Protect Seabirds in the Caribbean

For a nature lover like Lorcan Martineau, it is a blessing to have been raised among the beautiful Grenadines islands. Coming from a long tradition of boatbuilders and deep sea fishermen, Lorcan was introduced to the ocean and its wonders starting at an early age. By the age of 17, he had built his first boat and soon became a scuba diver, coral gardener, and sea turtle monitor, while also sharing his knowledge with children as an environmental educator.

His quiet demeanor belies his passion for the environment, conservation, and knowledge. Even when he's not working, he's busy at home reading up on turtles, corals, birds, etc. and trying to learn as much as he can.

When Lorcan heard about the training workshop for the Grenadines Volunteer Patrol, he jumped at the opportunity to learn more about seabirds and how to protect them. Today he is an active member of the Patrol team, sending reports of his seabird sightings while travelling among the Grenadine islands.

It is heartbreaking to see the devastation possible on even the most remote seabird nesting island, caused by fire, invasive predators, or harvests by people. It is especially hard to bear when you know it is your natural heritage which is disappearing, areas that are part of family and cultural traditions. The Grenadines Volunteer Patrol empowers local citizens like Lorcan to help protect the remaining seabird colonies, collecting data and reporting sightings from wildlife refuges and serving as advocates.

Thank to supporters like you, we have been able to host annual workshops to recruit and train members of the Grenadines Volunteer Patrol, members who are ready to take action to learn about and protect their natural heritage. In fact, this project is now at 90% of our annual fundraising goal! Please consider a year-end contribution to get us to 100% funding.

There are still areas with amazing seabird colonies, hosting thousands of nesting birds, which need to be patrolled. With your help, we can continue to expand the scope of the Grenadines Volunteer Patrol, reaching these remote areas by empowering more concerned citizens to make a difference. Thank you!

Links:

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Thanks to caring donors like you, we were able to hold a second seabird training workshop this summer, resulting in 19 more Volunteer Patrol members. The participants are energized and already to putting their new skills to use in protecting vulnerable wildlife refuges. 

The first day of training was a classroom session which covered how to identify seabirds by species, including a lively quiz session, how to enter data, and conservation issues.  There was also a discussion of local, traditional knowledge regarding seabirds, such as which species foretell a change in the weather or indicate a certain type of fish is present. The classroom session culminated with participants proudly displaying their signed pledge to protect seabirds as members of the Volunteer Patrol. 

The second day was a field lesson within the Tobago Cays Marine Park aboard a beautiful sailing ship. Observing nesting seabirds from the boat, one participant, a veteran fisherman, exclaimed with surprise that he didn’t know birds were nesting there. Each participant received a pair of binoculars and learned how to use them, practicing their new seabird identification skills with success.

All trainees joined the Facebook and WhatsApp groups for Patrol members; this enables easy communication and a community of support for members, who are dispersed throughout the island chain. Members are active in posting questions, photos, and recent observations. For example, we recently put out a call for help on this network, needing to know if there are rats on a particular island for a grant funding request. Members promptly responded with their observations and will be visiting the island to confirm if rats are there.

Observations are also made independently; when fishermen or tour operators are at sea, they take time to visit nearby islands and record data. For each data sheet, the volunteers are reimbursed for their fuel costs, an essential component for many who are struggling financially.

It is now hurricane season in the Caribbean, a time when few birds are nesting. However, this winter and the following summer the birds will return to raise their young. Patrol members will be there, providing crucial data on the number of nests, what types of invasive predators like rats are found, and evidence of harvesting by people. Crucially, they are also serving as educators and advocates for wildlife and protected areas in their communities.

With your continued generosity, this community of conservationists will keep growing through additional workshops and one-on-one support. Data is already showing increased numbers of nesting birds on certain islands while observations of seabird harvesting are fewer. We are excited to keep this momentum going, empowering citizens to make a difference in protecting the remarkable diversity and beauty of Caribbean wildlife refuges. Thank you making this project possible!