This photo shows one of the lakes at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad with the trees reflected in the still water

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This is a photo of the perimeter fence of the Petrotrin Oil and Gas Company. We had to gain access to the plant in order to visit the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust
The Petrotrin Oil and Gas Company

 

The Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, situated just north of San Fernando, Trinidad, is unique in the western hemisphere in that it’s located within the grounds of the Petrotrin Oil and Gas Company.  It’s rather bizarre to pass through security to a refinery complex in order to see birds in their natural habitat, but I guess Petrotrin should be applauded for allowing such a project on their land.

History of the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust

The founder of the Trust, Molly Gaskin, took her inspiration from Slimbridge Wetland Centre in the UK.  She wanted to set up something similar in Trinidad and identified a potentially perfect habitat on land owned by Petrotrin.  Initial requests to the company for land were turned down.  Soon, however, she was supported by a local hunter who worked at the refinery.  He realised that wildfowl stocks were diminishing and had an idea to breed the birds.  Petrotrin gave them three acres of land in the beginning and the Trust was established in 1966.  Today, it manages 75 acres of the company’s land and has an extensive education and conservation programme.

This photo shows the The Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust's logo, a blue circle with the wording in white and an outline image of a duck landing in water.
The Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust’s logo

Conservation

Trinidadians, by tradition, hunt ducks indiscriminately for food.  They need to be educated about how to conserve them.  Ducks are vital to the local ecology as they eat huge quantities of mosquitoes.  If the ducks died out, the consequences for human health could be catastrophic.  The Trust runs a comprehensive breeding project.  It passes on its knowledge to future generations through school visits and its learning centre.

The Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust is supported financially by the Canadian and British governments, as well as by Shell.  Petrotrin doesn’t contribute cash, but they help in practical ways.  At the time of our visit, refinery workers were pumping out silt which had built up in the lakes.

This picture shows the reception and education building of the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust. It is a wooden built building and it has landscaped gardens in front of it.
Reception and education centre
This photograph shows one of the lakes at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust. There is a wooden rowing boat in the foreground.
One of the lakes
This picture shows wooden walkways surrounding one of the lakes at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad
Wooden walkways surrounding one of the lakes

Visiting Pointe-a-Pierre

The Trust’s attractively landscaped grounds surround two lakes filled with lotus and water lilies and bordered by wooden walkways.  It is an oasis of calm in an industrial setting and is a lovely place to spend a couple of hours.  The entrance fee is nominal.

This photo shows one of the lakes at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad with the trees reflected in the still water
One of the lakes
This photo shows shocking pink water lilies on the surface of one of the lakes at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad
Water lilies
This picture shows one of the information boards displayed around the lakes at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad. This one describes the food web in a pond.
One of the information boards displayed around the lakes

Many rare bird species can be seen here, including the Wild Muscovy Duck, the Red-Billed Whistling Duck, the White-Cheeked Pintail, and the Red-Capped Cardinal.  Some of the rarer birds, including Scarlet Ibis, are housed within aviaries to allow breeding programmes to continue, but the place feels nothing like a zoo.  In fact, the programme is held up as a shining example to other such projects.  The Trust is proud of the fact that the majority of released birds choose to stay on site, or at least maintain their links with the Trust’s area by returning each season with their young.  As a consequence, Pointe-a-Pierre offers the only opportunity in Trinidad to see wild Scarlet Ibis up close.

This photo shows Wild Muscovy Ducks at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad, They are standing in a row on a broken tree trunk which had fallen into the lake
Wild Muscovy Ducks
This picture shows a Scarlet Ibis in the aviary at Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad
Scarlet Ibis

 

Facts and figures from Pointe-a-Pierre’s breeding programme

  • Black-Bellied Whistling Tree Duck (Dendrocygna Autumnalis) – 1597 bred and released
  • White-Cheeked Pintail (Anas Bahamensis) – 142 bred and released
  • White-Faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna Viduata) – 62 bred and released
  • Wild Muscovy Duck (Cairini Moschata) – 8710 bred and released
  • Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna Bicolor) – 695 bred and released
  • Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus Ruber) – 114 bred, 78 released
  • Blue and Gold Macaw (Ara Ararauna) – 36 bred
This picture shows lots of small blue and grey birds feeding on the bird table outside reception at the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad
Birds feeding
This picture shows a beautiful turquoise blue peacock in the grounds of the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, Trinidad
A beautiful peacock

 

 

Pointe-a-Pierre’s ongoing projects

As well as its bird conservation programme, the Trust is key to the promotion of, and education about, all environmental issues affecting Trinidad and Tobago.  It’s other projects include:

  • Aquatic sampling.
  • Educating school teachers and children about the Amerindian history of Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Publishing books, leaflets and posters on a range of environmental issues.
  • Teaching about wetland ecosystems, from forests to coral reefs, and their links to people.
  • Running a volunteer programme to help with the monitoring, observing and researching of nesting turtles.
  • Forming partnerships with other organisations, both within Trinidad and Tobago and overseas, to promote good environmental practice.
  • Cleaning up the beaches of Trinidad and Tobago with the help of local Scouts and Guides.
  • Launching a special programme for pre-schoolers with the concept of ‘touch, feel, smell, see and taste’ to awaken wonder about the environment in small children.
  • Designing environmental education programmes for the physically and mentally impaired, the elderly, victims of substance abuse, and battered women.
  • Producing a range of wildlife T-shirts which are sold to raise funds.
  • Creating the first educational graphics on climate change in Trinidad and Tobago.
  • Focusing on women in the belief that they have a tremendous capacity and opportunity to influence the men and children in their lives – at home, at school, and at work.
  • Forging links with religious and spiritual leaders to encourage them, through their teachings, to influence their followers to be environmentally responsible.
  • Serving as the environmental NGO on the Trinidad and Tobago delegation to the UN Conference of Small Island States.
  • Accessing international funding to upgrade and increase the implementation of the Trust’s proven programmes.
  • Planting trees.
  • Hosting world leaders and foreign dignitaries in order to spread the word about the Trust’s work.

This is just a representation of the work of the Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust.  Long may it continue!

Read more about Trinidad and its birds

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If you're visiting #Trinidad, don't miss a trip to this wildfowl centre. Learn all about the conservation of the island's bird species. Click to read the full article. #Caribbean #birds #conservation

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