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Watch Those Alien Invasive Species

The Department of Environment in Anguilla has set out to educate the public on the threat to the island’s landscapes and seascapes by a number of alien invasive species. The lunch time meetings have been appropriately dubbed “the Brown-Bag Lunch Presentations” taking about 20 minutes.

L-R: Karim Hodge, Keith David, Calvin Samuel, Dallen Connor and Rhon Connor

The department’s Deputy Director, Rhon Connor, said on Wednesday that the alien invasive species included the Giant African Snails which arrived in Anguilla in 1999. Despite an estimated expenditure of over $100,000 by the Department of Agriculture to exterminate them, they have now taken over the island destroying crops and smearing the walls of homes.

There are also the Cuban tree frogs, now widespread across the island, corrupting water supplies in cisterns. In addition, Mr. Connor noted that the native iguana was now facing extinction as a result of the sterilisation of its offspring caused by inter-breeding with the green iguana which has invaded the island.

Working with Mr. Connor on the weekly presentations are colleagues Karim Hodge, Keith David, Dallen Connor and Calvin Samuel.

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