Now Reading: Rat-free Redonda island becomes Caribbean’s newest wildlife reserve
-
01
Rat-free Redonda island becomes Caribbean’s newest wildlife reserve
Rat-free Redonda island becomes Caribbean’s newest wildlife reserve
Antigua and Barbuda has declared Redonda Island a protected ecosystem reserve, covering nearly 30,000 hectares of land and sea. The move comes after an eight-year restoration project that eradicated invasive rats and…
The Story in Brief
Antigua and Barbuda has declared Redonda Island a protected ecosystem reserve, covering nearly 30,000 hectares of land and sea. The move comes after an eight-year restoration project that eradicated invasive rats and feral goats, allowing the island's native wildlife to rebound dramatically.
According to Fauna & Flora, vegetation has increased by over 2,000% since 2017, and the critically endangered Redonda ground dragon population has grown 13-fold. The reserve will help the country meet its commitment to protect 30% of its terrestrial and marine areas under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Indian Opinion
This is a rare good-news story from the Caribbean, but it deserves scrutiny beyond the cheerful headline. The reserve declaration is symbolic unless enforcement follows. Tourists and fishermen may test the boundaries, and climate change could undermine gains. The real test will come in five years: can these species thrive without constant intervention? Watch the ground dragon count, if it survives a major hurricane season, the effort is genuinely resilient.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
