Showing posts with label Iguanas in The Bahamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iguanas in The Bahamas. Show all posts

Friday, February 14, 2014

Can anyone imagine two Romanian women landing on Columbus’ island of San Salvador ...scooping up 13 frightened iguanas, stuffing them in socks, then into a suitcase ...and getting as far as London on their way to deliver them to an unknown accomplice in Dusseldorf, Germany ...without some kind of local assistance?


Investigating Theft Of Iguanas

Tribune242:



AS Deputy Prime Minister “Brave” Davis said in a press statement yesterday, it is important that the mysterious appearance of 13 Bahamian iguanas — one dead— discovered in luggage at Heathrow Airport, London, should be thoroughly investigated.

Can anyone imagine two Romanian women landing on Columbus’ island of San Salvador, scooping up 13 frightened iguanas, stuffing them in socks, then into a suitcase and getting as far as London on their way to deliver them to an unknown accomplice in Dusseldorf, Germany, without some kind of local assistance? No, we can’t, nor can Mr Davis.

“This story is troubling in many ways,” said Mr Davis. “These animals are an endangered species, living in isolation from regular human contact. They run away from intruders. To secure 13 animals and to remove them from San Salvador in secrecy would seem to be a daunting task.”

Quite rightly, Mr Davis was concerned that these foreign ladies “probably had assistance from someone or others resident on San Salvador as well as in Nassau before boarding the flight to London”.

It is obvious that there is a local racket going on — if it’s not drugs, it’s our endangered species.

The question is what else and how many more of our rare species are being smuggled out? Were these the first iguanas to leave our shores, or were there others that unfortunately missed detection?

We are certain that all concerned Bahamians, in the words of Mr Davis, are “anxious that this criminal act is fully investigated and that all parties involved in this despicable attack on our natural heritage are dealt with by the law in all relevant jurisdictions. We must all play our part in protecting our natural heritage.”

Not only should any Bahamian who aided and abetted in this despicable act, all along the transit chain, be held accountable, but so should the two Romanian couriers, and whoever was to receive them at their final destination.

“I have been in contact with our security organisations and other agencies of the Government, to ensure that The Bahamas is intimately involved in finding a resolution to this theft and, hopefully, to arrange the safe return of the still living iguanas to their habitat in San Salvador,” said Mr Davis.

He called on “citizens everywhere to be mindful that there will always be those who try to use our islands for trafficking of drugs, people and our natural treasures to other jurisdictions. We must all be vigilant and play our individual parts to the fullest to protect our Bahamas from criminals of all sorts.”

“With only a few of these creatures native to the Bahamas in existence, the San Salvador rock iguana is considered extremely rare and is near extinction. All rock iguanas in the Bahamas are protected by the Wild Animals Protection Act,” The Tribune reported in “The Big T” over the weekend.

With all the publicity that this ugly escapade has attracted in Europe these are certainly 13 of the world’s best known iguanas. They will probably be delighted to return to the warmth of their own sandy shores.

However, Bahamians should take the protection of their heritage seriously. We recall that as a child — many, many moons ago — the delight we took in gathering the most beautiful shells from our beaches.

These precious pieces were in such abundant supply that no one ever thought that they could disappear — we believed that shells were washed ashore with every incoming tide. And then, over time they were no longer there. The only time that we see anything resembling these shells is in special shops in other lands.

Every summer we watched as American tourists walked our beaches, collecting the shells. We remember one gentleman in particular.

Every summer barefooted with rolled up trousers on Montagu Beach, he collected the shells for sale in the US. We watched him grow old on this beach and eventually take Bible in hand and establish a small church here.

He was not the only one. The desecration was happening before our very eyes, but no one realised what it meant for future generations until it was too late.

The only one who seemed to notice enough to take it seriously and warn Bahamians through these columns that they should protect their possessions was the second editor of The Tribune. He predicted that soon there would be a generation of Bahamians who would never understand the treasures they had lost — thanks to an earlier generation that did not protect what nature had bestowed upon them.

The busy pen was that of the late Sir Etienne Dupuch —nicknamed by many as the “Voice of Doom” – who daily through these columns told Bahamians truths that they did not want to hear. It is now up to this generation to become aware and protect what is left of our heritage for future generations.

February 12, 2014

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Serious concerns over endangered iguana smuggling

DPM expresses concerns over iguana smuggling


By TRAVIS CARTWRIGHT-CARROLL
Guardian Staff Reporter
travis@nasguard.com


Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis yesterday expressed concern that 13 rock iguanas were stolen from San Salvador and smuggled into the United Kingdom.

“I am anxious, as are all concerned citizens, that this criminal act is fully investigated and that all parties involved in this despicable attack on our natural heritage are dealt with by the law in all relevant jurisdictions,” said Davis, the Member of Parliament for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.

“We must all play our part in protecting our natural heritage.”

According to the BBC News, a customs team at London’s Heathrow Airport seized 13 iguanas on February 4.

The report said the iguanas, which were stuffed into socks, were found in a suitcase after officers stopped two Romanian women who had arrived from The Bahamas.

Twelve of the endangered lizards survived the voyage, according to the report.

Davis expressed concern that the women may have had assistance from residents on San Salvador as well as New Providence before boarding the flight to London.

“This story is troubling in many ways,” said Davis in a statement.

“These animals are an endangered species, living in isolation from regular human contact. They run away from intruders. To secure 13 animals and to remove them from San Salvador in secrecy would seem to be a daunting task.

“Further, the atrocious act was compounded by taking endangered animals out of the country into a foreign country by two women, with the explanation, apparently, being offered by them to British officials that they were in the process of delivering them to a third party in Germany.”

Davis said he has been in contact with Bahamian security organizations to ensure that The Bahamas is “intimately involved in finding a resolution to this theft and, hopefully, to arrange the safe return of the still living iguanas to their habitat in San Salvador”.

February 11, 2014

thenassauguardian

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Bahamas Endangered Iguanas Intercepted in London

Endangered Iguanas Intercepted in London

The Bahamas High Commission London:




Endangered Bahamian Iguanas
Endangered Bahamian Iguanas in London
The High Commission can confirm that thirteen endangered iguanas were identified and seized from two arriving passengers from The Bahamas at London's Heathrow Airport on Monday 3 February 2014. Two Romanian women, aged 24 and 26, were arrested on suspicion of importation offences and are being held without bail.

On instruction of the Government and in order to assess the animal's welfare and potential for repatriation, the High Commission dispatched an Officer to Heathrow's Animal Reception Centre to meet with Customs Officers where the twelve surviving iguanas are being cared for by Officials from the UK Border Force and City of London.

The High Commission can confirm that the animals were inspected and micro chipped by a specialist veterinarian on Thursday afternoon and the initial results are positive. The High Commission will continue to monitor the welfare of the iguanas while awaiting official test results, before a time frame can be set for their potential return to The Bahamas. A number of partners have offered their assistance in repatriating these animals and the High Commission wishes to express its gratitude to these partners.

The High Commission wishes to further express its gratitude for the assistance received by UK Officials and will continue to provide updates to the public when available.

Photo Caption: The twelve surviving iguanas which were intercepted on Monday are being cared for at Heathrow's Animal Reception Centre by Officials from the UK Border Force and City of London.

Photo Credit: BHC London