Govt working on $$ for forestry staff

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CAIERE CHASE Editors Note: As I have said on many occasions, none of the past governments held any respect or importance for the environment.

Updated 16/12/15

Wildmeat “leprosy” warning

Carlton Pope show off his big wild meat catch a armadillo and an agouti for sale along Prince Town Main Road. Photo: Innis Francis.

For those Trinbagonians who hunt and consume wild meat, particularly armadillos (Tatoo) a word of caution.

Cases of the leprosy have been surfacing in South America and Florida where people who handle and consume the creature are suffering the effects of the disease. The carcass of the armadillo is known to be smuggled into Trinidad from South America.

Armadillos are in the medical study of leprosy as they are the few species which can contract the leprosy disease. This is because of their low body temperature is similar to humans.

Human contact of the creature through handling or consumption can spread the disease.

According to conservationist with the Wildlife and Environmental Protection of Trinidad and Tobago (WEPTT) Kristopher Rattansingh, armadillos are natural reservoirs for the leprosy organism, besides humans.

Rattansingh said, he consulted Dr. Janelle Johnson of the University of the West Indies School of Veterinary Medicine, who said the last research was conducted in 1980, by Tota Maharaj.

According to Johnson, there were no cases of leprosy organism in the animal locally and there has been no research since.

Rattansingh said, it is now believed the animal ( the local 9 banded armadillo) is not a carrier, but can be infected, with visible lesions.

Rattansingh also consulted Dr. Carla Phillips of the UWI Veterinary Medicine on the issue, who described the organism as a slow growing, chronic disease.

He said, “This means that it can be present for many years and can go undetected. She (Phillips) stated, “unless tests were done to prove they (armadillos) were negative for the leprosy organism, or some other factor that I am not readily familiar with has proven them to be negative, then we cannot assume they are negative. I do not know the status of the local armadillo population”.

Rattansingh also said if a person comes into contact with the infected tissue or body fluid (blood) that contains the leprosy organism, transmission can occur. He said, “This can be a cause of concern for hunters in Trinidad as they often come into contact with the animal. It’s blood and tissue, and since there are no visual effects or identifiers on the outside of the animal, hunters are very susceptible to being infected with no way of negating the transmission”.

Wildlife and Environmental Protection of Trinidad and Tobago makes a statement

Rattansingh also commented on behalf of the conservation group.

He said, “Without knowing the current status of Armadillos locally, we recognize the dangers and risk of being exposed to the leprosy organism. The research is ongoing and we await for research on the species and the effects. In consultation, if it is proven we will take necessary precautions and advice local agencies such as the forestry division and customs. We recognize that there is an influx of imported species and we don’t know if it is nine banded or 11 banded that has been imported. We also understand that it is now being documented that the local species of nine-banded armadillo that exists in the United States, show symptoms of the disease and may not actually be carriers. Since there is no updated information since 1980, we will definitely look into it through further research, data collection and analysis. If it is a risk we will advise as necessary. However, at this point in time, we do not believe there is cause for any alarm or concern”.

President of the Zoological Society, Gupte Lutchmedial also gave his view on the issue. He said there are known cases of the armadillo carrying and transmitting the disease in South America. However in Trinidad, there is no research conducted on it.

Lutchmedial said this is something which needs closer attention given that the two-year moratorium hunting ban was lifted in October.

• Published on Dec 4, 2015, 8:20 am AST
• By: Sandhya Santoo
• On: trinidadexpress.com

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Caiere Chase does not claim any rights to this article. All rights to this article belongs to the author and original publisher. This article is reproduced here for archival critique and news purposes.

Monitoring Ocelots in Trinidad

Ocelots are the largest terrestrial mammal predators on Trinidad. But there is little to no data on their population status, distribution, and behavior on the island. By better understanding these wild cats, researchers can help to protect them and their tropical forest habitats.

Ocelots were once extensively hunted for their fine fur with its distinctive stripes and spots. While illegal hunting still occurs in some areas, the biggest threats to these wild cats today include habitat destruction and road kills, the latter of which frequently occurs when ocelots travel outside of protected areas.

These nocturnal animals – roughly twice the size of domestic cats – have been studied in many regions of Central and South America. However, there is little to no information about the population status of ocelots living on the island of Trinidad.

Trinidad provides a unique context for researchers to study these animals, as larger wild cats, including pumas and jaguars that typically influence ocelot ecology, are not found on the island. They are therefore the “top cat.” But it is unknown how this status impacts their range distribution, activity patterns, prey and habitat use, and their behavior. By better understanding the population of these wild cats in Trinidad, researchers hope to make the ocelot the face of forest conservation on the island – raising awareness and inspiring policies to protect these animals and their habitat.......................

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