are once again visible, where Blue
Land Crabs (Cardisoma
guanhumi), a delicacy throughout
the islands, make their homes.
our chances of actually encounter-
ing any of the five local species of
serpents are slim, except perhaps
for the ‘garden snake’ Magliophis
exiguum, a foot-long colubrid
The footpath winds upwards 1.5
endemic to the region. The Puerto
Rican Racer (Borikenophis
miles (2.4 kilometres) through a
319-acre (130-hectare) watershed portoricensis), a diurnal lizard-
preserve, passing through
hunter with a neck hood similar to
mangrove stands, followed by
that of a cobra, has been all but
moist tropical forest, and finally,
extirpated from the chain of
near the observation area over-
islands, while Richard’s Worm
Snake (Antillotyphlops richardi)
looking the harbour, dry upland
forest. We are embarking in
lives a subterranean existence,
search of the 30 terrestrial species where it dines upon ants and
of herpetofauna known to inhabit
termite pupae. As for the non-
native Corn Snake (Panthorphis
the US Virgin Islands. But
guttatus), considered invasive in
although Renata Platenberg was
hired 14 years ago because she
these parts, it is doubtful that we
specialized in the study of snakes, would see one unless we stray
1.
frequently found dining on
sponges in the coral reefs around
nearby Buck Island.
2.
My husband Gustavo and I have
joined Renata at the southern end
of Magen’s Bay, barely off the
sandy shoreline, at the start of the
hiking trail. Since Irma and Maria,
the once-plentiful Coconut Trees
have been replaced with hardier
royal palms (Roystonia spp.),
whose ability to weather the
storms saved many of the fruit-
eating birds. The mangroves,
though mostly still brown and
withered, are beginning to send
out shoots of green. Mud tunnels
3.
1. Cuban Tree Frogs are
2. Puerto Rican Racer.
highly invasive, and can
mate at any time of year.
Image by IrinaK.
Image by Dylan Tegtmeier.
3. Green Iguana on the
beach at Magen’s Bay.
Image by Danita Delmont.
4. Two male Crested
Anoles engaged in combat
on a tree trunk. Image by
Frode Jacobsen.