Between 2021 and 2022, a mongoose and rodent control project was conducted at Bath Beach under the regional GEF-funded project “Preventing Costs of Invasive Alien Species in Barbados and the OECS Countries“. At the end of this project, several members of the public sector and the Welch Bathland Community Group (WBCG) were trained in the safe use and deployment of mongoose traps. Following the success of the Bath Beach pilot project, the Biodiversity Conservation and Management Section have pursued continued mongoose control at Bath Beach to support the protection of sea turtles. The section has collaborated with local conservation firm, Mosaic Eco Consult, to train and employ an additional four members of the WBCG to conduct trapping.

The community group began trapping efforts on the 17th of October and have reported further success. Environmental stewardship is important to ensure that Barbados’ natural beauty and biodiversity are preserved for future generations to experience and benefit from. It is hoped that mongooses and rats will be controlled at Bath and this programme will be expanded to include other beaches, working closely with communities along the way to ensure that they are included and have a say in these processes.