Forestry and wildlife conservation officers have cautioned that Saint Lucia’s wildlife is under threat.

With an increase in land development, and owing to Saint Lucia’s finite size, the country’s native species are becoming increasingly displaced.

Pius Haynes, the Senior Wildlife Conservation Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, explained: “Saint Lucia is a very small island state and just by the mere virtue of its size, it is at risk.”

Mr. Haynes said the top three major threats to the country’s wildlife are land development, invasive alien species, and natural disasters.

“We have threats such as development, and the conversion of lands into agriculture, residential and tourism developments. So a lot of our habitats are being destroyed,” he said. “Saint Lucia only has a finite amount of land, and there are habitats in different pockets of Saint Lucia. Sometimes our species find themselves on privately owned lands which are eventually developed, whether for hotel or residential purposes, and as a result, we find that we are losing our wildlife, because once you lose the habitat, you lose the wildlife.”

The Department of Forestry has also had to battle the proliferation of invasive species.

“We have had a major issue with invasive alien species. That’s another threat that we face here, in Saint Lucia. We have a number of invasive animals that are not indigenous to Saint Lucia, and they are being introduced and spread, and it has been a major challenge to manage and control these species,” Mr. Haynes said.

Natural disasters such as storms and hurricanes are another concern for conservation officers, as are forest fires. Notwithstanding, conservation officers are sparing no efforts to fulfil the department’s mandate.

Assistant Chief Forestry Officer, Alwin Dornelly, said the work of wildlife officers encompasses the entire forest range.

“The Wildlife Protection Act gives the department the mandate to manage wildlife on the island, and that includes managing their habitats as well. As defined in the act, all wildlife belongs to the state.”

Saint Lucia’s wildlife conservation officers ensure that the provisions and regulations within the Wildlife Protection Act are maintained. Their jurisdiction is unlimited.