of endemic ground nesting birds and various herptiles. Other. free ranging mammals encountered on the VNR Include cattle, cattle thieves, horses, feral dogs, feral cats, feral pigs and feral wildlife poachers . With the exception of it's avifauna, wildlife composition on RRNS has received little attention. Up to 150 species of birds have been recorded, Including the Puerto Rico emerald, bananaquit, pin-tailed whydah, glossy ibis, mangrove cuckoo, and the short-eared owl . Exotic mammals (e.g. mongoose, rats ) mice) are common. Terrestrial herptiles on Vieques number about 20 species . This includes a subspecies of a mildly venemous snake, Alsophis portoricensis . This snake has been recorded twice from Cayo Conejo, site of the brown pelican breeding colony. Herps commonly observed Include the marine toad, geckos, ground lizards and anoles. In November, 1985, land crabbers killed a 2.84m (9.4ft) long (snout tip of tall) boa constrictor, Constrictor constrictor on the eastern end of the VNR . Several were supposedly seen at the time, and Commonwealth DNR personnel on Vieques do receive infrequent reports of large snakes observed within the VNR . VFS PAGE 20 It is possible that the boa may have become established on Vieques . They may have arrived on one of the Central/South American military ships that utilize 0 the Vieques area for joint maneuvers, or they might have been former household pets. Although the lack of perennial freshwater and paucity of terrestrial vertebrates would be limiting factors for most boids, the boa constrictor does have a record of adapting to fairly arid environments, such as is typical for the eastern sector of the VNR . The herpetofauna of RRNS has not been formally studied . However, observations of Alsophis sp ., Pseudemys sp. and various unidentified anoles at RRNS have been made by Mgr . Weitzel . 2 . Federal Endangered and/or Threatened Species 0 The federally listed species considered to be breeding residents at RRNS, VNR and/or within adjacent federally controlled waters are noted In the table shown below . Seasonally occurring migrant species include the peregrine falcon (VNR) , humpback whales and unidentified cetaceans . 0 The waters within Naval Station harbor the the largest West Indian mantee population in Puerto Rico . Unknown. AN-86-VFS-05 VFS PAGE 21 Endangered And Threatened Species Considered To Be Breeding Residents at RRNS . VNR And/or Within Adjacent Waters, Species RRNS VNR Status loggerhead sea turtle P0 1 OC T green sea turtle . OC OC T hawksbill sea turtle OC OC E l eatherback sea turtle PO OC E West Indian manatee OC OC E West Indian brown pelican FL OC E yellow -shouldered blackbird OC AB E 1 PO = probable occurrence, OC = occurrence, FL = feeding and loafing only, AB 0 = absence, T = threatened, E = endangered While the green, hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles nest on Vieques, there is a significant lack of good data regarding these species . Selected beaches are checked by the Station Manager on a routine basis for marine turtle activity . When military helicopter service can be obtained, aerial surveys are conducted to record turtle and manatee distribution in the areas near VNR and RRNS . To this date, RRNS beaches have not been formally inspected for turtle nesting activity and although the Station Manager planned to initiate such a program in 1986, time/personnel constraints precluded this effort . Roosevelt Roads NS supports a population of the endangered yellow-shouldered 0 blackbird . Based upon 1986 estimates, the minimal population estimate for the species is 31 individuals . This is a slight improvement over the 1985 estimate of 25 birds. A West Indian brown pelican colony is located on Cayo Conejo, 400 m (1320 ft) off the southeastern coast of Vieques . The Station Manager visits the Cay on a routine basis to check for signs of human disturbance, and to record basic population data . It appears that the cay is used for nesting only, and that primary feeding and loafing areas are located off the northern coast of Vieques, Culebra Island and the Fa jardo area on the main island of Puerto Rico . Of the three active pelican colonies in the Commonwealth, only Cayo Conejo exhibits year round nesting, and, because of Navy protection, human disturbance to the colony is virtually non - existent . In past years over 100 active nests have been recorded over a 12 month period . Since the current Station Manager started VFS PAGE 22 • duty in Sept . 1984, less than 20 nests have been observed at one time . This low level of nesting activity probably reflects a natural depression in the colony's breeding cycle. Since 1984 basic Cayo Cone jo population data have been forwarded to the Colonial Bird Register at Cornell in New York . This information represented the first Puerto Rico contribution to the Register . 3. Waterfowl Species commonly recorded on Vieques include the white-cheeked pintail, blue-winged teal (migrant), common moorhen, purple gallinule and the Caribbean coot. Other confirmed sightings include gadwall, West Indian whistling duck, and the red-breasted merganser . Both RRNS and VNR, along with the nearby Culebra NWR, offer some of the best remaining white-cheeked pintail habitat in the Commonwealth . It is estimated that up to 350 birds, the largest white-cheeked pintail concentration in PR and the US VI, shift between Culebra, Vieques and RRNS . 4. Marsh and Water Birds, Species of waterbirds noted frequently on Vieques and Roosevelt Roads include : great blue heron, little blue heron, tricolored heron, cattle egret, snowy egret, and yellow-crowned night-heron . Clapper rails are commonly heard in the Los Machos mangrove forest at RRNS . On Vieques, some of the herons noted have . rookeries in the mangrove systems around Laguna Playa Grande, Laguna Kiani, and Bahia Tapon. The nesting status of these species within RRNS is unknown. 5. Shorebirds . Gulls, Terns and Allied Species Numerous shorebirds, mainly migrants, have been recorded at both VNR and RRNS. Prominent species include: black-necked stilt, greater and lesser yellowlegs, semi-palmated sandpiper, willet, short-billed dowitcher, killdeer, black-bellied plover, semi-palmated plover and ruddy turnstone . Knowledge relative to the nesting status of shorebird species on the Navy properties is unknown. Magnificent frigatebird, bridled and royal terns, and laughing gulls have been noted in both areas. VFS PAGE 23 6. Raptors The red-tailed hawk and the American kestrel are frequently sighted, especially on the eastern half of Vieques, where the habitat is dominated by thornscrub. Both species nest on Vieques . Short-eared owls can be seen during the early evening hours, particularly on the eastern part of Vieques . Seasonal visitors include osprey, merlin and peregrine falcons . Red-tailed hawks and American kestrels also appear to be fairly common at. RRNS. Osprey merl ins, and peregrine falcons have been recorded at RRNS. 7. Marine Mammals Migrating whales (humpbacks and unidentified species) are usually , recorded 0 during February and March off the eastern tip of Vieques Island . Bottlenose dolphins are frequently noted in the Vieques Passage . The coastal areas of Vieques and RRNS support an estimated 30-40% of the Commonwealth population (100± animals) of the West Indian manatee . The extensive seagrass beds (Thalassia sp., Syringodium, sp. associations) in these areas provide critical feeding, loafing, breeding and calving habitat for manatees. 8. Marking and Banding In 1986, during yellow-shouldered blackbird recovery activities, a total of 157 0 cowbirds were banded. H. PUBL I C USE 1 . General The Navy discourages public use activities within the VNR . Recreational pursuits are basically limited to swimming, snorkeling, and fishing (sport and artisanal ). Recreational diversions within RRNS include sport fishing, especially hook and 0 line angling off the piers in Ensenada Honda, and numerous water sports (e.g. VFS PAGE 24 windsurfing) . Various beaches within the area have been set aside specifically for recreational use . The Navy is scheduling completion of a RRNS Outdoor Recreation Plan in the near future . Under consideration is establishment of an off-road vehicle zone . To accommodate local requests for Puerto Rico hunting and fishing regulations and information, relevant brochures are maintained at the Field Station Office . 2. Other Interpretive Programs The Station Manager presented informal interpretive discussion on a regular basis to the construction battalion detachments (Sea Bees) assigned to Vieques. Subjects included mangrove ecology, fishery resources (e .g . spiny lobster locations), marine turtle nesting activity, and endangered species in 0 general . The Field Station has various marine turtle shells, whole mounts and preserved hatchlings on long term loan to the Roosevelt Roads High School (RRHS) . 0 Many programs and environmental education classes were conducted for 0 students of Roosevelt Roads and Vieques, M. Weitzel . AN-86-VFS-06 VFS PAGE 25 In January, the film "Silent Sirens-Manatees in Peril" was shown to 25 members of the RRNS Dive Club at their monthly meeting, and 250 RRNS elementary and high school students (14 showings) saw "Parrots of Luquillo" . During the month, the Station Manager secured conservation career literature for use at an upcoming RRHS career day. In February, interpretive posters, relative to lobsters, sea turtles, and listed species in general, were distributed to the RRNS Dive Club . A ' list of local plants, toxic to humans, was compiled and submitted to the RRNS Public Affairs Office, for use during March's Pison Prevention Week . In March, the RCA-OP1 post on Vieques was supplied with marine turtle educational literature, and Manager Weitzel wrote and submitted a sea turtle law enforcement "notice" for placement in the Navy's El Navegante newspaper . 0 Also, during the month, the Station Manager assembled a permanent marine turtle slide presentation for the Field Station educational program, and he arranged for an article relative to the yellow-shouldered blackbird Recovery Project to be included in an upcoming El Navegante Issue . Recovery Project Manager Heisterberg and the Station Manager were interviewed by the newspaper's staff . In April, the Coast Guard Patrol Boat Squadron Two was supplied with literature relative to listed species, ciguatera, coral reefs, Commonwealth resource laws etc ., and information on Vieques was forwarded to an interested party in New Jersey . One "Project Wild" course (on endangered species) was modified for use at RRHS . 0 In October, the Station Manager submitted an "Installation Report", relative to RRNS and VNR, to the National Military Fish and Wildlife Association, for inclusion in an upcoming newsletter . In September, Manager Weitzel was interviewed by New Hampshire College graduate student R . Ruiz, relative to his project on "Business, Government, and the Environment" . The interview concentrated on Navy environmental policy/compliance, endangered species management, and archeological concerns. 0 VFS PAGE 26 3. Hunting Hunting is prohibited on Navy property and this restriction is adamantly enforced within RRNS and usually so on the VNR. Due to lax military enforcement, hunting, though infrequent, is a problem within portions of the VNR. During the period, the Navy received numerous requests from Commonwealth parties to allow hunting within the VNR . Manager Weitzel met with the Naval Station's Commanding Officer twice during the year to specifically remind him of the Navy's internal regulations that regulate hunting . In February, the Station Manager assisted the Navy in drafting a Navy response to those newly proposed Commonwealth wildlife regulations pertinent to areas under Navy jurisdiction . The Navy's official reply emphasized the ban on 0 hunting currently in effect for RRNS and the VNR . 4. Fishing In January, Manager Weitzel attended a meeting between Navy and Smithsonian Institution representatives to discuss aspects of a Caribbean King Crab mariculture project, slated for the VNR's Ensenada Honda . In February, Navy personnel, D . Ferrier (Smithsonian Institution) Marine Systems Laboratory, and the Station Manager evaluated numerous sites near Ensenada Honda relative to establishing the land based hatchery facilities for this venture . An environmentally suitable location was selected . Due to some reason known only to Smithsonian personnel, this mariculture project is currently on "hold" . 5. TraDoing The extensive mangrove systems on Navy property support large numbers of the juey (land crab, Cardisoma guanhumi ). This crab is a highly prized animal in Puerto Rico, and land crabbing for the juey, though an illegal activity on Navy property, is undertaken with great vigor by civilians, both within the VNR and to a lesser degree in the RRNS . On RRNS, crab traps are routinely destroyed by military security personnel . I t i s not uncommon for crabbers to leave notes VFS PAGE 27 threatening to kill these security people, and, in fact, security personnel have been physically attacked by land crabbers . In June, yellow-shouldered blackbird project worker A . Diaz was assaulted by two land crabbers in RRNS's Los Machos Mangrove area . Diaz, who was working at the time, was not injured, and he eventually outran his attackers . In May, to enforce their ban on land crabbing within the VNR, Navy security personnel began apprehending trappers and/or issuing tickets . The Vieques- Municipal government, which maintained that a continuance of this enforced prohibition on crabbing would have deprived low income residents of revenue (derived by selling crabs) and protein, threatened to place protesters at the Naval Reservation's entrance gates . During the month, the Station Manager met with Navy personnel and representatives of the Commonwealth and Vieques Municipality in an effort to find a solution agreeable to all parties . In June, however, the Navy decided to once again look the other way, and allow land crabbing activities to continue as before and with this decision, the controversy quickly became a non-issue. 6. Wildlife Observation On the VNR birding, especially around the Laguna Kiani complex, is enjoyed by some; however, for security reasons, the Navy prohibits public access to many of the avian rich areas, such as Monte Pirata and Laguna Playa Grande . In February, Manager Weitzel issued a use permit to a small group of stateside and Puerto Rican birding enthusiasts to enter the western end of the VNR . The group was also interested in compiling a list of local plants . Within RRNS, birding is pursued by a few military personnel and dependents . In addition, these same individuals will sometimes report manatee and marine turtle observations to the Station Manager . 7. Off-Road Vehicling On various occasions during the period, Manager Weitzel met with the RRNS Commanding Officer (CO) and Security personnel to outline the * continuing impact that ORV traffic (motorcycles) was creating in a black/white mangrove-upland transition zone . This particular zone, known as the Ensenada Honda dredged spoil area, Is located near RRNS's Community Beach, the area VFS PAGE 28 supports least tern (a Commonwealth listed endangered species) nesting activity. From the start, Navy Security felt that posting the zone as "off-limits" would be appropriate, however, the CO's office did not agree to this approach until October. Hopefully official protection of this site is now forthcoming . 8. Law Enforcement The Station Manager monitored adherence of Federal and applicable Commonwealth natural resources laws within the military and private sectors on Vieques and RRNS . Frequent contact was maintained with Puerto Rico DNR law enforcement personnel . Violations of federal wildlife laws were reported to the Project Leader and to the Senior Resident Agent . Except for Navy Security's war on land crabbers, wildlife law enforcement problems at RRNS are not significant, however on Vieques this is not the case . Enforcement problems on Vieques (including the Naval Reservation) are primarily related to : sea turtle poaching, including the sale of eggs ($2 .00 ea) and shell jewelry ; unauthorized beach and freshwater sand extraction (Commonwealth and Navy violation) ; land crabbing and harvesting restricted species of trees (Navy violations) ; and illegal bird hunting . Within the VNR, Mgr . Weitzel recorded the following violations of the Endangered Species Act during 1986: a) in March, the remains of a butchered hawksbill sea turtle were encountered on the Reservation's north coast . The skull was salvaged as an interpretive aid ; and b) in' February, the remains (carapace) of a butchered juvenile green turtle was found on a beach along the southern coast, near the VNR's Ensenada Honda . In May, the station manager met with T . Medina, the new president of the North Coast Fishermans Assn ., to discuss the sea turtle poaching problem on Vieques . Medina maintained that while fisherman are being blamed for turtle poaching activities, the actual perpetrators are the civilian security guards employed by the Navy. In August, Special Agent J . Sisco, P. Gertler, Field Supervisor/FWS/CAR, and Manager Weitzel, met with Coast Guard Patrol Boat Squadron Two Commander C . Smith to discuss potential support for FWS LE work . VFS PAGE 29 In September, copies of various LE documents (relative to ESA, Lacey Act, etc .) were . presented to the Commander, Coast Guard Patrol Boat Squadron Two, 0 RRNS . In November, the Station Manager distributed new LE sea turtle reward posters to various Navy commands and at various sites on Vieques . I . EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES The Field Station Included a primary office located at RRNS and a secondary Installation at the VNR . The Vieques office was used for storage and was 1s maintained for extended field visits . The Navy handled all maintenance for both 0 the Roosevelt Roads and Vieques offices . FWS owned equipment included a 1982 CJ-5 Jeep, an AMC (transferred from Complex headquarters in May), SCUBA gear (purchased in June), minor office furniture for both Vieques and Roosevelt Roads, and a Nikon camera . The Station Manager made infrequent visits to the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office to obtain assorted supplies (e.g. a safe, office furnishings, etc.) for use at both the Field Station and the other FWS offices in the Caribbean . Early In the year the Navy accomplished a major structural renovation of the Vieques office, and this project Included replacing walls and a large part of the 0 ceiling. In addition to routine prevention maintenance, considerable time was expended on coordinating vehicle repairs throughout the year. J. OTHER ITEMS 1 . Items of Interest In February, as FWS representative, and at the request of the Commander, Naval Forces, Caribbean, Manager Weitzel attended a Federal Regional Response Team Meeting at RRNS . The Meeting was requested by the Team's on-site coordinator (EPA, Region Two) to discuss options (i .e. locations) available relative to the VFS PAGE 30 disposal of eight cylinders of toxic gas . The Team has expressed interest in neutralizing the gas on Vieques Navy property (the Impact Area), however, the S Navy opposed this action for a number of reasons . Section 7 considerations and the sensitivity of the Cayo Cone jo pelican colony were outlined . By the end of the meeting no site had been agreed upon. In February, Project Leader Furniss and Manager Weitzel met with Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility Technical Director (Development and Engineering Dept .) J. Broun, to discuss details relative to a theolite station the Navy wishes to construct on Sandy Point NWR, St . Croix. The FWS will not oppose the project, however, due to the presence of nesting sea turtles at that location, the Navy will have to accommodate Section 7 Regulations . In May, representatives from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Washington, D.C., visited RRNS to discuss the possibility of constructing a detention center f within a portion of the Dema jagua cattle lease area . This zone currently receives heavy recreational pressure, but unfortunately, this public use is very damaging to the zone's mangrove/beach strand vegetation . The presence of a detention center would preclude public use of this zone, and thus alleviate the adverse impacts that the area's resources are currently exposed to . In June, major portions of the Clint Eastwood/Warner Bros . motion picture, "Heartbreak Ridge" (relative to the U .S. military operation in Grenada), were filmed on Vieques . Manager Weitzel met with Producer Fritz Manes to issue an environmental clearance for use of the VNR's Green Beach and Laguna Kiani bridge area. The station Manager "monitored" filming at both locations . In December, Manager Weitzel was selected for the refuge manager position at Ti juana Slough NWR at Imperial Beach NWR . On December 31, 1986, the Vieques Field Station was closed after six years of ; : operation. We hope that the Navy will be able to pick up the pieces and keep up the work we started . It was a unique experience . 2 . Credits This report was written by Marc Weitzel, typed by Carmen Mendez and edited by Weitzel, DiRosa and Furniss . VFS PAGE 31 0 K. FEEDBACK With the closing of the Vieques Field Station, we have only to wait and see what history will have to say about our contribution to the preservation of the . natural resources on the Navy lands in Puerto Rico. We had some good people do- a tough, thankless job for very little reward, except the satisfaction of knowning that their efforts may have been what was needed to help bring the Navy up to speed in resource management . We would have like to have done more but fate decided otherwise . For the immediate future we will continue to give the Navy our moral support and encouragement to take up where we have left off. This may be the last report for the Vieques Field Station but the efforts of the FWS personnel who staffed the station will be remembered in the future.