There are 16 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) on Anguilla and 5 of the surrounding islands. An IBA is an area that has been identified by BirdLife International, using internationally accepted criteria, to label globally important areas for the conservation of bird species. The Anguilla IBAs encompass approximately 5,091 hectares (12,580 acres) and have been identified on the basis of 17 key bird species, including 5 restricted range species (Caribbean elaenia, Green-throated carib, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Lesser Antillean bullfinch, and Pearly-eyed thrasher) and 13 congregatory seabirds (red-billed tropicbird, magnificent frigatebird, brown pelican, masked and brown booby, laughing gull, brown noddy, and the royal, roseate, least, bridled, and sooty terns.
There are 16 species of nesting seabirds present during the breeding season and over 130 species of birds that reside in Anguilla for all, or a portion of the year. It is estimated that a third of these are resident species. Four of the cays off Anguilla have been designated IBAs by Birdlife International due to their large congregations of nesting seabirds. The salt ponds on the island are wetlands and provide critical habitat for both resident and migratory seabirds. Species include the brown booby, magnificent frigatebird, least tern, semipalmated sandpiper, Antillean crested hummingbird, caribbean elaenia, as well as other raptors, herons, waders, and waterfowl. Most of Anguilla’s IBA’s are located on privately held land and are not protected.
The mainland of Anguilla has 25 main salt ponds, which are the only wetlands on the limestone island. Of these, 22 are natural and the other three are manmade. Many of these salt ponds were historically used to harvest salt from the ocean. These salt ponds are a favorite feeding and resting ground for migratory and native shorebirds. These salt ponds also act as reservoirs and help to minimize flooding during tropical downpours.
LISTED SPICES
Anguilla hosts 321 native plants, of which approximately 65% of plant species on Anguilla are native with the other 35% being exotic. Anguilla has one endemic plant species, the Anguilla bush (Rondeletia anguillensis), a species of small shrub, which predominantly grows on the northwest side of the island on limestone outcrops. Anguilla also hosts two Caribbean endemic genera of plants (Dendropemon and Hypelate).
There are 21 species of reptiles reported in Anguilla, of which only two are endemic [the Censky’s ameiva (Ameiva corax) and the Sombrero ameiva (Ameiva corvina)] and are restricted to the outer islands of Little Scrub and Sombrero Island, respectively. Other native faunal species include the endangered Anguilla Bank Racers and Lesser Antillean Iguanas. Threatened sea turtles including the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), green (Chelonia mydas), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) nest on Anguilla’s beaches, while the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) has been observed in the nearshore waters. The Anguilla National Trust monitors sea turtle nesting along Anguilla’s beaches and has been instrumental in extending the moratorium on sea turtle harvesting. The island is surrounded by 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) of coral reef. Migrating humpback whales and sperm whales have been observed off the northwest and west coasts. Native faunal species that are regionally important also include 5 species of bats (Anguilla’s only native terrestrial mammals) and a host of resident and migratory birds. The Country has more than 20 uninhabited limestone islands, which provided habitat for endemic and globally threatened lizards, invertebrates, and birds. Some of these islands, along with multiple mainland salt ponds, are designated as Important Bird Areas.
Exotic invasive faunal species include Cuban tree frog, giant African snail, black rats, brown rats, cats, green iguanas, lionfish, and goats. Halophila stipulacea is an invasive, exotic seagrass, native to the Indian Ocean. The species has been documented in the Caribbean and is found in the nearshore waters in Anguilla.
Several of these salt ponds are designated IBAs due to large colonies of nesting seabirds. Specifically, 1) Cauls Pond, 2) Cove Pond, 3) Dog Island, 4) Forest Bay Pond, 5) Grey Pond, 6) Katouche Canyon, 7) Long Salt Pond, 8) Meads Bay Pond, 9) Merrywing Pond System, 10) Mimi Bay, 11) Prickly Pear East and West, 12) Rendezvous Bay Pond, 13) Road Salt Pond, 14) Scrub Island, 15) Sombrero, and 16) West End Pond. The salt ponds also support other wildlife including 5 of the Lesser Antilles Restricted Range Species (see FIGURE K).
