Island & Ecology

September 30, 2020

DID YOU KNOW… Spacious, pristine beauty is a rare find, yet on St. Croix it is in abundance everywhere you look! Sweeping vistas reveal tropical waters glistening in every shade of blue imaginable, and a few you never though possible! Rising hills bordering the rain forest tower with giant mahogany trees 150 years old. Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Red Ginger, Ixora, Poinsettia, and Bird of Paradise provide dramatic splashes of vibrant colors throughout the year. Even the trees here flower — the fragrant frangipani in red, pink, yellow or white; the yellow or pink poui, striking at its height of 80 feet in full bloom; and the majestic Royal Poinciana, with its seed pods over two feet in length and vibrant blossoms giving it the nickname “the flame tree.”

Pelicans dive the coves for fish, frigate birds glide effortlessly on the unending tradewind currents, egrets follow the Senepol cattle herds, hummingbirds and sugar birds dart among the flowers, and the island’s equivalent of the squirrel — the fast footed mongoose — races across the road.

Sea turtles return each year to nest on the beaches. The endangered giant leatherbacks, the small green turtles, and the distinctive hawksbill, emerge from the sea, scoop out the sand, and lay their eggs. In the following months, thousands of two inch turtles made a mad dash to the sea, and only several dozen will survive to adulthood. Turtle watch groups monitor the nesting sites, and visitors may join the summer nighttime watches by contacting the St. Croix Environmental Association.

On Frederiksted waterfront, a tree full of cattle egrets can be found perched high above yielding a great opportunity to shoot photos at dusk for nature lovers and photographers.

The Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis), a species of heron found in tropical climates, is most known for eating ticks from cattle and horses. However, a large part of their diet consists of the regular anole lizard (Anolis acutu). The cattle egret population had exploded tremendously on the island over the years. They can easily be spotted where there is any lawn mowing or land clearing. Some residents call them the “rats” of the bird population as they multiply profusely. One such place where there was a high cattle egret population was Protestant Cay, where the huge trees are perfect for perching. In 2004 there were successful efforts made to help reduce the population.

But perhaps the favorite of all island wildlife is the tiny gecko – about six inches long at best, this little lizard is fast and funny, and welcomed because it eats the mosquitoes!