Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (12) – Forests, natural areas in danger (A)

Forests worldwide are under threat. This includes forests on our islands. Television and newspapers regularly report that forests are being cut down, burned, bulldozed, plundered, and so on. Terms like biodiversity, habitat destruction, impoverishment, and erosion are all used to illustrate the threats to forests. But what exactly does all this mean? What actually happens when a piece of forest is removed while many others remain? And what about this process on our islands?

Wild flowers: Indju, Kwihi, Palu di Kuida

Have you ever noticed the flowers of the Indju, Kwihi or Palu di Kuida tree, also called Mesquite.

Dragonflies & damselflies: Ischnura ramburii

The Ischnura ramburri is one of several damselfly species occurring on Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.

Wild flowers: Hilu di diabel

The Hilu di Diabel is very easy to recognize. If you see a bush along the side of the road that is covered with long orange-yellow tentacle-like threads, then you have located a specimen of Dodder

Nature in August – Cicada Concerts

In various locations on Curaçao, Bonaire and Aruba, it’s happening again: those incredibly loud chirping sounds emanating from the mondi, growing to deafening proportions. The cicadas have awakened.

Wild flowers – Sida ciliaris

Yerba di pinda, a native plant, most people will not look at twice!

Natural introductions: Southern lapwing

The Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) was a bird species that only occasionally visited the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao and was known as an infrequent visitor from South America. Now it is a breeding bird.

Nature in July – Breeding season of plovers

What happens in nature in the month of July? Some sea and shorebirds are still in the middle of breeding season. Reason for us humans to be careful.

Young and adult – Monarch butterfly

There is almost no greater difference between young and adult stages as there is in the taxonomic class of insects. Butterflies are often the most ‘in your face’ example of this fact. Take Monarch butterflies for instance.

Butterfly species: West Indian Mangrove buckeye

The West Indian Mangrove buckeye is a jewel amongst the mangrove trees. Using the Black mangrove as a larval plant, it is nonetheless rare.

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