Science & Nature
Department of Environmental Death?
Green Hornet writes: Last month a polite young Caymanian came to my door, clipboard in hand, and asked me if I’d like him to put poison in my coconut trees. The reason, he told me, was to get rid of those pesky coconut rats which, he said, were causing a serious problem. He was, he said, […]
DoE offers cash to divers in fatal coral disease fight
(CNS): The Department of Environment (DoE) is looking for divers who can help them in the national response to the deadly Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). With this disease impacting over 20 species of reef-building corals on local reefs, the department needs qualified divers to apply topical antibiotics and where necessary remove infected corals. […]
Underwater cameras to watch-over UKOT sea life
(CNS): The UK is funding a network of underwater cameras across its overseas territories to keep a watchful eye on the sea life and collect data to help in the conservation battle. The Cayman Islands will be included in the rollout of non-intrusive stereo-Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS), which will be deployed in open […]
Slow progress on renewables an ‘abysmal failure’
(CNS): James Whittaker, the chairperson of the Cayman Renewable Energy Association, has said it is an “abysmal failure” that in twelve years of aiming to introduce alternative energy, Cayman has only managed to reach a renewable power provision of just 2.5%. He has warned that the country is “nowhere near meeting the goal” of 70% […]
Reef fish restoration, a desperately needed next step
Courtney Platt writes: Announced last Friday, the Marine Parks expansion is official and it is already in effect! Thank you DoE and Wayne Panton for your perseverance over the years! One MAJOR hurdle down… just a few more yet to go (assuming optimum productivity for maximum sustainable use is the goal). Hooray, our marine heritage has […]
When they’re gone, they’re gone forever
Green Hornet writes: A few years back the National Trust published a small booklet all about the animals that had once lived here and which are now extinct. It was funky in its own way, with each animal telling the story in dialect about his or her own extinction. Back to the Oxford English Dictionary […]
Hundreds of shoes cleared from Little Cayman beaches
(CNS): Volunteers collected hundreds of shoes from several beaches on Little Cayman and Owen Island this weekend during the latest Plastic Free Cayman clean-up event. More than 3,000lbs of garbage was cleared from three beaches by the 30 volunteers, and most of what they picked up was plastic, especially plastic slippers. The NGO, which is […]
Landowner ignores warnings to stop ripping out mangroves
(CNS): A landowner clearing land in Selkirk Drive, Red Bay, has reportedly ignored at least two notices from the Department of Environment to stop removing mangroves. Meanwhile, Alden McLaughlin, the outgoing premier who is fighting to retain the constituency, has said the government cannot deny the owner the right to develop it, despite the fact […]
Weaving webs of deceit
Green Hornet writes: The other morning I was watching a spider painstakingly weaving its web and thinking what a wondrous sight it was. Legend has it that Robert the Bruce, sitting exiled in his cave, spent much of his time observing a patient arachnid busy about its work. For those who don’t know the story, […]