Brown boobies could disappear from the Brac
(CNS): The colony of brown boobies on Cayman Brac is declining and could disappear altogether if they are not protected. These striking seabirds, which are declining in numbers worldwide, are found across the region but only on the Brac in the Cayman Islands. They are among the bird species under threat locally and included in the National Conservation Council’s proposed Species Conservation Plan. This would protect six breeds of colonial nesting seabirds across the three islands.
Habitat loss and human disturbance arising from coastal development pose serious threats for many of these species, and the objective of the conservation plan is to stabilise and then increase the number of breeding pairs of all the local nesting seabirds. But the extent to which the ground-nesting brown boobies are now threatened locally makes them in particular need of formal protection.
According to Brackers, in the early 20th Century there were thousands of brown boobies on the island, which nested along most of the coastline. Now there are thought to be just 40 nesting pairs that build their nests between November and August in just three remaining active sites: along the upper ridge of the eastern half of Long Beach, around the eastern tip of the Bluff edge, and on the beach and Bluff edge along the south shore.
Development along the south side of the Bluff edge in recent years has severely disturbed booby nests in the area.
Recently, the government has been clearing a number of sliproads designated as ‘beach access’. The eight access points on both the north and south side of the island were all gazetted some time ago, but the method of clearing has nevertheless caused concern for local conservationists.
A spokesperson for the Department of Environment told CNS that, unfortunately, neither they nor the NCC were notified of the work. “When we became aware of it, our Cayman Brac officer visited the area. Thankfully, since nesting season had concluded, no nesting birds, eggs, or chicks were harmed. Had we been consulted, we would have advised for the impact to be minimised by hand-clearing only, outside of the nesting period, since brown boobies are a protected species and do often reuse nest sites.”
All government entities have an obligation to consult with the NCC prior to conducting or permitting any works which may impact the environment, the DoE spokesperson explained. Landowners are urged to consult with the DoE before carrying out work which might impact the environment to encourage sustainable development and to prevent accidental offences to protected species or potected critical habitats.
“Our advice in this instance, however, would have been a recommendation only and would not have been binding,” the DoE told CNS, noting the importance of legal protection. “The nesting areas for brown boobies and several other native nesting seabirds are not currently designated as Critical Habitat.”
The NCC can only direct the mitigation or prevent adverse effects to protected areas. One of the only ways to safeguard the habitat that protected species rely on to survive is to adopt the type of species conservation plan the NCC has prepared for the seabirds. However, none of the cleared sliproads appear to be in the proposed area of protection for the brown boobies.
While coastal development poses a significant threat to all nesting seabirds, an additional problem, which is particularly acute on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, is that of feral cats and free-roaming dogs, which kill chicks. Rats are also suspected to be predators of young birds and eggs, and the invasive green iguanas may also eat seabird eggs.
There are no new proposed restrictions on “take” in the protection plan on any of the birds as they are fully protected under the National Conservation Act. But in order to avoid the imminent local extinction of brown boobies and reverse the decline in the numbers of nesting red-footed boobies on Little Cayman and white-tailed tropicbirds, which nest in rock holes in the side of the Bluff and the sea-facing cliffs at Pedro Bluff on Grand Cayman, it is necessary to protect the habitat as well as the birds.
Given that the nesting habitat of all local seabirds remains at risk from development, human traffic and invasive predators, the conservation plan is the only hope for their future protection. It will set aside a relatively small amount of habitat for the most densely populated unprotected nesting sites and provide appropriate protections to mitigate disturbance from human and animal activity.
However, it needs public support, and residents are asked to take part in the public consultation, which opened last week. People now have the opportunity to contribute their comments and ideas until 4 November.
Take the NCC’s short survey that can be completed online.
Additional comments by email to conservationcouncil@gov.ky or mailed to:
The Department of Environment
PO Box 10202
Grand Cayman KY1-1002See the full Species Conservation Plan for Colonial Nesting Birds.
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Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
I think the Feral cats are the problem, and just getting them spayed or neutered will not solve the problem, they will still run and kill. Cats are the predators
Trap and destroy the feral cats! Simple. Neutering them and releasing them doesn’t do anything – they are still able to hunt and kill the birds. I am an animal lover but wildlife takes precedent over imported pets that are then left to roam and breed as apparently neutering pets is not a thing in the Caribbean!
I live on the Brac and I can say it is a pleasure to see these birds and to photograph them. However, I see the majority of the birds nesting at the eastern end of the bluff in Spot Bay.
Let me suggest that the government spend some money on the Brac and purchase all the virgin land at the eastern end of the bluff for conservation purpose.
Our government continues to waste millions of dollars on other less important matters, so Juliana try and step up to the plate and do your job. I know that you don’t care about other matters that are not directly pertinent to you or your family or your networks. You have also said you are not running again in the next election, so you are just sitting quietly and collecting as much money as you can. But you know what, you are still an employee of the people until such time. Get off your lazy *** and do something for CBrac other than Bible bash.
Agree, and thank you.
20-30 years ago, there were hundreds if not thousands of Brown Boobies on the east end of the Brac bluff. Hurricane Paloma, imo, scrubbed several of them, and the numbers are only gradually coming back. I think that after Paloma, Boobies were seen much more at the base of the bluff, on the south side on the beach, and on west end on the beach.
This is an important environmental issue. I know that studies have been conducted and are ongoing with DOE personnel. These are important studies, because they chart the….. what to call it……. Booby demographics … which outline the modality of their protection.
It’s possible that they were always there, but I can’t recall ever seeing Booby birds nesting on the beach before Paloma.
We need to protect their habitats, wherever they choose to nest.
I am told that the invasive green iguanas are a dire threat to Booby eggs. We have a local group of folk whom I’m told are spearheaded by the DOE to cull green iguanas. I hope we can support this group. I am told that they aren’t paid for their cull. Much respect for them. Doing what needs to be done.
Let’s be serious. The feral cats need to be taken out.
Yes it’s the cats more than anything else on the Brac. They need to be caught and re located or whatever other option they want, just get rid of the Cats
It would be nice if the government would spay and neuter all the animals in the wild on a catch and release program so that we could stop this nonsense.
it needs to be protected because long before we were here this was their home.
Where is the appropriate government ministry to deal with these things? Oh wait… it’s run by clowns.
I am not being mean, but I want to know exactly what we lose if we lose these birds. Do they provide anything vital for the Brac? I don’t want to be mean, and I really want to know. It just seems every thing down to the tiniest insect now needs to be protects.? If people still have babies more and more babies, there won’t be anything left for people because of all the protections. Isn’t this natural selection? I want to understand.
Brown Boobies are a part of Brac culture. Through our culture we develop a sense of belonging, personal and cognitive growth and the ability to empathize and relate to each other. Direct benefits of a strong and vibrant culture include health and wellness, self esteem, skills development, social capital and economic return.
Why would any tourist go to Cayman Brac or any person live in Cayman Brac if it offers no charm, no culture, nothing unique?
This has to be the one of the most stupidest comment I ever read on CNS.
You had me up to “most stupidest”.
if you have to ask this kind of question there is really no point in explaining to you as you clearly lack the empathy to understand in the first place.
Because humans are responsible for destroying their habitat- and right to exist on this planet. We put them in a position of peril and it is our responsibility (as an intelligent/ empathetic) species to ensure they ( and their babies) can continue to be a part of this wonderful world.
The bigger and more relevant question 10:15 would be what would happen if the human species were lost – answer that one honestly and then ask yourself your first question again. 🦅🌏
I don’t think this is the dumbest question out there. Arguments for preserving nature do go beyond the purely emotional and should be taught as common knowledge for everyone, but it is not on school curriculums or widely explained.
The key phrase you need to google is ‘Ecosystem Services’.
Having thriving seabird populations provides ecosystem services that include, but are not limited to:
1) Increased costal nutrients and better marine life. Some amazing work has been done in Chagos showing that seabird colonies poop around the coast a lot, increasing good nutrients in the surrounding water, leading to healthier corals and larger fish living off those healthy corals.
2) Tourism economy. Hard to sell algae and sand as a destination for scuba divers, which is what the resorts in the Sister Islands specialise in. When you have more things for guides to point at (including seabirds), the better the tourist experience. They come here for nature in-your-face.
3) Indicators for fishermen. Any angler worth their salt knows what each species of seabird is and what their behaviour means 😉
In regards to your comment about ‘every little insect’ needing protecting, remember point 1. Everything in an ecosystem is connected. Each organism relies on another. If you think of an ecosystem like a sweater, each thread is an animal or plant. Taking the threads out 1 by 1 slowly makes the sweater less stable and soon you have something that is unwearable. Unfortunately, humans have been removing those threads, 1 by 1, extinction after extinction.
I do need to make a little bit of an emotional argument at the end here, too. I know I’m in Little Cayman when I arrive and see the flocks of birds above. I know I’m in Cayman Brac when a brown booby bird soars just above my head. They’re like old friends! It would hurt me to loose them.
I understand your question, and I’m not going to castigate you for it, because I think you asked it sincerely.
This is my view: The Brown Boobies are a link in the natural ecosystem of the Brac. That means that they give something and take something, and provide a link to the ongoing ecology.
If honeybees were suddenly gone, it wouldn’t change our lives. … … for now. Eventually, we would experience less crops because there would be less pollination. The Brown Boobies — being endemic to the Brac — fulfill a specific function in the ecology which can only be fully measured when they are gone. 🙁 Let us not allow that to happen.
One look ot the aerial proves that habitat loss is not the reason for decline if there is any…..but never let a crisis go to waste. The bluff face is in no danger whatsoever of being developed as it’s practically undevelopable. However, if it is classified as critical habitat, the land above and below it will require NCC (DOE) approval for any development.
Control of private pro6 without any compensation.
Good by rock climbing and caving for tourist
If you think any part of Cayman is “undevelopable” you must be living inside the bluff yourself!
If you actually read the plan you will see foot traffic and recreational activities would still be allowed including rock climbing. Next time make sure you know what you’re talking about before spreading false information.
And the critical habitat is only the first 50′ from the bluff EDGE. No one in their right minds would be building within that area anyway. Ownership doesn’t change. There’s an entire Landowners FAQ document. Try so read if you can!
So, if no one will build there then it won’t be a problem.
(What’s that? They would be a great place for tourism/residential builds with cliff overlooks and infinity pools? I guess we may have a little problem. Time will tell.)
Of course eventually people will want to build and they will be allowed to do so outside of the habitat — which is exactly the same 50′ clearance as is regulated in Grand Cayman.
When a country with politicians OWNED BY DEVELOPERS, who care not for any environmental matters, then everything natural will be destroyed for them and their friends to get BIG TIME $$$$$.
NOTHING NATURAL MATTERS TO THEM.
Remember to thank the Humane Society y’all.
for???? If you lot would learn to spay or neuter and keep your animals in your own yard or on a leash we wouldn’t be making such asinine comments.
Umm, the Humane Society went to court to prevent any control of the feral cat population thereby resulting the deaths of tens of thousands of wild creatures, many of them endangered, including Brown Boobies. They prevented the rounding up of feral cats for several years. They have directly caused permanent harm to the fauna of these islands.
And for this very reason they will never get another penny from me or my family.
Exactly. Euthanize the damn cats.
It would be great to know what contribution they are making to trying to resolve this problem, largely of their making…
How much cash did Miss Ardyth leave them and what are they doing with it?