Wild Work: Conservation Trouble in Paradise
Manage episode 519432213 series 3700121
The U.S. Virgin Islands is a picture of paradise, with pristine beaches, and postcard views of green hills and turquoise waters. But their name and the beautiful landscape disguise the fact that islands like St. Croix have experienced massive ecological change over the past few centuries. Invasive species like feral cats, mongoose and a number of introduce plants have driven many of St. Croix’s endemic species to extinction while others are barely hanging on. But some wildlife managers are working hard to turn back the destructive tide born from a legacy of colonialism.
Learn speaks with Nicole Angeli, director of the USVI Division of Fish and Wildlife, Jennifer Valiulis, executive director of the St. Croix Environmental Association, Olasee Davis, an assistant professor in the School of Agriculture at the University of the Virgin Islands, and Yaira Ortiz, an undergraduate student finishing her degree at the University of Miami who volunteers to survey endangered wildlife.
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Chapters
1. Paradise And Its Colonial Past (00:00:00)
2. Mongoose, Rats, And A Vanished Lizard (00:02:44)
3. Surveying Ground Lizards On Green Cay (00:05:17)
4. Hurricanes Reset The Island’s Gains (00:08:10)
5. Restoring Southgate: Birds And Turtles (00:09:55)
6. Invasive Plants And Patchwork Recovery (00:12:05)
7. The Feral Cat Dilemma At Wetlands (00:14:30)
8. New Threats And Climate Pressure (00:16:50)
10 episodes