ViequesNational Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

photo: Clare Mowbray

The Vieques NationalWildlife Refuge (TheVieques NWR) is one ofnine national wildliferefuges located in theCaribbean. Five of them arefound within theCommonwealth of PuertoRico: Cabo Rojo, LagunaCartagena, Desecheo,Culebra and Vieques. Threemore are located in the USVirgin Islands: SandyPoint, Buck Island andGreen Cay. The remainingrefuge is the island ofNavassa and itssurrounding waters locatedoff the southwestern coast ofHaiti.

Desecheo NWR

Cabo Rojo NWR

Laguna Cartega NWR

Culebra NWR

Buck Island NWR

Green Cay NWR

Sandy Point NWR

PUERTO RICO

ST. THOMAS

US VIRGIN ISLANDS

ST. CROIX

VIEQUES

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Puerto Rico & U.S Virgin Islands

Welcome to the Vieques NationalWildlife RefugeVieques Island, a municipality of theCommonwealth of Puerto Rico, islocated approximately 7 miles east ofthe main island. It is approximately22 miles long and is 4 miles wide atits broadest point. The Vieques NWRwas established on May 1, 2001 when3,100 acres from the western side ofVieques were transferred by the U.S.Navy to be managed by the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service. On May 1, 2003,the U.S. Navy transferred an

additional14,671 acreslocated on theeastern sideof the islandto theService,bringing thetotal ViequesNWR acreageto 17,771acres.Excellentexamples ofsubtropicaldry forest are

found on the refuge. The refuge andits adjoining waters are home to atleast 4 endangered plant species and10 endangered animal species. Hotsands along its undeveloped beachesmake The Vieques NWR an idealnesting site for leatherback,hawksbill and green sea turtles. Thesea grass beds along the coast serveas a refuge and feeding ground forhawksbill and green sea turtles andAntillean manatees. In addition to its

ecological value, therefuge containsimportant archeologicaland historic resources,including artifacts ofthe aboriginal Tainoculture and the island’ssugar cane plantationera.

This blue goose,designed by“Ding” Darling,has become asymbol of theNationalWildlife RefugeSystem.

Playa CaracasRefuge east side

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Vieques NWR west view

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A Brief History of the IslandThe name, Vieques, is derived fromthe Taino word “Bieque”, meaningsmall island. This island wasinhabited by people indigenous toSouth America. The first permanentinhabitants of Vieques are thought tobe the Archaic. This culture wasfollowed by other cultures, theSaladoid, Huecoid, Ostionoid andfinally the Taino. The Taino occupiedmany of the islands in the CaribbeanSea. Within a very short period, theTaino people were subjugated by theSpanish, and their population wasdecimated by diseases, emigration,combat with the Spanish troops andassimilation into the colonizerpopulation.

Although the Spaniards consideredVieques important, they did notinitially inhabit the island. TheEnglish, Dutch and French tried tosettle the island at various timesduring the 17th and 18th centuries, butwere all eventually evicted by theSpaniards.

In 1811, the Governor of Puerto Rico,Don Salvador Meléndez, sent theSpanish military commander, JuanRoselló, to organize the formalsettlement of the island. After limitedsuccess, he was replaced by TeófiloJosé Jaime María Le Guillou, aFrench plantation owner and founderof Vieques. During this period,Vieques experienced an economic“boom” and various sugar plantationsemerged.

Some “barrios” still bear the old millnames, Playa Grande, Santa Maria,Arcadia, Resolution, Santa Elena andEsperanza. After the SpanishAmerican War, the United Statesassumed control of Puerto Ricounder the terms of the Treaty ofParis. During the 30’s, there was arapid decline of the sugar industry onVieques.

Spanish Period

PlantationsWidespread onVieques

HumanHabitation onVieques Begins

Verdiales Lighthousebuilt in 1896

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During the 40’s, approximately 26,000acres were expropriated by the U.S.Navy for use as a base and trainingfacility. Many Viequenses wererelocated to other areas of the islandsuch as Monte Santo and SantaMaría. Later, others were displacedto St. Croix.

On May 1, 2001, the Navy lands onthe western end of Vieques weretransferred to the municipality ofVieques, the Puerto RicoConservation Trust and the Service.On May 1, 2003, Navy lands on theeastern end were also transferred tothe refuge.

FloraVieques falls within the subtropicaldry forest and subtropical moistforest life zones. The subtropical dryforest has a nearly total cover ofsmall-leafed vegetation. These plantspecies typically have spines, and theleaves are often small and hard. Treesof the moist zone generally growtaller than those of the dry zones.

The refuge supports six vegetationcommunities: Beach, Coastal StrandForest, Mangrove, Subtropical DryForest and Shrub, Mixed Evergreen-Deciduous Forest and Grassland.

Beach community vegetation existsin the salt spray zone. Typical speciesinclude the beach vines, sand spurs,sea grapes and coconuts.

The Coastal Strand Forest is a verydiverse community found behind thebeaches and mangroves.Characteristic trees include theSnakebark, Black torch and Baycedar and many species of vines.

Mangroves are often tidal areasdominated by trees tolerant tosaltwater intrusion. These trees arethe red mangrove, black mangrove,white mangrove and button

U.S. Navy Period

Establishment ofVieques NWR

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sea grapes

mangrove. The salt flats associatedwith mangroves support other salttolerant plants.

The Subtropical Dry Forest is thedominant forest cover on the Refuge,although most of this original foresthas been greatly modified. However,valuable remnants of this forest stillexist and are well represented on thelimestone bedrock in Puerto Ferroand Caracas and scattered smallareas along the eastern part of theRefuge. Characteristic vegetationincludes different species of cacti,species of Coccoloba, Mampoo,Ironwood, Lignum vitae and someorchids. Most of this forest type isunder different succession stages andis dominated by exotic or invasiveplant species like Mesquite, Acacia,Leucaena and grasses.

The Mixed Evergreen-DeciduousForest is found in the subtropicalmoist forest life zone. Matureremnants of this forest are found onthe steep hills of Mount Pirata andthe high hills along QuebradaMarunguey on the east. The mostconspicuous species are the tallGumbo Limbo trees and the BroomTeyer Palm, which is endemic toPuerto Rico. Other endemic andextremely rare species have beenrecently found in this forest.

Grasslands are open areasdominated by several species ofgrasses, resulting from deforestationand fires. These areas have beenkept as such by horse and cattlegrazing and/or fire.

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Mt. Pirate , highestpoint andKiani Lagoon, largestlagoon

FaunaBirdsAbout 170 birdspecies, bothmigratory andresident, have beenreported to occur onVieques.

Grebes, waterfowl,rails and shorebirds

abound in the shallow water of thelagoons. These include species suchas the Pied-billed Grebe, ClapperRail, White-cheeked Pintail, RuddyDuck, Blue-winged Teal, CommonGallinule and Caribbean Coot.

Resident herons and egrets, are theTri-colored Heron, Little Blue Heron,Snowy Egret, Yellow-crowned NightHeron and Great Egret.

Resident shorebirds include theWilson’s Plover and Killdeer.Migrant shorebirds known to occurinclude Black-bellied Plover, Semi-palmated Plover, Greater Yellowlegs,Lesser Yellowlegs, SpottedSandpiper, Ruddy Turnstone, Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Short-billedDowitcher.

At least 14 species of marine seabirdsoccur as permanent or migrantresidents. These species use nearshore and offshore marine habitats tofeed. Species known to occur includethe Magnificent Frigatebird, White-tailed Tropicbird, Red-billedTropicbird, Brown Pelican, BrownBooby, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern,Least Tern, Sooty Tern, RoseateTern, Sandwich Tern, and BridledTern. These birds use rocky shores,cliffs, cays, sandy beaches and thelagoons to nest and/or roost.

Great Egret

Sea Birds

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Short-billed Dowitcher

Wading Birdsand Waterfowl

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White-cheeked Pintail

Shorebirds foundin non-vegetatedhabitats, e.g.,mudflats,beaches, rockyshores, includethe AmericanOystercatcherand SpottedSandpiper.

Commonterrestrial birdsthat occur in alltypes of uplandscrub habitats

include the Common Ground Dove,Zenaida Dove, Caribbean Elaenia,Gray Kingbird, Mangrove Cuckoo,Bananaquit, Black-faced Grassquit,Yellow Warbler, Greater AntilleanGrackle, Green-throated CaribHummingbird, NorthernMockingbird, Pearly-eyed Thrasher,Antillean Crested Hummingbird andSmooth-billed Ani.

Puerto Rico’s endemics found inVieques are Adelaide’s Warbler,Puerto Rican Woodpecker and PuertoRican Flycatcher.

MammalsA number of marine mammals areknown to occur near the shore and inthe deeper offshore waterssurrounding Vieques Island. Theseinclude the Antillean manatee, theblue whale, fin whale, humpbackwhale, sei whale and several dolphinspecies.

Bats are the only native terrestrialmammal on Vieques. Confirmedspecies are the fisherman bat, redfruit bat, free-tailed bat and the fruitbat.

Bat

Land Birds

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Smooth-billed Ani

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Yellow Warbler

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All other mammals were introducedby man to the island and include thehouse mouse, black rat, small Indianmongoose and domestic animals suchas cattle, horses, dogs and cats.

Amphibians and ReptilesTwenty two species of amphibiansand reptiles are found on the Refuge.They include four species of marinesea turtles (three of which nest onVieques), four frogs, an introducedtoad, a native species of fresh waterturtle, 11 lizards and geckos and aworm snake. Although snakes havebeen reported for Vieques, itspresence has not been confirmedduring recent surveys.

Aquatic OrganismsDue to the limited freshwaterhabitats on the Refuge, most aquaticorganisms are either estuarine ormarine species. Among the species ofmollusks, known to occur in nearshore marine habitats of ViequesNWR are the octopus, coquina clam,

queen conch,Mangrove oysterand the WestIndian Top shell.

Various speciesof crustaceansare known tooccur in thecoastal watersand in nearshore marine

habitats off Vieques Island. Thesespecies include the Caribbean spinylobster, estuarine and freshwatershrimp and other types of crabs suchas the ghost crab, fiddler crab andcommon land crab.

Approximately 800 species of fish areknown to inhabit the coastal watersaround Puerto Rico and surroundingislands. Mangroves, lagoons, seagrass beds, coral reefs and openwaters support different fish families.

Leatherbacknesting

Ghost Crab

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Green sea turtle

Common Land Crab

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Endangered SpeciesThe Vieques NWR supportsimportant habitats for native,migratory, rare and protectedspecies. Sixteen federally-listed plantand animal species occur on therefuge and its surrounding waters.

PlantsFour species of federally listed plantsoccur in the Vieques NWR, thecóbana negra (Stahlia monosperma),Calyptranthes thomasiana,Chamaecrista glandulosa var.mirabilis, and the matabuey(Goetzea elegans).

ReptilesFour species of sea turtles:Hawksbill, Leatherback , Green andLoggerhead. The loggerhead seaturtle occurs in waters near Vieques,but no nests have been documentedin Vieques.

BirdsBrown Pelican and Roseate Tern.The migratory Peregrine Falcon maybe seen during the winter.

Species of concern are the following:Puerto Rican Broad-winged Hawkand White-cheeked Pintail.

Marine MammalsAntillean manatee, blue whale, finwhale, humpback whale and seiwhale. The Vieques NWR does not

manage thesespecies.

Brown Pelican

Antillean Manatee

Goetzea elegans fruit

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Visitor OpportunitiesThe Vieques NWR is open to thepublic year-round from 6 am untildark. Recreational activities includebicycling, wildlife observation,wildlife photography, environmentaleducation, interpretation and accessto kayaking, fishing and beach use.The beaches that are open to publicaccess are considered by many to beamong the most beautiful in theworld and are one of the chiefaesthetic attractions to the area. Inaddition to the beaches, there arealso various marine ecosystems suchas lagoons, salt flats and mangroveforests. The expanses of subtropicaldry and subtropical moist forest areother ecosystems of the areas thatcan be appreciated.

The refuge can be visited on both thewestern and eastern sides of Vieques.The recreational areas at the westernside of the refuge are known as PlayaGrande, Punta Arenas (Green Beach)and Kiani Lagoon. Also, the easternside of the refuge offers recreation atvarious beaches, especially at PlayaCaracas (Red Beach) and Playa LaChiva (Blue Beach). Currently, amajor portion of the eastern refuge isclosed due to the danger ofunexploded ordnance and the cleanupprocess occurring in that area.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife office inVieques is open Monday throughFriday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm,excluding Federal holidays.

Near-term plans include creating avisitor center and increase visitorfacilities. It is an important part ofthe Service to educate the publicabout the conservation mission ofVieques natural and culturaltreasures.

Birding

Fishing pier at Kiani Lagoon

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Kiani Lagoon kioskand boardwalk

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Punta Arenas

Refuge RegulationsThe mission of the Service is toconserve, protect, and enhancenatural habitats and their plants, fishand wildlife for the benefit of currentand future citizens.

The following rules apply to thoseVieques NWR areas that are open tothe public – the areas not open to thepublic shall not be visited by landor sea at any time.

■ Visit from 6 am until dark.

■ Obey traffic control and LawEnforcement Officers.

■ Obey posted speed limits.

■ Drive on designated roads – Noton beaches or off-road.

■ Pets must be leashed or confinedat all times.

■ No camping is allowed.

■ No firearms are allowed.

■ No open fires are allowed.

■ Do not litter or dump garbage.

■ Do not operate a vehicle under theinfluence of alcohol or drugs.

■ Do not search for, or remove,objects of antiquity.

■ Do not use artificial lights tolocate wildlife.

■ Do not remove any plant orremove or harass wildlife.

■ Do not engage in indecent ordisorderly conduct.

■ Do not interfere with personsengaged in authorized activities.

■ Do not tamper with any vehiclesor equipment.

■ Do not destroy or remove anypublic or private property.

■ Do not construct, install or occupya private structure.

Obtain a permit from the RefugeManager for any commercial filming,photography, etc.

Prior to initiating any activities thatmight violate these regulations or ifin doubt, please contact the refugemanagement at 787/741 2138 Mondaythrough Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.Thank you for your cooperation!

Visitors’ TipsWe understand that you are here torelax and enjoy the refuge, natureand beaches. Vieques is a beautifuland safe island with wonderfulpeople. As with any other placesthroughout the world, it isrecommended to use good safetypractices to ensure that your stay is asafe and happy one. After all, wecare about you, and we want you tovisit us again! Here are some simpletips:

■ Leave unneeded valuables atyour residence/hotel.

■ Bring only small amounts ofmoney – There is nothing to buyon the refuge.

■ Do not leave belongings in yourvehicle.

■ Park vehicles in plain sight.

■ Carry waterproof or disposablecameras.

■ Use a waterproof container tokeep items with you or take turnswatching valuables while othersswim.

Playa Caracas

Report anyemergencyimmediately bycalling the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Serviceoffice at 787/7412138 (Monday toFriday between thehours of 8:00 amand 4:30 pm).

You may alsocontact the PuertoRicoCommonwealthPolice Department(PRPD) in Viequesat 787/741 2020.Immediately reportthe incident and askthem to contact thefederal officer onduty. This officerwill coordinateefforts with thePRPD and respondto the situation.

Refuge ManagementProgramsThe Vieques NWR

is responsible for the conservationand protection of its cultural andnatural resources and provides a safeenvironment for wildlife-orientedpublic use and enjoyment.

The Vieques NWR resources aremanaged through some of thefollowing programs:

■ Management of Exotic and/orInvasive Plant and Animals.

■ Sea Turtle Management Program

■ Fire Prevention

■ Law Enforcement

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Fire Program La Rampa, Refuge east side

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Bird banding project

Enviromental Education

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■ Environmental Education/Interpretation

■ Volunteer Program

■ Partnerships

The Vieques NWR and itssurrounding waters were designatedas a superfund site by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency(EPA). The U.S. Navy is thePrincipal Responsible Party (PRP)for the cleanup on Vieques. The U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, as the landmanagers, will continue to workclosely with the Navy, the EPA, theCommonwealth of Puerto Rico,Municipality of Vieques and thecommunity to ensure expedited andappropriate cleanup of the NWRlands within the site.

Other Conservation and HistoricalGroups on Vieques Island■ Ticatove

Vieques non profit sea turtleconservation organization workingclosely with the Vieques NWR.

Contact Person: Julián GarcíaTel: 787/485 3024Mailing Address:P.O. Box 741, Vieques, PR 00765

■ Vieques Conservation andHistorical Trust

Location: Esperanza, ViequesTel: 787/741 8850

■ PR Department of Natural andEnvironmental Resources

Location: Sunbay - Esperanza,Vieques , Tel: 787/741 8606

■ PR National Park Company

Location: Sunbay Esperanza,Vieques, Tel: 787/741 8198

■ Bio Bay Conservation Group

Location: Esperanza, ViequesTel: 787/741 0205

■ Fort Count Mirasol MuseumVieques Historic Archives

Location: Isabel Segunda, Vieques,Tel: 787/741 1717

Sunset at Playa Caracas

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ViequesNational Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 1527Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1 800/344 WILDhttp://www.fws.gov/caribbean/refugesvieques

August 2008