Sponsored by Blue Lagoon Island & Marine Vendors from Nassau

Dolphin Encounters-Project BEACH Contest Deadline: April 8th, 2011

Endangered Wildlife in the Bahamas What do the Dodo bird, Stellar’s sea cow, As late as 1707, sailors, whalers, and Passenger Pigeon, and the Bajii River Dolphin fishermen could kill as many as a have in common? Well they are all now extinct, hundred of these non-aggressive seals gone forever from our planet! When you think of an in one night and use them for valuable endangered or extinct animal, dinosaurs and giant food and oil. The last confirmed sighting of this once abundant mastodons may come to mind but, believe it or not, marine mammal was in 1952, but they are now classified as many animals are at risk of extinction right here in our extinct , with not even one seal of this species is alive today. Bahamaland. Let’s take a look at three animals—the Bahama Parrot, the Imagine going to the beach and having a colony of seals a few West Inidan Whistling Duck, & the Bahama Boa — that are hundred yards from you sunbathing. In the Bahamas? Yes! When endangered today but still have a chance of being protected Columbus came to The Bahamas, he noted in his journal seeing and surviving in the wild in The Bahamas. “sea wolves” which were actually passive Caribbean Monk Seals. The Bahama Parrot When Columbus visited our The Bahama Parrot eats The choices in nesting has put shores he also saw another a variety of fruits both populations at risk to unique animal: the ranging from wild guava, predators like cats and Bahama Parrot . poisonwood berries, raccoons, deforestation and, in He noted in his pigeon berry, and the fruit the case of the parrots in journal seeing so from gumbo-limbo & Abaco, flooding. Sadly, many of them pond-top palm. parrots are not adapting fast that when they Parrots in Abaco make enough to these threats fast flew they Unlike any other bird, a parrot nests in the ground. enough and their numbers are “darkened the sun”. Only found can use its foot to bring food up quickly dwindling. in The Bahamas, this parrot once to its mouth. They can wrap their lived on at least seven different toes around The parrots that live in Inagua Bahamian islands. a piece of nest in trees like our national food in the tree, Lignum vitae , while the Today, the Bahama Parrot is same way parrots that live in Abaco look restricted to just two islands, that you to nest in limestone cavities on Abaco and Inagua. With only an can wrap the ground of the pine forest. estimated 3,000 individuals left your Nesting in the ground may today, these precious birds are fingers result in a 100% survival of a severely endangered and at around a forest fire, which are quite Deforestation started as high risk of becoming extinct. glass. common to pine forests. early as the 1600’s. The West Indian Whistling Duck Within our country Also known as the “night looking for the fruit of the many species face the duck” (active at night), Royal Palm. In the Bahamas threat of extinction due this bird is a large this species is considered to pollution , poor land goose-like duck with rare and is known to occur in development and poor relatively long legs the Inagua National park resource management. A that extend beyond the tail in and on Hog Cay, Long prime example of this would flight. Sometimes entire flocks Island. be the plight of the West Indian are seen at dusk flying in Whistling Duck . search of food, especially (continued on next page) Marine Education Poster Contest 2011 Dolphin Encounters-Project BEACH The West Indian Whistling Duck The feathers of ducks are A duck’s webbed feet are The W.I. Whistling Duck has waterproofed by a protective excellent for paddling but do suffered extensive hunting for oil that is produced at the base give them a distinct waddle its eggs and for sport. The of the tail and the duck when walking on land. Ducks wetlands in which they live are spreads this oil to the rest of have internal air sacs that help becoming a very limited the feathers by grooming. them float on the water. The habitat, due to poor land air is released just before a development. More than 50% This species of duck has also dive begins. of remaining wetlands are been pushed to the brink by seriously degraded by the introduced predators such as cutting of mangroves and wild hogs, raccoons, cats, dogs swamp-forest, pollution and and rats within its home range natural catastrophes such as as they are known to eat the droughts and hurricanes. eggs and the ducks themselves. Waterproof feathers! The Bahama Boa Some species are endangered These slim, harmless snakes feared and therefore killed because of false perceptions have a beautiful coloration on-sight in the Bahamas. There such is the case of… the that shines in the sunlight. are many false stories about Bahamian Boa! As scary as They do not get very thick these snakes that have been they may seem, snakes play an and grow to a maximum of 8 passed on throughout the ages. important role in keeping the feet in length. Truth be known: we need these ecosystem in balance. The natural predators. Boa in a Mangrove Tree Bahamas has a total of 3 All animals shed their skin but species and 7 sub-species , all not quite like the snake. Most Boas are very adaptable and Snakes help control the insect of which are endangered. animals shed their skin in tiny can be found in a range of and rodent (rats and mice) flakes but the snake sheds the habitats. From trees to brush populations which we know whole skin in one go. It piles, they can hunt prey like spread disease, eat our fruits usually takes about a day or insects, lizards, rodents, frogs, and vegetables and cost us two, but sometimes up to five. small birds and even other thousands of dollars in pest snakes. control. If there were more of Bahamian boas are these non-poisonous snakes on their way to living in the bush, they could becoming extinct. help reduce the amount rats and Miss Universe contestants Their current status is other rodents running around meet a friendly boa at the due to the fact that our streets and backyards. they are heavily Shedding a Whole Skin Ardastra Zoo & Gardens. Here Today, Here Tomorrow & Here Forever! The Bahamas has certainly mammals, birds, reptiles and The next step is to practice changed from the time of fish. When an animal becomes conservation , such as the 3R’s… Columbus to now. The entangled, the debris can Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. question is how will it change strangle or suffocate the Small changes to your in our lifetime? Will we animal or become so tight that behavior add up! For in conserve and protect the it leads to wounds and example, you can take your protecting species that are here now, or infection. Entanglement can recycle totes to the food store nature such as The will we have them join the also limits an animal’s ability instead of using new plastic Bahamas National Trust , Caribbean Monk Seal in to swim, fly or even escape bags each time OR you can Friends of the Environment. museums and legends! predators which usually results refill a reusable water bottle BREEF , or Proud Paws . Take How do we protect them? in death. When an animal rather than buying small some time and visit your local eats trash , it can cause bottles of water each day. parks and zoos to see these The first step is to learn more starvation or malnutrition if the And of course, making sure amazing animals in person. about these animals, what items cannot be digested or litter gets in a trash can and By making small changes, we they need to survive and from broken down in the body. An not the ground is essential. can create a big change in our what they need to protected. object with sharp edges can country and thus the world. So Trash is a major problem that damage the airway or Another important step is to whether they fly, swim or slither, can hurt that many kinds of stomach of the animal leading get involved! Join one of the we can protect the animals that animals, such as marine to infection or pain. environmental groups that help share our country with us!