Corbin Local Wildlife, Tobago

Ian Wright is organising this fundraiser.

Donation protected

The biodiversity of Tobago is disappearing. Government action is handicapped by a lack of quantitative/qualitative data to document the decline and demonstrate potential solutions.

The Wright’s experience in other countries (e.g. Ireland) has demonstrated that dramatic species loss can go unobserved until people are reminded of what used to be —a prime example would be the global crash in moth or bee populations. People are shocked to be reminded of the number of moths that used to be attracted to their kitchen light.

Roy Corbin has farmed and hunted all his life and knows his farm intimately, he stopped hunting when he became aware of the species decline, deciding the situation was so dire that he should breed and release the indigenous animals to start to address the problem. He observed that as the Hope Farm initiative declined and the bush reclaimed the paddocks many of the seed eating birds disappeared and there was a dramatic decline in butterfly species. He was also concerned about the scale of loss of mammals and reptiles through hunting – exacerbated by the number of feral dogs.

Corbin Local Wildlife Park was officially opened in 2015 and is privately owned and managed by Roy and Margaret Corbin and Ian and Lynny Wright. It is a nature preserve that covers 20 acres its importance is recognised by Tobago Department of Natural Resources and Forests (DNRF), and is a top-rated tourist activity on TripAdvisor.com. The main focus of the project is to breed and release all of Tobago’s indigenous (native) animals, including the extirpated animals (extinct on Tobago but not globally extinct) Approx 15 acres of the compound are managed to illustrate how sustainable farming practises and livestock management can enhance the areas biodiversity .,

5 acres are currently fenced for protection from dogs which in turn allows many of Tobagos local anaimals to roam free. The enclosures constructed within the park house locally threatened species that were damaged or kept as inappropriate pets or have been rescued from the wildlife trade, including the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), the white collared peccary (Tayassu tajacu)and red brocket deer (Mazama americanaThe Park abuts the densely forested ecosystems of the Hope Farm Estate, which encompasses 750 acres of state lands and Hope Farm.

The Park receives international and local visitors and is used as a demonstration/ training center for local farmers and students.

The biodiversity of Trinidad and Tobago, and the public welfare and economic benefits that it supports, is unfortunately poorly managed for long-term sustainability. A key limitation is a lack of education and inspiration for sustainable biodiversity management among the younger generations, ecotour operators, and active conservationists.

The school room within the park has proved to be an essential part of the infrastructure and is in use very day for both visitors and school children , we now need to raise £10000 to erect a building that can provide basic accommodation and cooking facilities and a large covered space that for visiting research students and environmental groups.

Students will be taught about scientific principles and their application in local biodiversity conservation through the use of technology (i.e., the iNaturalist app), hands-on activities (e.g., wildlife identification, field sampling for laboratory analysis), and engagement with captive wildlife that has been rescued from the wildlife trade, including quenk, ocelot, and morrocoy. This activity shall be directly supported by expert naturalists with biological expertise relating to birds, insects, mammals, ecosystems, reptiles and amphibians and, plants and fungi.

See full mission statement and more about the project here: http://www.tobagowildlife.com/corbin-local-wildlife-mission-statement/