Twenty-four Anegada iguanas were released back to the wild
on their home island, helping to prevent the extinction of these critically
endangered reptiles for the third time in 5 years. They were part of the Head
Start Program, which was begun as a collaborative project between the BVI
National Parks Trust, the San Diego Zoo, and the Fort Worth Zoo in 1997. The
BVI is so fortunate to be a part of this project, which seeks to increase the
population of Anegada iguanas by raising juvenile iguanas in captivity that
would otherwise be eaten by feral cats on the
island of Anegada.
They raise the iguanas from babies and, once the iguanas are large enough to
not be eaten, they are released back to the wild. Kelly Bradley, of the Dallas
Zoo, monitors the survival and movements of the released iguanas. Rick Hudson,
of the Fort Worth Zoo, notes that head starting is just a
“Band-Aid” for the recovery of the species. “Until the feral
cats are completely removed from the island and preventive measures are taken
to make sure cats will not become feral and breed again, then this species will
only survive with the consistent help of humans.” The recovery of this
local iguana project is receiving international attention. This year, the
project was one of three recipients of the World Conservation Union’s Sir
Peter Scott Action Fund, a grant that receives applications from projects
around the world. The project is also receiving additional funding from three other
grants from the American Zoo Association’s Conservation Endowment Fund,
the International Iguana Foundation, and the World Association of Zoos and
Aquariums’ Training Grant. We congratulate the success of the program and
thanks to out to Lee Pagni, outreach educator, for her
great educational bulletins for students and residents of the BVI.
PETE SHEALS MEMORIAL
MATCH RACE
Pete Sheals was on of the BVI’s
top racers during the late 1990s. He grew up in
Bangor, Northern Ireland.
Pete competed in many international races, including Cowes
Week, Fastnet Race, Cork Race Week and many European
championships. In 1999, Sheals was a member of the
winning crew for the Irish National Championships in the 1720 Class. He was also foredeck crew for the BVI’s Winning
Racing Boat in the 2001 BVI Spring Regatta, Rushin’
Rowlette and on Bill Beredelli’s
custom Joubert Nivelt 41,
Mermaid II. Sheals
was beloved by the sailing community where he always kept spirits high with his
Irish sense of humour. When he drowned in 2001, the Royal BVI Yacht Club
established an annual regatta in his honor.
This
year, six teams assembled at the RBVIYC for the fourth annual Pete Sheals
Memorial Match Race on October 29th for a two day IC-24 Regatta.
(See photo courtesy of Huw Pritchard-Jones). Conch Charter’s Andrew
Waters was the only helmsman to score all bullets on
Saturday. With windward/leeward courses, the teams from Racing in
Paradise – Chris Haycraft and
Richard Wooldridge, along with Colin Rathbun, each scored two wins resulting in a tie to be
broken on Sunday in a “race-off”.
The winds
switched from the east to the southeast on the second day when the three way
race, breaking the tie, began. Chris Haycraft got an
early lead and maintained it for first place. Team Rathbun lost out when they
got in irons and were beaten by the Wooldridge team, thus eliminating them. In
the final races, it came down to Andrew Water’s team against the Hirst
Team with Chris Haycraft against Richard Wooldridge.
In the
end, after many races, Team Hirst won for the second year in a row. Brothers
Robbie and Michael Hirst are excellent racers with Robbie having represented
the BVI in several Olympic events. The Race Committee was led by
Bob Phillips and Ron Gurney. Claire Burk set the
courses. Hats off to Robbie and Michael Hirst – these sailors are really
tops and we hope will have another winning 2006 season.
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