Hi everyone,
Ok it took me a while to put all this together because the PCs and internet is really slow. But finally I can post some pictures of my BLACK-project!
Well actually it is not my project, and it has nothing to do with leopardgeckos.
But let me explain:
After I spend a wonderful month with Marcia and Glenn, my journey continued and I stayed on a small island which belongs to Honduras, named Utila.
Nine years ago a guy from Germany found out that there was a special iguana living on the island, Ctenosaura bakeri.
The island has a lot of different vegetation. But the most interesting type of vegetation on Utila are the mangrove swamps. Normally mangroves live on coast areas because they live in the water. But because of the low level of the island (some parts are at see level or even under see level) the mangroves on Utila can survive as well in the middle of the island.
The german guy found out that this type of Spinytailed iguana only lives in these mangrove swamps. It is endemic to Utila, so it lives nowhere else on the world than on this island.
But it is endangered!
There are several reasons for it to be endangered. First reason is, that the people on Utila cut down the mangroves to get the wood. In addition to that they placed the garbage dumps right into the swamps.
For this reason the habitat of the Black Utila Iguana (who is called “Swamper by the local people) is now limited to 8 squarekilometers.
Another reason for it to be endangered is, that the Swamper is an traditional utilian food!
The females have to leave the mangroves to lay their eggs on the beaches. They dig up tp 5 holes until they found the hole with the perfect temperature and humidity. The walk and the digging costs a lot of energy. And a black iguana on white sand is pretty easy to spot. So the hunters just wait at the beaches and collect the females and the eggs.
They lay up to 15 eggs. So by killing one female, they infect two generations and kill up to 16 animals.
So nine years ago the Iguana Research and Breeding Station was founded to save this species. But as well to save the rest of the wonderful nature.
And this is where I was working the last three month as a volunteer.
At the station we breed the Swampers. There are several breeding groups and in addition to that we collect pregnant females from the wild, who lay their eggs at the station and get released after that.
50% of the babies that hatch at the station get released directly after hatching and the other half stays one year at the station before they get released.
As well we do environmental education. That means we tell the local people about the project. Most of them have never been in the mangrove swamps or the hardwood forest. So they do not even know what wonderful nature they have on the island.
Many of them just kill snakes when they find them, because they think they are dangerous.
So by going to the schools or letting the school classes visit the station we try to show them, how important it is to save the nature. They need to realize that this nature like it is found on the island is unique and really special.
Another reason is that the mangrove swamps are really important for Utilas coral reef, because the mangroves protect reefs from terrestrial sediments and provide shelter among their roots for juvenile reef fish.
If people keep on destroying the mangroves, the coral reef will probably be gone in 5 years. But the reef is the main reason for tourists to visit Utila, because most of the tourists come to Utila just for diving.
Now I want to show you some pictures that give you an impression of the beautiful nature on Utila and of the work at the station:
Ctenosaura bakeri juveniles in their natural habitat:
young adult C.bakeri
Once a month we do transect. We walk a 500 meter long trail through the mangrove forest and count every iguana we see. By that we get an idea how the population is doing. They are hard to spot, but still a lot easier to spot than a green iguana up in the green trees. That's why people prefer to hunt the Swampers.
adult female C.bakeri in the wild
the mangrove swamps
me deep in the mud
volunteers collecting iguana food - mangrove leaves...
C.bakeri close-up
The Swamper is not the only Iguana species on Utila. There is his bigger brother (as well Spinytailed iguana) Ctenosaura similis. This is a juvenile:
and the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana). This is a handicaped male who lives at the station.
the cages
the dry forest
sad sight in the dry forest: an old car
some of Utilas other reptiles:
Norops utilensis. This species is as well endemic to Utila and as well endangered (probably only 300 - 400 animals left)
Norops bicaorum. As well endemic to Utila, but not endangered.
female
male
baby (two days old, hatched at the station)
Banana spider (Nephila clavipes)
another spider with an interesting net
Skink (Mabuya unimarginata)
Coleonyx mitratus adult male
Coleonyx mitratus baby
Wormsnake (Leptotyphlops goudotii)
Brown Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus). One of the few poisonous snakes on Utila, but not deadly at all
One of the smallest geckos in the world:
Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus juvenile (but adults do not grow much bigger)
I don't have a macro lense, so for some of these shots I had to use my tele lense with my close up lense. really complicated...
for size comparison (I have quite small thumbs btw)
not a nice backround in this picture, but anyway Boa constrictor eating a rat:
last but not least the station parrot Rosalitha. She is probably about 40 years old and hates women. Everyone calls her "silly bird" though she talks of herself as "pretty bird"
watch out girls:
one of Rosalithas visitors (Amazona oratrix)
last picture: like Robin would call it: an artsy-fartsy shot:
Hope you enjoyed the pictures. This was the first time for me, that I really practiced nature-photography.
Regards,
Johannes
Ok it took me a while to put all this together because the PCs and internet is really slow. But finally I can post some pictures of my BLACK-project!
Well actually it is not my project, and it has nothing to do with leopardgeckos.
But let me explain:
After I spend a wonderful month with Marcia and Glenn, my journey continued and I stayed on a small island which belongs to Honduras, named Utila.
Nine years ago a guy from Germany found out that there was a special iguana living on the island, Ctenosaura bakeri.
The island has a lot of different vegetation. But the most interesting type of vegetation on Utila are the mangrove swamps. Normally mangroves live on coast areas because they live in the water. But because of the low level of the island (some parts are at see level or even under see level) the mangroves on Utila can survive as well in the middle of the island.
The german guy found out that this type of Spinytailed iguana only lives in these mangrove swamps. It is endemic to Utila, so it lives nowhere else on the world than on this island.
But it is endangered!
There are several reasons for it to be endangered. First reason is, that the people on Utila cut down the mangroves to get the wood. In addition to that they placed the garbage dumps right into the swamps.
For this reason the habitat of the Black Utila Iguana (who is called “Swamper by the local people) is now limited to 8 squarekilometers.
Another reason for it to be endangered is, that the Swamper is an traditional utilian food!
The females have to leave the mangroves to lay their eggs on the beaches. They dig up tp 5 holes until they found the hole with the perfect temperature and humidity. The walk and the digging costs a lot of energy. And a black iguana on white sand is pretty easy to spot. So the hunters just wait at the beaches and collect the females and the eggs.
They lay up to 15 eggs. So by killing one female, they infect two generations and kill up to 16 animals.
So nine years ago the Iguana Research and Breeding Station was founded to save this species. But as well to save the rest of the wonderful nature.
And this is where I was working the last three month as a volunteer.
At the station we breed the Swampers. There are several breeding groups and in addition to that we collect pregnant females from the wild, who lay their eggs at the station and get released after that.
50% of the babies that hatch at the station get released directly after hatching and the other half stays one year at the station before they get released.
As well we do environmental education. That means we tell the local people about the project. Most of them have never been in the mangrove swamps or the hardwood forest. So they do not even know what wonderful nature they have on the island.
Many of them just kill snakes when they find them, because they think they are dangerous.
So by going to the schools or letting the school classes visit the station we try to show them, how important it is to save the nature. They need to realize that this nature like it is found on the island is unique and really special.
Another reason is that the mangrove swamps are really important for Utilas coral reef, because the mangroves protect reefs from terrestrial sediments and provide shelter among their roots for juvenile reef fish.
If people keep on destroying the mangroves, the coral reef will probably be gone in 5 years. But the reef is the main reason for tourists to visit Utila, because most of the tourists come to Utila just for diving.
Now I want to show you some pictures that give you an impression of the beautiful nature on Utila and of the work at the station:
Ctenosaura bakeri juveniles in their natural habitat:
young adult C.bakeri
Once a month we do transect. We walk a 500 meter long trail through the mangrove forest and count every iguana we see. By that we get an idea how the population is doing. They are hard to spot, but still a lot easier to spot than a green iguana up in the green trees. That's why people prefer to hunt the Swampers.
adult female C.bakeri in the wild
the mangrove swamps
me deep in the mud
volunteers collecting iguana food - mangrove leaves...
C.bakeri close-up
The Swamper is not the only Iguana species on Utila. There is his bigger brother (as well Spinytailed iguana) Ctenosaura similis. This is a juvenile:
and the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana). This is a handicaped male who lives at the station.
the cages
the dry forest
sad sight in the dry forest: an old car
some of Utilas other reptiles:
Norops utilensis. This species is as well endemic to Utila and as well endangered (probably only 300 - 400 animals left)
Norops bicaorum. As well endemic to Utila, but not endangered.
female
male
baby (two days old, hatched at the station)
Banana spider (Nephila clavipes)
another spider with an interesting net
Skink (Mabuya unimarginata)
Coleonyx mitratus adult male
Coleonyx mitratus baby
Wormsnake (Leptotyphlops goudotii)
Brown Vine Snake (Oxybelis aeneus). One of the few poisonous snakes on Utila, but not deadly at all
One of the smallest geckos in the world:
Sphaerodactylus millepunctatus juvenile (but adults do not grow much bigger)
I don't have a macro lense, so for some of these shots I had to use my tele lense with my close up lense. really complicated...
for size comparison (I have quite small thumbs btw)
not a nice backround in this picture, but anyway Boa constrictor eating a rat:
last but not least the station parrot Rosalitha. She is probably about 40 years old and hates women. Everyone calls her "silly bird" though she talks of herself as "pretty bird"
watch out girls:
one of Rosalithas visitors (Amazona oratrix)
last picture: like Robin would call it: an artsy-fartsy shot:
Hope you enjoyed the pictures. This was the first time for me, that I really practiced nature-photography.
Regards,
Johannes
