Wild Tobago

Dr Anjani Ganase remembers Asa Wright Nature Centre as the timeless tropical place central to her explorations of Trinidad’s Northern Range rainforest    The natural pool. Photo by Anjani Ganase As an undergraduate student to gain fieldwork experience, I volunteered for an internship with what was known as the Guppy Project, led by Dr David Reznik then of University of Pennsylvania. It was an exploration of our tiny river fish in the Arima – Blanchisseuse Valley and it was the opportunity to learn about my country one river at a time. I remember the daily drives to Verdant Vale using my mom’s then new Subaru, I tested its grit on muddy and steep roads and lesser-known trails in order to access upstream areas for experimental work. It was an adventure, with time spent trekking through rivers of Lalaja, Brasso Seco, Marianne, chopping bush to adjust the light over the streams, and avoiding mapepires. I was not in my element, my glasses were fogged up or were...

  Before there was oil from the ground, there was this bird. Rarely seen in the day, this mystical creature forages at night. Faraaz Abdool tells us about the bird that once was a source of energy for the early inhabitants of our island.   The continental island of Trinidad shares virtually all of its ecology with South America, and this includes one of the strangest and most remarkable birds in the world. Like the superhero masquerading as an ordinary citizen, this is a bird that can easily be overlooked. It lacks many of the avian attributes that enrapture us: no iridescence of the hummingbird nor powerful talons of the hawk-eagle, for example. The constant lesson in nature, however, is to look deeper. Nowhere is this truer than with the Oilbird.   This Oilbird was found roosting one morning at St. Benedict's College in La Romaine, south Trinidad. Nowhere near any known colonies, observers carefully kept their distance throughout the day and the bird flew off that...

  Pat Ganase encourages Trinbagonians to enjoy nature in these retreats on our islands. “Tobago has always had ecotourism,” says one environmentalist engaged in tourism. And Trinidad? The country’s best known ecotourism destination prides itself on attracting visitors from all over the world for close to 60 years. Who are these ecotourists that come from elsewhere, to be charmed by where we live here: the nature of forests and seashores and the animals and plants therein. Do they always need to be foreigners.   The best thing about eco-tourism is that everyone can enjoy it, learn from it and become better citizen stewards of our own country.   It does not require massive infrastructure, but does depend on strategic investments in long-term management of natural resources. Perhaps the most important foundation is respect for natural spaces. Any vision of individual or community must be enhanced and supported through policy, conscious use and the reliability of n...

Faraaz Abdool, birder and environmentalist, wonders what’s going on at Asa Wright Nature Centre, closed 20 months by Covid-19 ; first published in the Newsday. Photos by Faraaz Abdool Is the world-famous Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) slowly slipping from our landscape and history? Are the verdant hills which once were its crowning glory now reclaiming the lodge? As the saga surrounding this ecotourism pillar continues, only one thing has become clear – there are far more questions than answers. Most people have fond memories of the place, its location, and the many birds which frequented the grounds on the property. Innumerable visitors from all walks of life have traversed its corridor to the main veranda. Gentle footsteps quicken as the majestic Arima Valley looms into view. Eyes open wider, most gasp unconsciously under sensory overload. The scent of the lush forest. The frenetic twittering of more birds than one can focus on at any given moment. The buzz of their wings as bej...

In a country slowly awakening to its need for a sustainable future, Asa Wright has stood for conservation and biodiversity for over 50 years. The National Protected Areas Systems Plan accepted in 2019 still has not been implemented. Asa Wright has held its acreage in conservation as a private holding deeded to a Trust. With the changes wrought by the pandemic, how will the ethos for conservation weather the storm? Faraaz Abdool wonders what the Asa Wright Nature Centre might become in ten years. At the end of the day, its saving grace are the creatures that don't give two hoots about what we think as long as they have a home. Photos by Faraaz Abdool. A Black Hawk-Eagle cruises in the Arima valley, as seen from the verandah at the Asa Wright Nature Centre. It is the largest bird of prey in T&T. The Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) has been a beacon to nature lovers the world over for several decades. Visitors from all corners of the globe flocked to the wo...