Arewildingsuccess write up is being celebrated in the Caribbean where , in just a few short twelvemonth , the innocent moonscape of the island of Redonda has been transubstantiate into a lush wildlife asylum . Now key the Redonda Ecosystem Reserve , it ’s been impute protected position , becoming one of the magnanimous protected areas in the Caribbean .
Spanning 30,000 hectare ( 74,000 Acre ) of land and ocean , Redondais home to seagrass meadow and an enormouscoral reefthat are home to at least 30 globally threatened and nigh - threatened specie , as well as globally important colony of seabirds .
It ’s the effect of a collaborative elbow grease involving the politics of Antigua and Barbuda , including the Department of Environment ( DoE ) , as well as local and external preservation non - governmental organizations ( NGOs ) , such as the Environmental Awareness Group ( EAG ) , Fauna & Flora , andRe : unfounded .
Total vegetation biomass has increased by more than 2,000 percent, as shown in these shocking before (top) and after (bottom) shots.Image credit: © Ed Marshall / Fauna & Flora, Robin Moore
“ The Department of Environment is very proud of our part in restoring Redonda , the third island of Antigua and Barbuda , ” said Helena Jeffery Brown , technological coordinator in the Department of Environment , and institute member of the Redonda Restoration Program , in a release emailed to IFLScience .
“ Now with the instauration of the Redonda Ecosystem Reserve , we have made a great stride towards fulfilling our government ’s commitment to conserve at least 30 percent of terrestrial , inland water and coastal and marine areas under the Kunming - Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework , adopted at the COP 15 of the UN Convention of Biological Diversity in December 2022 . ”
A key step in the island ’s rewilding involved removing invasive rats and goats that had been introduce by European colonizers and had a devastating impact on native plant life and animal species . With them gone , the entire vegetation biomass has increased by over 2,000 pct , tempt back 15 coinage of land shuttle and allow the population of lizards to thrive .
Redonda ground dragon have made a remarkable recovery thanks to the rewilding project.Image credit: © Ed Marshall / Fauna & Flora
One of the most notable success stories among the species that have benefited is that of theRedonda ground dragon , Ameiva atrata , whose numbers have increase 13 - fold since 2017 . The island stand gallant as a noteworthy example of what can be achieved through rewilding , but the employment is n’t done yet .
workplace will carry on on Redonda to reduce the risk of next invasion that could threaten the island ’s tenuous biodiversity , and it ’s hoped further mintage can link the fold with the reintroduction of native animals likeiguanasand burrowing owls .
“ The Caribbean Islands are front the highest extinction rate in modern history , and the restitution and protection of areas like Redonda are critical , ” sound out Jenny Daltry , Caribbean Alliance director for Re : wild and Fauna & Flora .
“ While the removal of invading species has been central to Redonda ’s revitalisation so far , that ’s by no means the end of the story . The saved area appellative is vital for our on-going commitment to restoring Redonda to its former resplendency , and could pave the way for Redonda to become an incredible sustainable tourism attraction in the dear future . ”
