Luke Alexander Jones

Luke Alexander Jones

Montserrat

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

In-Country Project Coordinator

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Haven't backed any projects yet! 

Hi Neil, Unfortunately the only online evidence for the species I've found online to date is that which we have uploaded though our media channels, although I do recall a very fuzzy picture of a similar species believed to be an unidentified island endemic on St. Kitts, which may actually suggest that they could be a Lesser Antilles native. They have some rather unusual characteristics for a cockroach including bright orange banding across the thorax and a sweet lemony/citronella smell which they secrete when disturbed, likely as a predator avoidance strategy.
Apr 24, 2019
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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Hmmmm I'll have to give that technique a try!! As of yet none of my beer crates have started spawning roaches. One thing that's worth mentioning is that the roaches we are breeding are either regional or island endemics, rather then the hardier invasive species you tend to find in built up areas and housing, such as the American or German cockroach. This is so that when we release them into the environment at the mountain chicken release site we will actually be helping to support a native local invertebrate species rather then compounding any issues associated with the introduced invasive "pest" species. The cockroaches you can see in this video were actually captured in fairy walk and can be found wild throughout the centre hills nature reserve. They appear to be a little less hardy and well adapted to intensive breeding in high densities, which is actually where their invasive counter parts thrive, so a lot of this process involves understanding their limitations and husbandry needs, whilst also breeding resilience within the colony so that they will be better suited to the higher density living conditions we are aiming to breed them at.
Oct 19, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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Hmmmm I'll have to give that technique a try!! As of yet none of my beer crates have started spawning roaches. One thing that's worth mentioning is that the roaches we are looking to breed are either regional or island endemics, rather then the hardier invasive species such as the American or german cockroach. This is so that when we release them into the environment
Oct 19, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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Thanks Ed!
Oct 08, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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Hi Abi, thank you so much for your support and kind words!
Oct 08, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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Hi Syl, thank you so much for your support! Every share and mention is just as valuable to us as a physical donation. So glad to have you championing the cause with us.
Sep 05, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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That's brilliant! Thank you so much for your support Steve!
Sep 02, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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Glad to hear it! We're heading out surveying historical sites for mountain chickens again tonight so hopefully I'll have even more news and even some fresh pictures to share with you if we manage to find a remnant population.
Aug 21, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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Thank you so much! And thanks for the support! :)
Aug 21, 2018
Creating a refuge from amphibian chytrid fungus for the critically endangered mountain chicken
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