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Wildlife Resources

Strategic Plan

The Virgin Islands Wildlife Action Plan (VI-WAP) is approved by the Congress of the United States and links federal funds to territorial on-the-ground programs. The first VI-WAP created in 2005 and the second linked here was updated from 2015 – 2018. The VI-WAP was approved in July 2019 and is a comprehensive resource for the conservation of wildlife of the USVI.

Virgin Islands Code Rules & Regulations

Virgin Islands Invasive Species Eradication Community Program

Become certified!

DFW invites the general public to learn about the recently implemented certification program for Wildlife Control Operators and Wildlife Control Removal Agents associated with the Invasive Species Eradication Community Program.

Bats

Bats are predators of night-flying insects and preserve the natural balance of the wildlife of the Virgin Islands. In the historic past, bats would have roosted in the enormous trees lost when >97% of forests were converted to agricultural pastures and development. You may find bats roosting in buildings where they become unwanted visitors. The best and safest way to interact with unwanted bats is to exclude them from your facilities. Bats have very strong homing instincts, so the holes must be closed and caulked after the bats have flown the roost.

Relocation is more successful for bats that find their own new roosts after exclusion. Almost all wild animals when moved involuntarily will go to great lengths to return home (tortoises, deer, bats). You may in conjunction with exclusion use bright lights or strips of fluttering aluminum foil around suspected entry ways to discourage bats from re-entering spaces.

One good method is presented in the schematic below. Please contact DFW with any technical questions related to bat exclusion.

VIRGIN ISLANDS TREE BOA

OUTREACH MATERIALS & RESOURCES

LINKS