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About the BWR |
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 Welcome
to Barbados Wildlife Reserve
Once you enter through
the gates of the Barbados Wildlife Reserve, you are in the animals’
world. This is their home. Except for the few caged animals (e.g. the
Parrots and the Python), they are all compatible and free to travel
where they please. You may find them anywhere as they go about their
daily lives, so, as you walk along... take your time... look up... look
down... look carefully amongst the bushes and the trees in the mahogany
woods.
In this tropical haven,
exotic animals, reptiles and birds, some threatened with extinction and
some disabled, thrive. It’s a community devoted to man’s love and
respect for nature as well as to research and conservation. No day is
like any other when you visit the Reserve, walk through the shady paths
and discover for yourself!
It is important that you
move quietly. These animals are not tame, and unexpected noises may
frighten them away from you. See their world with wider eyes, hear their
world with wider ears. Listen to their sounds. Sit on a bench and see
what passes you by... you may be surprised.
The Barbados Wildlife
Reserve is a project of the Barbados Primate Research Centre, whose head
and programme leader is Canadian Primatologist, Mr. Jean Baulu. The
Research Centre and Reserve is a registered non-profit organization. Its
main objectives are focused on the production, optimal utilization and
conservation of the Barbados Green Monkey which it considers one of the
island’s renewable natural resources.
The History
The Wildlife Reserve was
established in 1985 with seed money from the Canadian International
Development Agency. This animal sanctuary is situated on four acres of
natural mahogany forest. Mahogany is not indigenous to Barbados; it was
introduced approximately 250 years ago. All the buildings of the Reserve
were constructed of coral stone gathered from various surrounding
canefields. Contributing to the ambiance are a variety of artefacts
acquired from ancient sugar factories on the island. For example, the
large wheel which faces the snack bar was formally used to drive rollers
for crushing the sugar cane. The small concrete and iron wheels at the
entrance were used on tractors when rubber was not available (e.g.
during the war). The chains were salvaged from conveyor systems in the
Sugar Factory which fed the chopped cane to the mill rollers. The bricks
on the pathways also came from sugar factories. In the 17th and 18th
century, these were used in the construction of the boiler furnaces.
Note the names of the manufacturing companies stamped upon them; all the
bricks came from overseas and were brought to Barbados by ships which
used them as ballast.
The Animals
Many of the animals have
been donated by generous Barbadians. These include Tortoises, Hares,
Mallards, Peacocks and Guinea Fowls. Our Caimans originated from Guyana.
Sometimes a Caiman may wander away from the pool; please advise the
staff if you happen to see it in the forest or on one of the paths. The
Agoutis and Armadillos were gifts of the Forestry Departments in St.
Lucia and St. Vincent. The Otters and Python were acquired from
Ravensden Zoo in the United Kingdom. The Deer and Iguana were a gift of
the Emperor Valley Zoo in Trinidad. Our Pelicans came from the Sun Coast
Seabird Sanctuary in Florida and were a gift of Budg-Buy Food Fair
Supermarkets and the tortoises came from many Barbadians.
The Activities
There are several other areas of
focus for the Primate Research Centre and Wildlife Reserve. The Monkey
Crop Damage Control Programme, through a farmer’s self-help system,
controls pest monkeys in areas of intensive agriculture, thus reducing
their numbers to manageable levels. The Research Coordination Programme
makes available it’s facilities at little or no cost to a variety of
local and overseas research and educational institutions. This
co-operation has led to several scientific publications on diseases of
bacterial or viral origin. The Centre also supplies monkeys, conditioned
to captivity and free of cost, to zoos worldwide. This activity is aimed
at promoting Barbados overseas as well as developing an animal exchange
programme between the Reserve and internationally recognized zoos.
Hopefully, it will also act as a vehicle to promote sensible wildlife
management. Finally, the Barbados Primate Research Centre and Wildlife
Reserve is providing local and overseas pharmaceutical companies with a
much-needed biomedical resource through the humane capturing, screening,
quarantining and/or selective breeding of the local green monkey. For
example, the Sabin Polio Vaccine is an attenuated live virus oral
inoculant prepared through green monkey cells. One green monkey can
provide up to 2.5 million doses of Polio Vaccine. The Centre is
responsible for up to 70% of the world's Polio Vaccine.
Source: official printed materials of BWR (2004)
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