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local Thursday 20 July 2023
Unique fauna of Aruba

For a small island, Aruba emies of the cascabel are simply to fly away or re-
sure has a lot of unique donkeys, goats, humans treat to its burrows. They
treasures. Among these, and cars. Humans are the eat mostly insects, mice
we have some subspecies biggest enemy of the cas- and lizards, and the main
of animals that are unique cabel, as they kill them and threats to their survival are
to our island. These have destroy their habitat for ur- boas – an invasive species
evolved to perfectly adapt banization. introduced by humans as
to our desert climate and pets – and humans through
make Aruba their home. Shoco (burrowing owl, destruction of their habitat.
At the same time, they are Athene cunicularia aru-
part of what makes Aruba bensis) Prikichi (parakeet, Aratinga
truly one of a kind. The shoco is a small bird pertinax)
which is seldom seen. They The Prikichi is the national
Cascabel (rattlesnake, are active during the day bird of Aruba. On Aruba, part of our ecosystem. The protected by Aruban law.
Crotalus durissus unicolor) but are more active later Bonaire, and Curaçao, par- very adaptable Conew The Conew is thought to
According to the Arikok in the day and at night for akeets can be found, but can live in a wide variety of have drastically declined
National Park, Aruba knows hunting. These owls have each of the three islands habitats, including Aruba’s due to an increase in hu-
two kinds of snakes, the very good night vision and has a different breed. The xeric scrublands, where it man activities, habitat
Santanero and the Casca- very good hearing. Yellow-shouldered Amazon typically grazes on weeds fragmentation and preda-
bel. The cascabel belongs The shoco is the national parakeet that we have on and grasses. tion by the invasive Boa
to the rattlesnake family. symbol of Aruba. Aruba is also found along constrictor as well as feral
The cascabel is the only the coast of Venezuela. The Aruban Conew has a cats and dogs. However,
venomous snake from Aru- The shoco has about 20cm Unfortunately, there is in- brownish grey color and a recently there seem to be
ba. It has a length of 65cm of length, and the females terbreeding between the distinctive white belly. This more rabbit sightings in rural
to 100cm, and is about 4 to are slightly heavier than breeds due to cage birds white fur extends to the and wilderness areas and
5cm wide. Its color varies the males. They are light from, for example, Cura- bottom of the tail which also in the National Park.
from light brown to grey- brown in color, with many çao being released on becomes visible as the rab- This could be linked to a re-
brown, and its underbelly white spots. The belly of the Aruba. The parakeet popu- bit runs. These rabbits can cent decline of the invasive
is white. On its back there Shoco is either white or light lation on Aruba is in danger grow up to approximately Boa population after the
are marks that are a little brown, and the shoco has due to extensive deforesta- 40 centimeters in length long period of drought. As
darker, in the shape of dia- striking yellow eyes. Its beak tion occurring on the island over their short lifespan of the Conew can reproduce
monds. is yellow/green. Young owls because of the growing 3 years. Cottontail rabbits very quickly, a short break
do not have white spots population. reach reproductive ma- in predation pressure can
Its reproduction is ovipa- and are lighter in color. turity when they are just 2 lead to a fast increase of
rous, meaning the offspring The prikichi weighs be- to 3 months old. A female rabbits. Sadly, the Boas are
can hatch from their eggs The nest of the shoco is a tween 90 to 100 grams. It rabbit, called a doe, finds back on the rise again with
just before, during or imme- burrow in the ground. If the has a greenish-brown head a suitable nest spot under the truly wet rainy seasons
diately after laying. shoco cannot find a bur- with some yellow around a shrub or rocks and lines it we have recently experi-
row, it will dig one in soft the eye. The back and with fur. She can have an enced. This could cause a
The cascabel lives mainly soil. The shoco lays one or wings of the parakeet are average of 3 to 4 litters per new decline in the Conew
in the Arikok National Park. two eggs every other day dark green, and the under- year averaging 5 young population that was just
It likes to live in dark plac- until all the eggs are laid – side of the body is a light- each. The doe only visits starting to recover.
es, and is thus found hid- a shoco can lay up to four er shade of green. There her young once or twice a
den among the limestone eggs. The first owlets hatch is also a bit of blue in the day to nurse her babies for These are but a few of Aru-
rocks and under stones. As after three to four weeks. wings. The parakeet's beak a period of 2 to 3 weeks. ba’s beautiful inhabitant,
a defense mechanism, the The shoco owl takes care of is gray/black. The young reach indepen- which we must all contrib-
cascabel uses its rattle as a the owlets for three months Parakeets often use ter- dence at 4 to 5 weeks. ute to protect. For more
warning, and it is not an ag- until they leave the nest. mite nests as breeding information, visit https://
gressive animal. Only a few owlets survive. sites. Parakeets are found The Aruban Conew is an www.arubanationalpark.
in all natural environments endangered species and org/main/flora-fauna/
The cascabel feeds on liz- The owlrs dig burrows in the (mondi) of the island. It de-
ards, small mammals such ground with low grass veg- fends itself by flying away
as rats and mice. It para- etation. An owl can live up and loud cries. Parakeets
lyzes or kills its prey with its to nine years. eat seeds from the pods
venom, which is injected of the Kwihi tree, Divi Divi,
through a bite. The en- Its defense mechanism is and columnar cactus. They
also consume natural fruits.
Its main predators are boa
constrictors, humans.

Conew (cottontail rabbit,
Sylvilagus floridanus nigro-
nuchalis)
The Eastern Cottontail rab-
bit (Sylvilagus floridanus)
was probably brought over
to the island by Indian set-
tlers thousands of years
ago as a source of food.
This rabbit, locally known as
Conew, has spread all over
the island and has become