Two Saint Lucia conservationists have joined BirdsCaribbean in celebrating a major milestone for the region’s biodiversity.
This week, BirdsCaribbean announced six newly recognised endemic bird species in the Caribbean.
The announcement followed updates by the American Ornithological Society, expanding the region’s endemic bird list to an impressive 185 species.
They include four new species from the revision of the House Wren into seven distinct species, with the Grenada Wren, Saint Lucia Wren, Saint Vincent Wren, and Kalinago Wren now listed as Caribbean endemics.
Additionally, the White-breasted Thrasher has been reclassified into two species: the Martinique Thrasher and the Saint Lucia Thrasher.
Recognising the new species is particularly significant for Saint Lucia, adding two new birds to the island’s roster of endemic wildlife.
Pius Haynes, Assistant Chief Forest Officer, spoke on the ‘remarkable’ achievement, saying, “The scientific recognition of the Saint Lucia Wren (Troglodytes mesoleucus) and the Saint Lucia White Breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae) as two separate bird species belonging to Saint Lucia is a great boost for our island’s biodiversity.”
Haynes noted that Saint Lucia is among the Eastern Caribbean islands with the highest level of bird endemicity.
The Saint Lucia conservationist explained that recognising two birds as Caribbean endemics strengthens this status.
“This signifies that Saint Lucia now has seven endemic bird species, meaning birds that naturally exist only in Saint Lucia and nowhere else in the world,” Haynes told St. Lucia Times.
In addition to the valuable environmental benefits, Haynes noted that this has tremendous potential to widen the socioeconomic base of rural communities especially and enhance their livelihoods through nature-based tourism like bird watching.
Another Saint Lucia conservationist and wildlife biologist, Donald Anthony, elaborated on the broader impact of the endemic bird species development.
“The Caribbean is a biodiversity hotspot,” he explained. “With additional endemic species, it makes the area even more important and worthy of higher conservation measures to protect endemic species.”
Anthony emphasized the significance for Saint Lucia, where the new species inhabit fragile ecosystems. “Having two more endemic species brings our endemic birds tally to eight. However, the Saint Lucia Wren and Saint Lucia Thrasher are both found in secondary dry forests. Most of their habitat is on private lands. There is a dire need, more than ever now, for habitat protection for these species,” he stressed.
Both experts agree that protecting the unique bird species requires a unified, proactive approach.
“We need to make a deliberate, concerted, and collected effort to protect our island biodiversity as a whole,” Haynes urged. “Priority needs to be placed on the protection of wildlife habitats in Saint Lucia. Instead of the constant degradation, fragmentation, and contamination of our natural environment, we as Saint Lucians, with national pride, need to appreciate the gift that nature has given to us and use it in a sustainable manner so that the benefits can be enjoyed now and perpetuated for future generations.”
For his part, Anthony added, “Our government must take real action to save the habitats of those endangered species, especially along the northeast coast. The public must be educated on the value of endemic species to our island.”
He expressed that the threats posed by deforestation and burning, feral cats and dogs, and illegal hunting must be highlighted.
Anthony told St. Lucia Times that habitat protection is pivotal in saving species.
PHOTO: (L to R) Saint Lucia Wren by Charlie Bostwick and Saint Lucia Thrasher by Blake Matheson.
Here is the question.
If these two birds species are endemic to Saint Lucia, meaning it’s found in no other place on earth except Saint Lucia, then the question is, if god created those birds, with those birds now found in Saint Lucia ( and only in Saint Lucia ), were these birds on Noah’s ark for preservation during the flood?….now if Noah’s ark settled in mount Ararat ( somewhere in Asia near Turkey ) how is it that the Saint Lucian birds are not found anywhere in Asia but found only in Saint Lucia? ….the answer is evolution.
Evolution explains clearly that this unique bird species evolved over a long period of time to have it’s distinct characteristics making it unique only to Saint Lucia. Now let me hear the sky god worshippers blow a gasket. The evidence is right before your eyes to see. Evolution is a scientific fact proven and explained.
You are so correct.
Volcanic islands like Saint Lucia are relatively young geologically, typically only a few million years old. This raises the question about how unique species, such as the Saint Lucia Wren and White-breasted Thrasher, could evolve (macroevolution) in such a short period.
Saint Lucia’s birds might not have originated as new species solely from a local ancestor but rather could have descended from birds that migrated from neighboring islands or mainland areas. Caribbean islands are known for their role in “island hopping,” where birds from the mainland or nearby islands occasionally colonize new volcanic islands.
He works in mysterious ways.
@ Isadora
Although you did not say much, you short contribution suggests you understand clearly the process that is taking place.
@ Einstein.
Excellent. I totally agree. Although Saint Lucia is geologically very young, and island hoping is a feature in migratory patterns in both animal and human species ( the island hoping of the Carib and Arawak comes to mind), it’s does show that despite Saint Lucia being young geologically, that time frame is indeed enough to allow the Saint Lucia Wren and White Breasted Thrasher to evolve as a unique species. Indeed, certain environmental pressures and other factors may and would have influenced the rapid evolution of these bird species in such a relatively short space of time.
St Lucia thrasher evolved from Noah’s original…they’re still birds..nothing else… numerous species of primates are here…none of them are man.
@ anonymous
When evolution was touted as the reason for the diversity of all species in the 19th century on the planet, religion ( the church ) were apologetic about such an idea. Don’t now try to just on the band wagon claiming that the Thrasher evolved from Noah’s original to justify your god creation. If that had been the case the so called men who walked with god ( Adam, noah, moses, Abraham, Jacob, Issac etc etc) would have known and mentioned in the bible that all species evolved. Funny how they knew nothing of that about the evolution of species. Funny how these men walked and talked with god and god never told them about the scientific method. The scientific method that gave us all the advancements we currently enjoy.. including medical and surgical innovation that saves lives….Now Given the dimensions of the ark god asked Noah to build about 450 feet long X 75 feet wide X 45 feet high ( give or take ) with one window and a door, you will quickly realise that the ark is not big enough to accommodate all the creatures god ask Noah to save. Then the question of what did the animals eat? The herbivores, the carnivorous and the omnivores…what did they eat on the ark? And it the ark is already too small to save all the animals species we have now ( plus remember a lot more animals have gone extinct) where was the space for the food for 40 days and nights plus the 150 days it took for the flood waters to recede to allow dry land to appear. Were there two mosquitos on the ark? What are the chances that two mosquitos survived on Noah’s ark being responsible for all the mosquitos now on the planet? See how absurd it all looks? But even so , what about the faeces and urine of those animals in the ark during the flood, how would noah and family get rid of that given the single door was supposedly shut by god himself and noah was left with one window…they would have died of methane poisoning within days…..in fact given the size of the ark, the number of animals to be saved, the issue of their food, the ark itself would be unsailable due to it’s size and weight, including it had no rudder or means of navigating a course and would have been left to the mercies of the raging flood. This ark was unsailable, badly engineered and would not survive the flood…. consider even today huge cruise ships are built with modern tech, rivets, powerful engines, etc etc and they avoid storm at see Luke the plague…noah had none if the technology, perhaps head nails, and some tar for blocking holes to prevent leaks but one quickly realises that an ark this size ark is structurally weak and poorly built….so it’s safe to say, this flood never happened, nor there was a man called noah who lived almost 1000 years. It’s all B.S…and I can go one to show the absurdity of it all but that would cause me to write a tome on here. The absurdity of Adam and Eve, creation, the flood, tower of Babel…in fact I can go on and show the absurdity of the entire bible from Genesis to revelation…. including the sky god too. But I guess the those who believe will answer all these questions by saying well god can do everything because he is god…well he might has as well have made noah, his family and the animals float on a stick during the flood since he is god. Absurdity to infinity….argumentum ad absurdum…..
For you to make such a statement about primates clearly shows you don’t understand the evolution of primates. You are genetically related to your parents and siblings by the fact you all share DNA that shows how close you and your family members are….by extension chimps and humans share 98.8% of their DNA yet humans share 99.9% of the DNA with other humans….GO FIGURE….the next time you see a primate, greet it by saying ” hello cousin. ” You may not want to accept it, but that fact doesn’t need your approval.
Interesting discussion here by C-,wiz, you got me thinking!
@ Anonymous
Keep thinking using logic, reason and honesty. Then add facts based on solid evidence that is scientifically proven which is undeniable, irrefutable and you have a formidable defence against lies, treachery and dishonesty. It’s the only way to rid ourselves of this mental enslavement of religion or any other entity that wants to control our thoughts, our lives through threats and fear. If you are thinking, then you are in the right track… keep on thinking. When I started thinking, my eyes were opened and it was so liberating. Indeed, the truth really does set you free.
c-wiz shut it woyeee
@ C-WIZ Creationists do not deny the existence of microevolution. So I’m not sure what you’re getting at. I’m certain that you are intelligent, well learned and a seeker of truth. But if you think you know everything, you know nothin at all. Cheers to the new neurons that your brain will be forming as you do further study.