Green Sea Turtle - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

There are three volcanoes in the Caribbean region named Soufrière, the French term for “sulphur outlet.” The stratovolcano on Saint Vincent has a history of violent eruptions. The eruption of 1902 killed over 1,600 people. The last eruption of Saint Vincent’s La Soufrière was less destructive and occurred in 1979.

- - - - -

Chelonia mydas - The green sea turtle is not green; its color ranges from olive to brown to black. The name is derived from the green fat found under its carapace, the shell. Marine turtles are highly adapted to living in the sea; they have flattened aerodynamic shells and large flippers to propel them for thousands of kilometers during migrations. Adult green sea turtles usually return to the same stretch of beach where they were born; females once every two to four years to mate and deposit their eggs, males heave out of the water every year.

Saint Vincent Amazon - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Amazona guildingii - The Saint Vincent Amazon is a large parrot with a length of about 40 centimeters. It is found in the mountainous forests of Saint Vincent. It is a canopy feeder preferring seeds, fruits, flowers, and leaves. Dawn and dusk being the ideal feeding times. Once a common sight, the number of Saint Vincent Amazons has been reduced to less than 1,000 birds remaining in the wild. Habitat loss and trapping for the commercial pet trade are the primary causes for its demise.

- - - - -

The Caribs had established themselves on Saint Vincent prior to the European arrival in the Americas and had referred to their island as “Youloumain.” Being an aggressive people, the Caribs were able to repulse European encroachment until 1719, when French settlers from nearby Martinique were able to gain a foothold on Saint Vincent. The Caribs continued to resist, but were eventually subdued either by being deported from tribal areas or used as slaves to work the coffee, tobacco, and sugar plantations.