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| Woodpeckers 25 May 2008 Woodpeckers are adapted to forage on ants and termites and to drill out nest holes in trees. There are two resident species found only on Grand Cayman, the West Indian Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker; and one migrant occurs throughout the Cayman Islands, the Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker. Both the West Indian Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker eat many insects and termites which help keep the insect population in balance - so they are good to have around your house! How many differences can you see between the West Indian Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker? The following information was sourced from “Birds of the Cayman Islands”, written by Patricia Bradley with photographs by Frank Roulstone.
The West Indian Woodpecker Melanerpes superciliaris The West Indian Woodpecker male has a brilliant crown and nape with a pale forehead. The female has a brilliant red nape and hindneck with a grey forehead and crown. Both adults have pinkish grey faces with the distinguishing feature of unmarked underparts. These birds have a red patch on the lower abdomen which is often hard to see and the wings display fine bars of black and creamy white. The range of this species is Grand Cayman, Cuba, and the Bahamas. The West Indian Woodpecker breeds and forages in all woodland habitats. This bird drills for ants less than the Northern Flicker and also forages for fruits, tree frogs and insects, mainly beetles. It is fairly common breeding resident on Grand Cayman and nests in a cavity drilled in a dead tree from January to August with a clutch of four.
Colaptes auratus The Northern Flicker, known locally as “Black-heart” breeds and forages in all habitats and feeds almost exclusively on ants, termites and larvae both in trees and on the ground. This bird nests in a tree cavity from January to August as well. The range of this species is Grand Cayman, Cuba, North America, and Central America. Both male and female adults have cinnamon buff forehead, face, throat and sides of the neck. The crown and nape are grey with a distinguishing scarlet triangle on the centre nape. The back and wings display grayish brown and black bars with a white rump, heavily patched with black. There is a large black patch on the upper breast whereas the lower breast and abdomen are a whitish cinnamon with black spots. When the Northern Flicker is in flight, you can see that the under wing and under tail coverts are a rich yellow.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Salina Reserve is currently the Trust's largest nature reserve, with an area of approximately 625 acres comprising sedge and buttonwood swamps, dry shrubland and forest in an intricate mosaic. Trivia question: How deep is the Cayman Trench? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Ginep 9 July 2008 The Ginep is a flavoured translucent fleshed fruit with a mild resemblance to the lychee. This is a slow growing tree which can grow up to 80 feet. It grows best in tropical regions; it is drought tolerant and grows in seaside climates. The trees are both male, female, and hermaphroditic. Propagation can be by seed, although better selections are air layered. The fruit is generally eaten fresh and its native range is from Central and South America and through the Caribbean. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford.
Meliococcus bijugatus
A familiar roadside fruit tree, Ginep has silvery grey bark, smooth except for fine horizontal wrinkles, and often colourfully colonized by white, pale grey, pink, orange, green and black lichens.
Ginep tends to branch quite low, with bare ascending branches and a large domed crown. It flowers in spring, when a mass of luminous yellow-green blossom seems to glow for just a day or two, after which the ground below becomes thickly coated with fallen blossom. The spherical fruits are covered by a hard shell, with a sweet edible pulp inside, surrounding a hard seed in the centre.
Although this popular fruit tree is common in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, it is originally not native here. Its natural range is in Central America from Nicaragua southward, and round the tropical South American coasts as far as Surinam. It has been planted elsewhere in the tropics and in Cayman has taken to the wild, persisting and seeding itself in old abandoned fruit farms and in residential areas.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Mastic Trail passes through a variety of habitats: Black Mangrove wetland, stands of Royal Palms and Silver Thatch Palms, abandoned agricultural land and extensive ancient dry forest. Trivia question: What and where is the Salina Reserve? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Wild Banana Orchid 25 June 2008 The Wild Banana Orchid is an endemic species of orchid - that is, it is found only in the Cayman Islands. It comes in two varieties: Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. thomsoniana which originated on Grand Cayman, and Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. minor which came from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Anyone walking through areas of woodland after the spring rains would be almost sure to come across several examples of this lovely bloom. Indeed, it has proved popular with many gardeners on the island too, and its distinctive shape can often be seen adorning trees near houses.
The Wild Banana Orchid is an epiphyte, which means that it grows on another plant, but does not harm it in the way a parasitic plant would. Its tiny seeds are dispersed by air currents. They settle and germinate on a host plant, usually a tree with rough bark such as a Whitewood, Mahogany or Logwood. The growing orchid clings to its host's bark by its roots, which absorb water and nutrients from the rain when it runs down the branches and trunk of the supporting tree.
Wild Banana Orchids are particularly abundant in humid conditions, such as in woodlands downwind of ponds and wetlands. As the plant grows, its distinctive shape can be seen developing. Clusters of long, finger-like pseudobulbs group together at the base of the plant, resembling bunches of bananas. Long graceful flower spikes appear around April and May each year, though occasionally flowers can also be seen at other times of the year. The orchid does need the drier period of winter to rest between flowering seasons however, if the level of flowering is to be maintained. During this time the bulbs dry out and become compressed. Come the rainy season, the pseudobulbs plump up and the flowering begins again. Plentiful rain ensures good conditions for seed germination. One orchid can release as many as one million seeds! They are dispersed at random, and very few will by chance end up in a suitable place to grow. The plant also seasonally exudes sweet nectar from a gland on the flower spike, which the native Anole lizards like to lick!
The Wild Banana Orchid is not endangered, but accelerating deforestation for real estate development has meant the loss of many host trees and their orchids. Efforts are being made to make landowners aware of this loss of habitat - not just for the Wild Banana Orchid, but for many species of Cayman's wildlife. Property developers are encouraged to look at established native trees on a site, and retain as many as possible for incorporation into their landscaping schemes. Photographs by Frank Roulstone.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky or call 949-0121. The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The only native mammals in the Cayman Islands is Cayman’s bats. Trivia question: What type of habitats does the Mastic Trail pass through? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Butterflies 17 June 2008 The anglewings, brush-footed butterflies or Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies. These are typically large butterflies, such as the emperor, admirals, and fritillaries which have very colourful wings. However, the underwings are dull and often look like dead leaves, which allow the butterfly to disappear or camouflage into its surroundings. The front two legs are small, so effectively these butterflies are four-legged. The caterpillars are hairy or spiky and the chrysalids have shiny spots. A few of the butterflies in this family call Cayman home, these include the Cuban Red, Mexican Fritillary, and the Mangrove Buckeye. Photograph taken by Frank Roulstone.
Anaea cubana The Cuban Red is a bright red butterfly that seems to disappear as it sits completely still with its wings folded. This fast flying butterfly has become more common around Grand Cayman and is hard to miss as it flies by. It prefers wooded areas, but it may also be found in your garden. No need to worry about it depositing eggs in your garden; its caterpillars prefer meals of Rosemary.
The Mexican Fritillary Euptoieta hegesia The Mexican Fritillary has the sharply angled wing margins and very similar forewing and underside patterns. The basal half of the hindwing upperside is clear orange, with the typical black fritillary markings restricted to a band around the margin. This South and Central
The Mangrove Buckeye Junonia evarete The Mangrove Buckeye has a brown upperside and the forewing has a narrow orange band which rings the large eyespot. The Underside of the hind-wing is brown, usually without bands or eyespots. The caterpillars eat leaves of mangrove trees, and these beautiful butterflies may be seen in tidal flats and visiting their favorite black mangroves. The range of the Mangrove Buckeye extends from the Atlantic coast of Mexico north to South Texas, the West Indies and extreme southern Florida.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Cayman’s 5 endemic sub-species of butterflies (they are found nowhere else in the world) include the Cayman Swallowtail (our largest butterfly), Cayman Velvety Brown Leaf-Butterfly, Cayman Zoe Julia, Cayman Lucas Blue, and the Cayman Pygmy Blue (our smallest butterfly). Trivia question: What is the only native mammal in the Cayman Islands? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Grand Cayman Pygmy Blue 9 June 2008 The Smallest Butterfly in the Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis thompsoni
The Pygmy Blue is a Grand Cayman endemic subspecies, found nowhere else in the world! It was first discovered by scientists in 1938 and was not documented again until Dr. R. R. Askew’s visit in 1985, when two colonies were located on the north and west coasts. In 2002 a colony was also found at Midland Acres. The scientific name of a butterfly can have 2 or 3 names: the genus, the species and sometimes a subspecies. For example, the scientific name of the Cayman Pygmy Blue butterfly is Brephidium exilis thompsoni. It was named after Gerald Thompson, one of the young Oxford University students who discovered it in 1938 on the Oxford Expedition to the Cayman Islands. This tiny butterfly in one of the smallest butterflies in the world! Thank you to Ann Stafford for her research on native plants and wildlife in the Cayman Islands and her efforts to promote their importance and protection; photograph by Frank Roulstone.
Glasswort (Salicornia perennis), is a waxy-leafed succulent tolerant to salt concentration, has a light green color, and is characterized by having multiple branching. The glassworts are small, usually less than 30 cm tall, succulent herbs with a jointed horizontal main stem and erect lateral branches. The leaves are reduced to scales, so the plant appears to be leafless. The hermaphrodite flowers are wind pollinated, and the fruit is small and succulent and contains a single seed.
Sea Pulsey has attractive small white to purple or pinkish flowers and grows on the edges of swamps or beside marl roads. It is locally abundant and is a superb, mat-forming, creeping seaside plant in coastal areas. It helps stabilize shorelines and dunes and is great and very useful for preventing erosion. It has thin, short, leathery leaves that are edible. It is native throughout much of or all of the Caribbean and Bahamas. It is also found throughout tropical and subtropical shorelines and coastal areas worldwide.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Savannah Schoolhouse first opened its doors to welcome local children on 12th September, 1940. Trivia question: Name Cayman’s 5 endemic sub-species of butterflies (they are found nowhere else in the world). Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Cabbage Tree 6 June 2008 To further our daily enjoyment of plants and wildlife, we can select plants that will attract, feed and shelter birds. A number of plant species can attract birds by providing fruits as a source of food. Flowers of some species attract insects, which are in turn eaten by other types of birds. These food sources can be complemented by one or more bird feeders which must provide high quality seed with regularity. A good bird feeder should be conveniently located for viewing and large enough to hold food for at least 2-3 days, protect the seed from rain, and minimize seed spillage. The following is taken from Wild Trees in the Cayman Islands by Fred Burton, with illustrations by Penny Clifford. Photographs generously provided by Ann Stafford.
The Cabbage Tree usually grows tall, with an often rather fluted trunk twisting and turning upwards to the canopy. The pale bark doesn’t shed much, and is covered with a mosaic of pale grey, orange and green lichens. The upper branches are chaotic, and usually distinctly drooping: the leaves are very variable in shape and size, and often look twisted and distorted.
The tiny flowers pass unnoticed, but they produce conspicuous clusters of small, brilliant red berries. The Cabbage Tree is a favourite host to “Scorn-the-Ground,” parasitic mistletoes which are visible as knots of dark green foliage in the crowns of the trees.
The Cabbage Tree’s think flexible twigs were sometimes used as the “wattles” in wattle-and-daub house construction, though Candlewood was preferred for this purpose: Cabbage Tree twigs were also widely used to make traps for ground doves.
An attractive garden tree, Cabbage Tree grows reasonably fast in good soil.
Grow Cayman Plants and encourage Cayman Wildlife! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: The Flame Helmet is one local marine mollusk that has become rare because of over-collecting. Trivia question: When did the Savannah Schoolhouse first open? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Caribbean Reef Squid 6 June 2008 Caribbean Reef Squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea) live in the ocean waters of Florida, Bahamas and the Caribbean. Squid are commonly found in groups of about 4 -30 in the shallows associated with reefs. It lives in waters to approximately 100 meters. The habitat of reef squid changes according to the squid's stage of life and size. The small squid typically gather together in shallow turtle grass near islands and remain within two meters from the surface to avoid bird predators. They also do not dwell on the ocean floor because of possible snapper predation. At night however, they often will swim to deeper waters and hunt with older, larger squid. When mating, adults are found near coral reefs in shallower depths.
Squid are in the Class Cephalopoda and are molluscs: they are closely related to the cuttlefish and octopus and more distantly to the snails, clams, oysters, and sea slugs.
sentinels, stationed at each end and near the middle. When approaching danger is detected, the shoal typically forms into a tight school and jets away as a group. Like other cephalopods, Caribbean reef squid are semelparous; that is, they die after reproducing. Females lay their eggs then die immediately after. The males, however, can fertilize many females in a short period of time before they die. Females lay the eggs in well-protected areas scattered around the reefs.
Protect Cayman’s Marine Life! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
Last week’s answer: Red Bats are very rare; they roost alone in foliage and are the only bats known to commonly give birth to more than one pup at a time. Trivia question: Name one local marine mollusk that has become rare because of over-collecting. Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Red-footed Boobies of Little Cayman 20 May 2008 The National Trust's Booby Pond Nature Reserve on Little Cayman is home to the largest breeding colony of Red-footed Boobies in the Western Hemisphere. Its 260 acres comprise the pond, mangrove fringe and the entire red- footed booby nesting areas in the dry forest and shrubland the north of the pond, and an additional buffer zone. These birds are Little Cayman's original deep-sea fishermen. Like our ancestors who roamed the seas in schooners in quest of bounteous fishing grounds, Red-footed Boobies may fly for days in search of food. However, at the end of a hard day, their troubles are far from being over. For as they draw near the waters of home, they know that they will inevitably face one final challenge from their archenemies, the Magnificent Frigate bird. Courtship begins in the fall and nest building and laying its one egg begins from late October and young boobies are found in the nest as late as May. Adult booby come in two color phases: white with black on the wing and brown with a white rump and tail. The white, fluffy booby chicks fledge to a nondescript brown plumage after four months dedicated care from both parents. Red-footed Boobies nest amongst the branches of mangroves and forest trees in the nature reserve. With both parents alternating responsibility for incubating eggs and feeding the downy chicks upon hatching, this means that one adult will stay on the nest while the other leaves in search of food. Boobies have a storage area called a 'crop' in their gullets where they hold food that will later be regurgitated to feed their chicks and mate. Unfortunately, patrolling Frigate birds are all too aware of this fact and see this as the perfect 'easy meal'. In one-on-one combat between a Booby and Frigate bird, the latter will always win. The only option for the Booby is to lighten its load by purging the contents of its crop, and to head back out to sea to find more food, leaving its mate stranded and its chicks hungry.
When one considers there are thousands of Red-footed Boobies in Little Cayman, it is easy to understand the astonishing spectacle this battle for survival must make in the encroaching twilight hours. Their technique must work, as studies indicate that the Red-footed Booby population is healthy. That is not to say, however, that the future holds no concern for these wondrous birds. We must continue to protect and admire this beautiful species. For more information on the Trust’s various historic and natural sites, please visit our website, particularly the Information Sheets drop-down menu on the bottom left. Photos from the National Trust Archive and Courtney Platt. Discover the unique beauty of Cayman! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust. Last week’s answer: The highest point on Grand Cayman is 60 feet. Trivia question: Which bat in Cayman has twins? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Wave Cut Terraces 14 May 2008 Offshore Wave Cut Terraces Wave cut terraces are a narrow flat area in the rock caused by the action of waves. It forms after destructive waves hit against the cliff face, causing undercutting between the high and low water marks. This notch may then enlarge into a cave. A wave-cut platform represents an extremely hostile environment and only the toughest of organisms can live in such a place. Ancient wave cut platforms provide evidence of past sea levels. Raised and abandoned platforms, sometimes found behind modern beaches, are evidence of higher sea levels in the geological past. By using scientific dating methods, or examination of marine fossils found on the platform, it is possible to work out when the platform was formed, thus giving geographers and geologists information about sea levels at known times in the past. The following is taken from Islands from the Sea: Geologic Stories of Cayman by Murray A. Roed. The accompanying photograph shows two wave cut notches related to present sea level at Little Bluff on the northeast coast of Grand Cayman. View is to the east. Six levels of wave cut terraces are recognized in the Cayman Islands, some from aerial photos, some from scuba Divers’ observations plus bathymetry, and some found by previous workers. The terrace story starts at the peak of the Late Wisconsin glacier build-up, ignoring minor fluctuations. This happened approximately 18,000 years ago. At that time sea level is believed to have been up to 130 meters below present sea level. On Grand Cayman, this level is represented by a prominent wave cut notch at a depth of about 120 meters along a steep bedrock wall 200 meters offshore near Northwest Point in West Bay. Other evidence of this low sea level may be represented by tunnels in the bedrock and tall bedrock pinnacles, some 30 to 40 meters high, described by divers as “haystacks”. These conspicuous sub-sea relics are composed of carbonate rocks, and have been recorded from 230 to 310 meters depth off the western margin of Grand Cayman. The pinnacles are either eroded bedrock or, more likely, they are rockslide debris. Much deeper wave cut notches have been suggested by some researchers.
The next terrace is a major break in slope recognizable off all the islands at a depth of about 40 meters. The outer limit of this terrace edge is up to two kilometers offshore, but commonly it is less than on kilometer, and in places as close as 200 meters from shore. This surface slopes shoreward up to about 12% and ranges in width from 100 meters to over 1000 meters. The outer edge of this terrace is the beginning of the main “wall” of the offshore, literally the edge of the shelf, or the drop into very deep water. This well formed terrace was eroded during a prolonged interval after which much of the Continental ice had melted, perhaps by about 12,000 years ago. Please see Chapter 6 of this book for more information on 3 other wave cut terraces. This book is available at the National Trust, book shops, dive shops and other outlets throughout the Islands. Discover the unique beauty of Cayman! For more information, to share your knowledge or if you would like to get involved with the many activities in the National Trust’s Know Your Islands Program, please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust. Last week’s answer: Never evict bats during June, July, August, September, October or November when baby bats would be separated from their mothers and left to die. This is unwise, as bats bear only one baby a year and an entire generation would be lost. Trivia question: What is the highest point of Grand Cayman? Look for the answer in next week’s feature!
Blue Iguana 6 May 2008 The Grand Cayman Blue Iguana (Cyclura lewisi) is a unique and magnificent creature, but one which stands on the brink of extinction. Fortunately, due to the National Trust for the Cayman Islands' Blue Iguana Recovery Programme and the assistance from a variety of volunteers, it has managed to take a few steps forward over recent years. Photograph generously provided by Courtney Platt. The Blue Iguana is endemic to Grand Cayman - meaning it is found nowhere else in the world. It is related to the Rock Iguana found on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, but is quite distinct. It gets its local name from its remarkable blue colouration which is particularly notable in adult males. Being cold-blooded creatures, iguanas need to warm themselves in the sunshine to become active. Early in the day, when they are cool, the adult iguana is a uniform dark grey. This colour absorbs heat very efficiently. As the animal warms up, it has to ensure that it does not overheat. To achieve this, the cells responsible for this colouration (known as chromophores) contract. This reveals the distinctive powder blue colour underneath, which is paler and does not absorb heat well.
Iguanas never stop growing, although the growth rate does slow down with age. Adults of five feet in length from nose to tail are not uncommon. They are not sociable creatures and tend to live alone, not encouraging others to stay in their territory. When feeling threatened, iguanas turn themselves sideways to the foe, draw themselves up as high as possible on their four legs and flatten their bodies laterally so that the area they expose to their opponent is as large as possible. Fierce fights do occur amongst males during mating season. It is a sad fact that the major problems facing Cayman's iguanas are human related. When the first settlers arrived nearly 300 years ago, it is thought that many of these creatures lived on the coast, laying their eggs in the sand on the edge of the beach: a pattern of behaviour that can still be seen in the Little Cayman Rock Iguana. As time passed, humans, who bought with them dogs, cats and rats, preferred these areas too, and soon the iguanas were forced to retreat inland, where nesting sites were harder to find. Yet the iguanas were able to hang on. They learned that the edge of newly cleared farmland was a suitable habitat with open areas for sunning themselves, soil for nesting, and ample bush for foraging and security. The dangers posed by roaming pets and the farmer's gun were not quite enough to destroy the population entirely. But now things are changing again. When initial studies were done in the 1980's, prospects for the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana looked bleak. They had already disappeared from over 90% of the island, and a remnant of those that had survived faced seemingly insurmountable odds with rapid development, illegal trapping, feral dogs and cats and road kills. The Trust's Blue Iguana Recovery Programme was set up in 1990 combining field research, captive breeding, public education, habitat protection and reintroduction. It is only with this continued effort that it may still be possible to save this unique creature from extinction. The National Trust, the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme, and the Cayman Islands have suffered a huge loss in the tragic events that took place on May 4, 2008. We will dearly miss Sara, Pedro, Jessica, Yellow, Eldemire, and Digger. Protect Cayman Wildlife! For more information on the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme please visit www.nationaltrust.org.ky, www.blueiguana.ky or call 949-0121.The weekly column from the National Trust is submitted by Marnie Laing, Education Programs Manager at the Trust.
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The Northern Flicker or “Black-heart”
Ginep
Both varieties have
Cabbage Tree
Native to the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles as well as all three of the Cayman Islands, this tree thrives everywhere except among mangroves and in other frequently flooded land.
The colouring of a Caribbean reef squid is a generally a mottled medium green to brown on the dorsal side 
On average, squid shoals are attacked several times during the daytime, by such predators as Bar and Yellow Jacks, Cero Mackerels and groupers. Members of a shoal typically form a line with larger individuals, acting as 
However, if Boobies are deficient in strength, they are superior in intellect; for Little Cayman's deep-sea fishermen have devised an ingenious line of defense to confuse the Frigate birds based on the premise that there is safety in numbers. Their dawn exodus from the nesting site, as they embark upon their lengthy journeys, proves unproblematic as they are without a catch. It is the return journey where they will need to outwit their enemies. For energy efficiency, Red-footed Boobies can be seen flying low over the ocean. As they near home, they mill around offshore until they have formed a group - the larger the group, the less chance there is of becoming a victim. The Boobies begin to climb in a spiraling column, joined constantly by birds arriving from out at sea. This ascent will allow them ultimately to use gravity to give them optimum speed for their final descent into the nest. Gradually, they peel off in large groups from the top of the column, wings are streamlined and, torpedo-like, the Boobies begin their controlled freefall into the safety of their nesting grounds. 
The next recognizable terrace level is a narrow terrace at a depth of approximately 70 meters below present sea level. This is at least 50 meters above the deep terrace level and likely represents the first major melting phase of the continental glaciers that had occurred by about 15,000 years ago. A lot of water was added relatively quickly to the oceans in this interval that may have spanned about 3000 years. A pause or slowdown in melting provided enough time to erode this narrow terrace. Air photos indicate suggestions of this terrace in only a few places, off Grand Cayman and off Cayman Brac near Hawkesbill Bay. Other scientists have reported a break in slope here off Grand Cayman in a number of places. Similar notches have been found at this depth in western Guiana and in Barbados. 
Iguanas are large lizards with red eyes and a row of spines which run from the back of the head to the tip of the tail. The male is larger than the female and has substantial jaw muscles giving it a very strong bite! They are, however, vegetarian, foraging for fruits, flowers and leaves. | |
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