Great Tobago Island

A(i)Site contains one or more globally threatened species, B(ii)Site contains an exceptional number of species of high conservation importance

The whole island of Great Tobago was identified as a TIPA for its botanical richness and presence of globally threatened plants. This TIPA has the fourth largest area Coastal shrubland habitat in the BVI, but didn’t qualify for sub-criterion C(iii) because of the poor quality of the habitat and high level of disturbance to the vegetation due to feral animal grazing.

The whole island was identified as a TIPA. The island is uninhabited and in 1995 it was declared a National Park for its seabird colony, forested area and coral reef conservation.

A large population of the highly threatened Puerto Rico Bank endemic Agave missionum (VU) can be found growing across the island. Unfortunately, the non-native and invasive agave snout weevil has been recorded in this TIPA and is affecting the Agave population’s health and recruitment. Plant species of national high conservation importance recorded on Great Tobago were the Puerto Rican Bank endemics Malpighia woodburyana (VU), Rondeletia pilosa (NT) and Piptocoma antillana (LC). The Greater Antilles endemic Stenocereus fimbriatus (LC) and the West Indies endemic Consolea rubescens (LC) cacti have also been recorded in this TIPA. The Puerto Rican Bank endemic Opuntia repens (LC), locally named jumping cactus (as it breaks off and attaches to anything passing by) is abundant throughout the island.

Seasonally deciduous forests and woodland are present in less than a quarter of the island. Most of Great Tobago is dominated by the nationally threatened Coastal shrubland habitat.

The main threats to this TIPA are invasive species and grazing by feral animals; however, feral goat eradication has been underway for several years on the island with activities intensifying in recent years. A long-term monitoring programme has been established on the island to assess vegetation recovery post-eradication. Five non-native invasive plant species Calotropis procera, Leucaena leucocephala, Argemone mexicana, Aloe vera and Arivela viscosa are actively being controlled. The cactus moth Cactoblastis cactorum which attacks members of the subfamily Opuntioideae has been recorded in the BVI and can pose a threat to the TIPAs cacti populations in the future.

Great Tobago was declared a Bird Sanctuary in 1980 for having BVI’s largest and near globally significant colony of magnificent frigate bird. In 1995, it was declared a National Park for its seabird colony, forested area and coral reef conservation.

BVI TIPAs National Team, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands - BVI Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration