Friends of Conservation

Do you fly abroad? Help to offset the effects of this - click here to learn how. Image courtesy: Karen Livescu

Friends of Conservation
Kensington Charity Centre
Charles House
375 Kensington High St
London W14 8QH
Tel: 020 7603 5024
Email: focinfo@aol.com

Conservation Issue

As small delicate ecosystems, the Caribbean Islands are under increasing pressure from development, tourism, deforestation, pollution and over fishing. With financial support from our specialist tour operator Caribtours, FOC has supported small local conservation initiatives on six islands (Trinidad, Tobago, Antigua, Jamaica, British Virgin Islands, St Lucia that work to protect sea turtles, ocelots, parrots, snakes, green iguanas and the habitat they rely on to exist).

If you would like to support any of these initiatives to protect the flora and fauna of the Caribbean islands, please click here.

Wildlife

Tobago and Trinidad - FOC supports our partners, Save our Turtles (SOS) Tobago. Tobago waters contain populations of Hawksbill, Green and giant Leatherback sea turtles. However, in the Caribbean they are a popular source of food and although they are legally protected during the nesting season numbers are plummeting and populations are under threat.

Antigua – With financial support from specialist tour operator Caribtours, FOC was delighted have supported the Environmental Awareness Group of Antigua. Its Antiguan Racer conservation project aims to conserve endangered wildlife on offshore Islands around Antigua, including the Antiguan Racer Snake, of which only 100 survive. The Group has been used to develop understanding of the implications of eco-tourism on the local environment and off-shore islands and aims to educate and advise tourists and tour operators on how to improve the “eco” quality of their tours.

Jamaica – The Seven Oaks Sanctuary for Wildlife is a volunteer operated facility that rescues, receives and cares for threatened endemic Jamaican parrots and other species, all victims of the illegal pet trade. Many parrots are taken from nests as babies or injured during capture and need to be cared for permanently. SOS-Wildlife is currently being developed as an educational ecotourism facility to help support wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts and conservation education programmes.

Habitat

British Virgin Islands - Coral Reefs are in crisis all over the world and ARK aim to preserve the British Virgin Islands reefs from damage by coastline erosion, eutrophication, anchor damage, tourism and development. ARK has been extensively involved in monitoring the environmental damage caused by land development to determine where the problems lie and how they can be repaired.

Community

St Lucia – The Iguana, the largest lizard found on St Lucia, is currently classified as Vulnerable on the Red Data list. In St Lucia, they are considered to be critically endangered. The problems threatening the Iguana population include hunting and habitat loss and fragmentation. St Lucia Heritage is working to ensure community participation in their project “Preservation of the endangered Green Iguana through community based tourism”.

Trinidad and Tobago - The Paria Springs Trust Ocelot Conservation Protection programme aims to be a model for ecotourism, providing comprehensive benefits both locally and nationally and conserve the natural and cultural environment of Trinidad and Tobago. The project ideals are directed into education, research, advocacy and conservation and focus on the endangered Ocelot and its habitats.