Bovenwindse wormslang ontdekt op Sint Eustatius

Leeward Blindsnake discovered on St. Eustatius On the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius, a special municipality within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a snake previously unknown to the island was discovered. Using DNA and morphological analysis, a team from Reptile, Amphibian & Fish Conservation Netherlands (RAVON) and Naturalis found the snake to be the Leeward Blindsnake (Antillotyphlops geotomus). This species was previously only known from four British Caribbean islands namely: Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis. Furthermore, St. Eustatius is geographically in close proximity to St. Kitts and Nevis, which lie on the same shallow submarine bank only to be separated by the sea after the last ice age. Therefore, A. geotomus is likely native to St. Eustatius and not introduced. Understanding the islands’ native reptile population will help conservationists design and implement conservation measures to protect this ‘Near Threatened’ species