Dissemination and communication
News
The Mourning Gecko: A rapidly spreading invasive species in Guadeloupe
In Guadeloupe, the Mourning Gecko was first detected in 2010. Thanks to its unique reproductive method and its ability to adapt to a wide...
To come: project restitution meeting
The MERCI project comes to an end. To conclude this ambitious and significant project in many respects – in terms of acquired scientific...
Exotic turtles in Guadeloupe: An under-studied threat to biodiversity
Guadeloupe is home to a variety of ecosystems populated by a rich and unique biodiversity. But, as in all the territories of the insular...
Invasive alien species: a major factor in global biodiversity loss
Invasive alien species have been a major factor in 60% of species extinctions worldwide. This is the conclusion of the latest report from...
In Guadeloupe, an ecosystem rehabilitated after the invasion of exotic turtles
The abundant biodiversity of the Caribbean, rich and unique in the world, is under numerous threats. As with all island systems, invasive...
Improving collaboration thanks to Dominican lizards
The MERCI project is a research program aiming at improving the knowledge on several species of invasive exotic reptiles in the Lesser...
Turtles and geckos: a mission with a double challenge in Martinique
Invasive alien species represent a major threat to island biodiversity. Many species of reptiles, recently arrived or established for a...
Martinique: a three-week mission to study freshwater turtles
Freshwater turtles may seem harmless, but some species are nonetheless invasive and potentially dangerous for local biodiversity. This is...
Looking for anole lizards: A mission in Dominica
A new mission has just ended in Dominica. Although conducted for scientific purposes, the mission was also a great human adventure in this...
On the way to the next field missions in Dominica and Martinique
Six months after the first field mission to Saint Lucia and Dominica, a new field mission combining once again training and data recording...
Publications
Mission and Master reports
- Mission reports n°1, Saint Lucia and Dominica, November 2021 (PDF)
- Mission reports n°2, Dominica, May 2022 (PDF)
- Mission reports n°3, Martinique, May-June 2022 (PDF)
- Mission reports n°4, Martinique, November 2022 (PDF)
- Mission reports n°5, Les Saintes, February 2023 (PDF)
- Mission reports n°6, Dominica, April 2023 (PDF)
- Mission reports n°7, Les Saintes, June 2023 (PDF)
- Master report – Creation of an Android application about invasive exotic reptiles (PDF, in French)
- Master report – Impact of urbanization on a native and an invasive species from Dominica (PDF)
- Master report – Invasion dynamic of the mourning gecko in Guadeloupe (PDF, in French)
- Project file – Master’s internship – Estimation of the invasive potential of reptile species in the Caribbean region (PDF)
Scientific articles
- Chance, G., Louppe, V., Cézilly, F. & Cambrone, C. (2024). Rapid expansion of the invasive mourning gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril & Bibron, 1836), in Guadeloupe, French Antilles. BioInvasions Records 13: 1055-1066.
- Paul, J.M., Cézilly, F., Bezault, E. & Cambrone, C. (2023). Modelling the distribution of three invasive freshwater turtles in mainland Guadeloupe: Analysis of their presence, abundance and co-occurrence. Sustainability 15: 13450.
Media coverage
- Website of Interreg Caribbean : https://interreg-caraibes.eu/merci
- Follow our news on social media with the account of the association Caribaea Initiative: Facebook, Twitter (international), Twitter (French), LinkedIn
- TV report – Channel Guadeloupe la 1ère
- Press article – Journal France Antilles Martinique – Mission about freshwater turtles (French)
- Press article – Journal Médiaterre – Presentation of the projet (French)
- Press article – Journal Guadeloupe la 1ère – Mission about freshwater turtles (French)
- Press article – Journal Guadeloupe la 1ère – Collaboration to study invasive reptiles (French)
Videos
Poster
Poster for customs officers and port agents, displayed in airports and ports in Guadeloupe (click to display)
The MERCI project is coordinated by Caribaea Initiative, an international NGO that develops research and education projects for the conservation of biodiversity in the Caribbean.
The MERCI project is co-funded by the INTERREG Caribbean program under the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).
The MERCI project, acronym for ” Managing Exotic Reptiles on Caribbean Islands”, aims to study invasive exotic reptiles in order to adapt management measures.