The Division of Forestry within the Ministry of Agriculture has intensified its call for the protection of the fer-de-lance, warning that threats to the species are closely tied to wider challenges facing biodiversity in Saint Lucia.
Assistant Chief Forestry Officer Piyus Haynes said the Saint Lucia pit viper has long been a natural part of the island’s ecosystem, with its presence historically widespread.
“We have been noticing as a forestry department that the fer-de-lance has been a species that has been in our landscape from time immemorial,” Haynes explained. “The core habitat for the species has been along the west coast in Millet, Canaries and Anse La Raye, and on the east coast in Praslin and Dennery.”
He added that while the species was once found across the island, environmental pressures significantly reduced its range.
“Historically, if we go back as far as the 19th century, you will find that the island was replete with those snakes. They were found as high up as Castries and all around the island,” Haynes said. “But because of the introduction of agriculture through sugarcane plantations, habitat loss and destruction, and also human persecution, the species became more confined to central forest habitats.”
In recent times, however, forestry officials have observed a shift in the distribution of the species, with snakes appearing in areas where they had not been seen for years.
“What we are finding now is that there seems to be a redistribution of the species, because we are finding them in places where they were not found in the recent past,” he noted.
Haynes linked this development to disruptions within the natural ecosystem, particularly the impact of invasive species such as wild pigs.
“Saint Lucia has a lot of what we refer to as koshomawa within our forest reserves. These are wild pigs, but they were originally domesticated animals that have now gone rogue,” he explained. “Pigs are not native. They are invasive species, and there is a huge contrast between native species and invasive species.”
He stressed that while native species contribute positively to ecological balance, invasive species often cause widespread damage.
“Native species have benefits within the environment that redound to agriculture, tourism and so on. But invasive species are very destructive and have negative implications for our wildlife,” Haynes said.
According to the forestry official, wild pigs pose a direct and indirect threat to the fer-de-lance and other native species.
“They are very opportunistic and omnivorous, so they would eat anything they get, including snakes, especially the young ones,” he explained. “But more importantly, once pigs are established in an ecosystem, they decimate it. They turn the forest upside down, destroying vegetation and food sources.”
This destruction, he said, forces native wildlife out of their natural habitats.
“As a result, the local native species, including the snakes, no longer have the quality of habitat they once had. They cannot find the food they need to survive, so they are displaced,” Haynes stated. “They move out from the central forest to the periphery, closer to human habitation and farmlands, and that is where you get those negative encounters.”
Haynes underscored the need for increased research and public awareness to guide conservation efforts.
“Research needs to be given priority so that what we are saying is scientifically based and proven,” he said.
The Forestry Division is urging the public to avoid harming the fer-de-lance, emphasizing that its protection is critical to maintaining ecological balance. Officials warn that safeguarding native species and addressing threats such as habitat destruction and invasive animals are essential steps in preserving Saint Lucia’s biodiversity for future generations.