GRAND CASE:--- The current issue of the journal of the International Reptile Conservation Foundation (IRCF) features an in-depth look at the reptiles and amphibians that have been introduced to St. Martin. Written by Mark Yokoyama, author of The Incomplete Guide to the Wildlife of St. Martin, it is available to view or download for free at the IRCF web site: http://www.ircf.org/journal/volume-19-no-4-december-3/
Today, St. Martin is home to eleven species of reptile and amphibian brought to the island by human activity. This is an unusually high number for an island this size. Three native species are thought to be extirpated on the island, leaving more introduced species than native ones.
The article discusses each introduced species and their potential impact on the native wildlife of the island. St. Martin has at least two native reptiles found nowhere else on earth, so the impact of introduced species is of significant interest. It also takes a look at how economic, social and political ties to other islands and the United States may influence which species have become established on St. Martin.
Although it is a scientific publication, anyone interested in this subject should find it interesting. Photos of each of the introduced species are included in the article.
About Mark Yokoyama
Nature photographer Mark Yokoyama is an avid entomologist and former president of the Oregon Entomological Society. His interest in zoology was re-awakened when he co-founded the world's first extreme shallow snorkeling team, Les Fruits de Mer, in 2008. He holds a degree from Harvard University, and currently resides on the island, where he has explored a significant portion of the land and surrounding waters. He is the author of The Incomplete Guide to the Wildlife of St. Martin, a wildlife guide to St. Martin. For more information, visit http://www.sxmwildlife.com or http://www.facebook.com/WildlifeGuideSXM