Dominica, Montserrat join hands to protect the Mountain Chicken

Michael Sulton is actively involved in saving the Crapaud
Machel Sulton is actively involved in saving the Crapaud

Dominica has joined hands with another Caribbean country in a quest to preserve the Crapaud, known in Dominica as the Mountain Chicken, and is seeking to have a permanent ban on the hunting of these creatures.

Speaking to DNO, Amphibian Technician in the Ministry of Forestry Machel Sulton, who recently returned from a four-day Mountain Chicken Recovery Program Workshop in Montserrat; said the two countries are uniting since they face the same plight in terms of the amphibians.

“We have the same problem with Chytridiomycosis facing the mountain chicken and extinction,” he said. “So what we are doing is to plan a recovery program … so we are going to try to see how we can actually tackle all those problems that the Mountain Chicken face and to see how we can go forward in protecting the habitats, see how we can combat the disease and stop persons hunting and so on.”

Sulton said that one of the intentions of both countries is to lobby for the Mountain Chicken to be protected permanently. “One of the main objectives is to try to push for the Mountain Chicken to be a protective species; this means that there will be no hunting of that species.”

He said both countries are pushing for the Crapaud’s protection and plans are already being formulated in that regard.

The Mountain Chicken Recovery Program is a collaboration between the European Conservation Institution and the Governments of Dominica and Montserrat to save the species from extinction.

Global experts, including members of the Dominica Forestry Wildlife and Parks Division, the Zoological Society of London, the Department of Environment and Agriculture, the Water Division of Montserrat Utilities Ltd, Montserrat National Trust, Montserrat Tourism Board, Coral Cay Conservation, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and Chester Zoo are all involved in the campaign to preserve the Crapaud.

The Mountain Chicken for many years was Dominica’s unofficial national dish but in 2002, the country experienced a rapid decline of the amphibian’s population due to arrival on the island, of a deadly fungal disease called the Amphibian Chytrid.

This disease wiped out at least 80 percent of the population within 18 months and the Government of Dominica placed a temporary ban on the hunting of the frog.

The rapid decline of the species has forced the authorities on the island to seek a new and permanent national dish.

A breeding facility has been set up for the frogs at the Botanic Gardens in Roseau.

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10 Comments

  1. John
    July 31, 2013

    Dominica should make Calaloo the national dish. Great food.

  2. bawii
    July 30, 2013

    Big up to the project. Machel the face of the project. You didn’t lie when you told me you will run with that project. Good job bro!

  3. chicken lady
    July 29, 2013

    All who read can help spread the word and work being done to save/bring the frog population to where it used to be..go to facebook and like the Dominican Mountain chicken project page. You will receive updates and all. Let’s all play our part!!

  4. penvile voice
    July 29, 2013

    Well done!! Your hard work finally paying off. Hope forestry acknowledge your dedication. And what is the National Bank once called “Crapaud bank” doing to help?

  5. kambo
    July 29, 2013

    Way to go Machel Sulton! Keep up the great work and dedication.

  6. Anonymous
    July 29, 2013

    Way to go Machel! Keep up the great work and dedication.

  7. roland
    July 29, 2013

    Help save my chicken

  8. Mizz J
    July 29, 2013

    Yay Machel!!!!!!

  9. unknown
    July 29, 2013

    Go son, help save the mountain chicken One of our main dish in d.a.

    • stupes
      July 29, 2013

      Does unknown speak towards the fact that you know nothing? The way you claim it to be a MAIN dish in Dominica makes me question whether you are one of the ignorant people who still go about hunting them and even offering them to visitors. If you were to poll people between the ages of 5 and 35 I bet you less than 20% have ever tasted it. A main dish? Common.

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