Over the past half-century, Dominica's endemic Amazon parrots, the Sisserou and Jaco (Amazona imperialis and A. arausiaca, respectively), have proven to be effective conservation flagships for Dominica's diverse oceanic rainforest ecosystem. Continuous parrot-conservation and public-education efforts focusing on the Sisserou, Dominica's national bird and emblem, have achieved a broad base of public support and awareness, along with significant protection of Sisserou habitat, including the oldest forest stands on the island. Both parrot species' secretive natures and Dominica's difficult terrain often have impeded quantitative research into the parrots' ecologies, even as a comprehensive parrot-conservation program has evolved and yielded tangible results. Current field-research activities aim to quantify the parrots' distribution and abundance using GPS/GIS survey methods, which contrast with conventional ornithological abundance estimates. Research teams also use new camera technology to monitor and document reproduction and parental care, and are quantifying the botanical inventories of critical parrot nesting and foraging habitats. The Dominica parrot-conservation program has stimulated novel research and enhanced protected-area policies island-wide, ensuring a future for the Nature Island's vast montane forests and its winged ambassadors.

Click here for BirdLife International's recent publication, Important Bird Areas Americas, DOMINCIA, by Forestry Officers Stephen Durand and Bertrand Jno. Baptist.

FROM THE FIELD - DOMINICA In Dominica, RSCF staff members, working with The Division of Forestry and Wildlife, spend countless hours in the rainforest photographing and observing the social behaviors of the island's two endemic parrot species, the Imperial Amazon or Sisserou and the Red-Necked Amazon or Jaco (Amazona imperialis and A. arausiaca, respectively). The Sisserou, Dominica's national symbol, is by far one of the world's rarest Amazon parrots and the central focus of the island's parrot conservation program. Monitoring nest cavities has been a focal point for this project for many years. Using telescopic, intra-cavity nest probing cameras provided by RSCF, the Parrot Team now has never before seen video footage of Jaco chicks and eggs, as well as audio recordings of the birds. Recording and monitoring the locations of active parrot nest cavities is another crucial componant to the Parrot Conservation Programme. Using GPS technology provided by RSCF, Foresters now pin-point exact nest-tree locations, record and map them via satellite transmission, then download this information to online topographic maps supplied by the United States Geological Survey. This information can then be used when designating protected areas, developing conservation strategies, and future land-use policies.

CONSERVATION CRISIS All over the world, amphibians are disappearing at an alarming rate. A fungus, Chytridiomycosis, called chytrid for short, is wiping out many of the world's frogs. On Dominica, this has had a devestating effect on the island's endemic frog, Leptodactylus fallax. Known locally as the "Mountain Chicken" or Crapaud. This large, terrestrial frog once inhabited up to eight islands in the Caribbean, however, it is currently found only on Dominica and Montserrat. It is currently unkwown how many mountain chicken remain in the wild on Dominica, but estimates are alarmingly low. RSCF, working with Dominica's Division of Forestry and Wildlife, have enlisted the help of veterinarian Jay King to further study the chtryid problem and develop possible solutions. Chytrid has been discovered all over the world, and scientists are working feverishly to combat this deadly fungus before more frog populations crash and disappear - forever. Click the links below for in-depth information and research updates. Parrot Conservation on Dominica Peptide Studies in South-East Asian Frogs Mass Mortality in Dominica's Mountain Chicken Frog Metabolic Bone Disease in Captive Bred Mountain Chicken Frogs

COMMUNITY-BASED CONSERVATION Agro-Processing on Dominica - In 2006, RSCF engaged the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to solicit FAVACA (Florida volunteer corps.) to provide two citrus production and marketing specialists to assess citrus management in the Morne Diablotin area. The initiative aims to provide livelihood development for farmers and agricultural stakeholders adjacent to Morne Diablotin National Park who suffer significant crop losses to parrots and other protected wildlife. Current citrus-crop utilization is less than 40% in Dominica, largely due to on-the-tree fruit storage, and local, fresh-fruit market sales only. Micro-processing enables farmers to explore local fresh juice and extract-product markets and utilize a greater percentage of fruit set each year, thereby reducing wildlife-human conflicts. Dominica's Western Farmers Citrus Association is now incorporated and fully registered as a Community Based Organization, and serves as the local consortium for agricultural stakeholders in the Morne Diablotin area.