Team Blue Summer Edition is now over having 12 international volunteers during the past four months helping in all aspects of work with our busiest breeding season to date.  And two major storms passed by with out much incident, so now its business as usual at the B.I.R.P. facility.  The daily feeding process is taking a little longer now, thanks to the 100 plus new hatchlings that we are head-starting at the facility.  And more mouths to feed mean more vegetation to collect so that job is more intense too.  International Volunteer Doug Bell is with us again for a long stint, evaluating and preparing the Salina Reserve for this years releases and population monitoring.  He will also be involved with new Iguana retreat design and manufacture that will be utilized this season and in any properties we may acquire in the future. The facility and safari tour (11:00am Mon-Sat) has become popular and we are getting groups regularly.  The tickets are available at the QEII Botanic Park’s main gate, cost is CI$24 (CI$16 for kids),.  It’s an informative, behind the scenes tour of our programme and it lets visitors witness what we are trying to accomplish. From gathering eggs all the way to the releasing of these animals into their natural habitat, guests can see how the programme operates and accompany the warden on a safari type walkabout of the botanic park.  – John Marotta | September 14, 2008