Last Sunday, I hiked with SXM Trails on Naked Boy Hill on the Dutch side. It was a reasonably strenuous uphill jaunt on the east coast side of the hill, and the view from the top was really great. It was a particularly good vantage point for viewing the burned area of Sucker Garden Hill. On our way down, we followed a line of cables and pipe on a rocky slope that was full of goat-nibbled orchids. We even saw an unusual fern with large fronds and black stems that seemed out of place on the relatively arid hillside.

I also saw the turnip-tailed gecko for the first time, but unfortunately it was two halves of said gecko that had been accidentally stepped on. That said, at least I know they are on the island.

Not in the Guide
If it’s the incomplete guide, what’s missing? In this photo album, I’ll try to fill in some of the gaps and share some photos of animals that aren’t in the guide.

Not in the Guide
If it’s the incomplete guide, what’s missing? In this photo album, I’ll try to fill in some of the gaps and share some photos of animals that aren’t in the guide.

How often do you see insect eggs? Given how many insects there are around us, there must be tons, but they’re rarely seen. On a recent visit to Philipsburg, I found many clusters of what are almost surely oleander caterpillar moth (Empyreuma affinis) eggs. The moth itself was unknown on St. Martin before hurricane Luis, but is a Caribbean species with an expanding range. Now, they’re extremely common, perhaps in part because there are so many oleander bushes on the island. In the photos you can see eggs at different stages of development, including empty ones which had already hatched.

I also captured images of a few critters a the Rastafarian farm during their We Agree with Culture event. There were clusters of leafhoppers on some of the bushes, and a Cuban tree frog. The Cuban tree frog is another species that has been spreading around the Caribbean and beyond.

Do you have the book? It would be awesome if you would post a review on Amazon. Even awesomer if it’s a good review! Thanks!

Amazon.com: The Incomplete Guide to the Wildlife of Saint Martin (9781453861158): Mark Yokoyama: Boo
www.amazon.com
Amazon.com: The Incomplete Guide to the Wildlife of Saint Martin (9781453861158): Mark Yokoyama: Books

St. Martin is a small island with a rich historical and natural heritage. It is also experiencing great pressures from increasing population and tourist development that threaten the local environment and sites of historical interest. Below are ten organizations that are dedicated to the preservation of Saint Martin and the exploration of its natural and historical treasures.

EPIC (Environmental Protection in the Caribbean) is a non-profit dedicated to promoting conservation in the Caribbean, particularly Saint Martin, through research and community-based projects. Much of their work focuses on cleaning up the Simpson Bay lagoon, protecting and expanding mangrove wetlands and research on sea birds.

Sint Maarten Pride Foundation is a local organization dedicated to environmental awareness and conservation on Sint Maarten. Their work includes beach and pond clean-ups as well as work to preserve historical landmarks.

Nature Foundation St. Maarten is a non-profit that manages the Dutch side marine parks and also promotes conservation of wetlands and terrestrial habitats on the island.

St. Maarten National Heritage Foundation is a non-profit that operates the museum in Philipsburg, and promotes the study and preservation of local history, culture and nature.

Musee de Saint Martin is the museum in Marigot is dedicated to the preservation of Saint Martin heritage. The Association Archéologique Hope Estate is based there, as is Heritage magazine.

Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Martin manages the French side nature reserve, including the large marine reserve and land-based reserves on the French side. They also conduct a variety of research including sea turtle nesting surveys.

St. Martin Trails is a hiking association that goes on hikes every Sunday to various parts of the island, with quarterly trips to hike on nearby islands.

Youth Link Foundation organizes activities of social, cultural, environmental and educational value for youth on Sint Maarten.

Sint Maarten Archeological Center is a non-profit promoting science and archaeology amongst youth while preserving the archaeological heritage of the island.

And, of course, Les Fruits de Mer is the world’s first extreme shallow snorkeling team, dedicated to exploring the shallowest waters of the world and sharing their wonders.

Who did I miss in this post? Let me know!

Looking for more info on Caribbean biology? Here are a few of the online resources I found very helpful. Bookmark it for next time you see a weird critter in your backyard!

Saint Martin/Lesser Antilles/Caribbean Biology Resources on the Web | Les Fruits De Mer
www.lesfruitsdemer.org
If you’re like me, you often need to identify Caribbean animals, and it’s not always easy to find resources on the web, so I figured I’d post links to some of my favorites. The Catalog of the Lepidoptera of the French Antilles is a site in both French and English that features most of the butterflie

Delivered copies to the Shipwreck Shop offices today. They should be in the stores soon!

A couple weeks ago, a large hillside area over Sucker Garden in the Dutch side burned. Apparently a fire to burn brush or trash had gotten out of control. Luckily, there were no serious injuries or houses burned. Although it was perhaps the largest fire in recent memory, the fire department was able to get it under control, and in some places slave walls (stone walls from colonial times) stopped the spread.

I was in the area on Friday, and took a few minutes to walk the area. I was particularly interested to see if any animal remains would be there, particularly the Leeward Island racer, a snake which is effectively extinct on the island. As it turned out, aside from thousands of burnt and crumbling snail shells, there wasn’t much to see. It was quite odd, though, to walk through the burned area. As you can see in the photos, without grass and brush, it’s very clear how little soil there is in much of the island.

A couple folks mentioned that they saw something about the book in a local paper. If anyone has it, can you save it and let me know? Thanks!