Tag: Fred Burton
Cats going back to the wild after snip by NGO
(CNS): Alley Cat Allies, the international charity that founded Global Cat Day, marked on 16 October spent the day in Grand Cayman providing spay and neuter surgery for up to 100 cats and distributing hundreds of pounds of cat food to help local caregivers in a counter campaign to government’s control programme. But officials with the […]
DoE battles misinformation over feral cat cull
(CNS): The Department of Environment’s effort to control invasive species and the growing detrimental impact on endemic and local species have met with a significant amount of misinformation recently, especially on social media. The rollout of the alien species regulations that provide a lawful, clear platform for the control of feral animals and protection of […]
Consultation shows surge in public support for conservation
(CNS): The recent nomination process for protected areas represented “a whole new level of public interest” in the conservation of Cayman’s natural habitat, according to Fred Burton, manager of the Department of Environment (DoE) Terrestrial Resources Unit. He said that there were 89 nominations to protect dozens of locations on all three islands, which is […]
Cayman should preserve at least 30% of land
(CNS): The Cayman Islands needs to place at least 30% of its terrestrial habitat under formal protection to have a chance of preserving the nation’s natural resources, according to Fred Burton, the director of the Terrestrial Resources Unit at the Department of the Environment. Speaking on Radio Cayman’s Talk Today programme last week, the local […]
Feral cats create crisis for local birds and reptiles
(CNS): Experts at the Department of Environment who focus on Cayman’s unique and rare birds and reptiles are increasingly concerned about the danger posed to many species across all three islands from feral cats. The threat to the endemic rock iguana on Little Cayman has been well documented but these animals are also a critical […]
Plan rolled out for ‘blues’ precarious future
(CNS): The Blue Iguana Conservation programme has launched a Strategic Species Action Plan for the next five years, which outlines the objectives to help conserve Grand Cayman’s iconic blue iguana. Although the species has been brought back from the brink of extinction, its future remains precarious as the original threats that almost killed off this […]
Iconic blues get their own international day
(CNS): The endangered blue iguanas now have their own annual international day, even though they exist in the wild only in the Cayman Islands. The bid to put this iconic reptile on the world stage follows international efforts over the years that have contributed toward bringing this species back from the brink of extinction. The […]
Plan afoot to save extremely rare plant
(CNS): The critically endangered Aegiphila caymanensis is a woody, clambering shrub with soft, downy leaves that is unique to Grand Cayman and so rare that it has no common name and until recently was believed to be growing only in two places on the island. The National Conservation Council has drafted a species conservation plan […]
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 […]
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 […]
Cullers race to combat iguana hatchlings
(CNS): With 885,383 green iguanas in the proverbial bag, the army of local cullers are now racing to keep pace with the invasive reptile’s breeding season. After a drop in the numbers culled during July and August, the Department of Environment is keen to ensure the cull remains on track now that the animals are […]
