Land Habitat
CPA clears developer over mangrove destruction
(CNS): Planning officials have confirmed that on Wednesday the Central Planning Authority approved an after-the-fact application by a developer for the removal of mangroves from an important drainage area in Prospect, which has already been done illegally. Despite recommendations from the Department of Environment to refuse, the CPA opted to allow the clearance, with the […]
Expert issues warning about rock iguanas
(CNS): Fred Burton, manager of the Department of Environment Terrestrial Resources Unit who was fundamental in bringing Grand Cayman’s endemic blue iguana back from the brink of extinction, is warning that the Cayman Islands needs to act now to save the Sister Islands rock iguana on Little Cayman before it, too, faces extinction. A recent […]
Sister Island iguana in worrying decline
(CNS): A survey on Little Cayman of Sister Islands Rock Iguanas (Cyclura nubila caymanensis) has shown that the species is in serious trouble as a result of cats and cars as well as habitat loss. While this iguana is already listed as critically endangered, the latest count revealed a further unsustainable decline due to the […]
Airport wildlife transferred to new ponds
(CNS): Dozens of birds and animals living in and around the ponds on the airfield at Owen Roberts International Airport have been relocated to new homes, officials have said. The Cayman Islands Airports Authority is due to start work on filling the ponds as part of the project to improve the airport’s apron, runway and […]
Over 180 parrots registered in DoE amnesty
(CNS): More than 180 parrots were registered during the Department of Environment ongoing amnesty but DoE officials believe there are many more in people’s homes. The department is urging people who have any in captivity to come clean and register them so they will be allowed to keep their pet parrots in future. The amnesty, […]
Iguana cull secures budget for 2020
(CNS): Having already killed well over one million invasive green iguanas, local cullers will be able to continue their important work in 2020 to keep the population down after financing was secured for the cull to continue in 2020. By the end of December, hunters had killed 1,123,526 iguanas, but the prolific breeding ability of […]
MRCU boss denies dead bees linked to spraying
(CNS): Mosquito Research and Control Unit Director Dr Jim McNelly told Finance Committee on Tuesday that the MRCU has no evidence to link its work with anecdotal claims of dead bees. McNelly has not yet responded to enquiries by CNS, following reports by concerned readers last week that several people saw a significant number of […]
Young protestors challenge Dart over site clearance
(CNS): The clearance of more than seven acres of mangrove and natural habitat in West Bay, removed by the islands’ largest developer for what turned out to be a one-off event has stirred up the young activists from Protect Our Future, who are questioning the move. The area cleared to provide space for the KAABOO […]
MRCU main suspect in mass bee deaths
(CNS): Hundreds of dead and dying bees along Seven Mile Beach caused significant public concern yesterday, and the cause may be the Mosquito Research and Control Unit’s aerial spraying. In response to CNS inquiries, the Department of Environment said the situation was serious and that they had raised their concerns about the deaths, and while […]
Gov’t warned EIA needed for road extension
(CNS): Government is pointing the finger at the National Conservation Council for delaying the start of the East-West Arterial Extension, despite knowing for five years that if it wanted to press ahead with this road it would need to conduct an environmental impact assessment (EIA). A screening report from the Department of Environment for the […]
One million greens bite the dust
(CNS): Cullers, who have been working for just under twelve months to control what was a serious risk to Cayman’s natural environment from the invasive green iguanas, reached an important milestone Thursday, when the millionth animal was killed. Fred Burton, the head of the Department of Environment Terrestrial Resources Unit, said the landmark was a […]
