Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is seeking the assistance of an environmental agency in the United Kingdom to revive the population of mountain chickens in Dominica. Skerrit said Hurricane Maria decimated the local population of mountain chickens – also known as crapaud, and that the few remaining ones in Dominica are facing health challenges.
The prime minister said crapauds in Dominica are suffering from weak muscles and that they are dying off in large numbers and on the verge of extinction. He said the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife have been detailed to search for the diminishing large-toothed frog which looks very much like the bullfrog, in forested areas of the Island.
Although local residents could sometimes hear the few remaining crapaud population croaking at nights, environmental officials said their ecosystem is threatened and that they need to be given a chance to rebound again. Skerrit said the help he seeks from a UK agency is to eliminate the health crisis facing the mountain chicken population and to improve their chances of rebounding.
The mountain chickens in Dominica suffered debilitating health issues and they were unable to move around due to weak muscles. We are partnering with a UK entity to help us study the issue and advise us on what we need to do to revive the mountain chicken population in Dominica. There was some success to it, because after some years passed we could have started to hear their crackle in various parts of Dominica, but for the Hurricane Maria that affected their ecosystem and habitats in a traumatic way.
Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica
The prime minister said the mountain chicken is part of the country’s national symbols and that the government will continue to work towards their recovery.
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