Research for Haiti

Do Flamingos Still Come to Haiti?

I could not find any footage of flamingos in Haiti. Do they still come to Haiti? Perhaps their return would be a measure of the restoration of healthy mangroves in various bays and at Etang Saumatre.

This article from 1990 estimated that only about 900 flamingos (give or take several hundred) were still feeding or roosting in Haiti during non-breeding seasons. It also states that nesting in Haiti had not occurred since the 1920s due to lost habitat. That was 20 years ago. In any event, for the weekend enjoy these two youtube clips (follow links to more clips) about these odd birds.

The first is a wonderful video from the show Nature (a larger version of this video is here). This video features Chilean flamingos which are similar to the ultra-bright Caribbean, or American, flamingos that come from Cuba to Haiti (sometimes also called the Caiman flamingo).

The second video is about the lesser flamingos of Africa. This is from the French film “The Crimson Wing” (“Les Ailes Pourpres”) which should be out in the USA in 2010.

An Introduction to Haiti’s Problems and the Search for Solutions from the Earth Institute at Columbia University

Arikia Millikan over at Haiti Rewired found this excellent video from the Earth Institute at Columbia University on the problems facing Haiti: A Future for Haiti: Science and Solutions for a Beleaguered Nation. The voice of the speakers are a little soft and sleepy at times, but for people wanting an introduction to Haiti’s problems and some discussion of basic guidelines for finding solutions, this is a great place to start.