Where do most seabirds nest? What bird has the lightest bones for its size? What is biodiversity? These are some of the questions that Environmental Protection In the Caribbean (EPIC) asked Brades Primary School and St Augustine R. C. Primary School pupils during their visit to Montserrat earlier in June.
EPIC are producing a Seabird Breeding Atlas for the Lesser Antilles this will list where seabirds are breeding in the area and their population. As well as research, Katharine and David Lowrie of EPIC also undertake outreach. This included meeting and presenting to schools and the Forestry and Environment Departments of Montserrat.
June 9 marked a particularly significant point in EPIC’s work when the team spoke to their 1000th person in 2010 at Brades Primary School! They celebrated by presenting a seabird identification card to the pupil and gave all pupils a seabird sticker and tattoo.
Katharine comments, ‘The children at Brades Primary School were excellent, they listened carefully, asked thoughtful questions and it was the first school we have presented to where the pupils took notes, very impressive! It was also a pleasure to teach at St Augustine R. C. Primary School with similarly attentive and intelligent comments by the pupils.’
During the presentation David and Katharine outlined the key seabird species breeding on Montserrat: Red-tailed Tropicbirds, Least Terns and Audubon’s Shearwater. Katharine told a story about Brown Boobies breeding on Redonda, explaining how they have unique adpations for living and fishing and that each species from the Laughing Gull to the Magnificent Frigatebird is shaped differently to maximise its chances of survival. The classes further considered seabird adaptions by dressing one pupil up as a Brown Pelican!
David adds, ‘By the end of the session, pupils were able to answer our questions on seabirds and nature conservation in a quiz of ‘Fish and Rat Runs’! Where do seabirds nest? Well, most nest on the ground, on a cliff or offshore island. Only the Brown Pelican, Magnificent Frigatebird and Red-footed Booby depend upon mangroves and scrub to nest in. It is the Magnificent Frigatebird who has the lightest bones for its size of any bird in the entire world! Finally, biodiversity, this is biological diversity; the diversity of plant and animal life on our planet. 2010 marks the year for celebrating the amazing variety of wildlife on earth.
Seabirds are part of the planet’s biodiversity which provides us with insects and birds to pollinate our crops; forests to catch our water; coral reefs and mangroves as nurseries for young fish and barriers from storm waves. Seabirds themselves, keep marine habitats in a healthy balance and act as early warning systems if fish have been over harvested.
‘Montserrat is an important island for seabirds in the Eastern Caribbean, where they breed on cliffs, beaches and even the volcano flows! We hope that through our Atlas, the work of the Environment and Forestry Department and the people of Montserrat, that the conservation of seabirds and other wildlife will be prioritised’.
If you would like to find out more about EPIC project contact Katharine Lowrie or visit www.epicislands.org
