It is an honour and a great reward for Caribaea Initiative! Our MERCI project (Managing Exotic Reptiles on Caribbean Islands) won first prize in the Interregional Cooperation category of the Les Étoiles de l’Europe en Guadeloupe competition, during the ceremony held on May 16, 2025, in Baie Mahault.
The Les Étoiles de l’Europe (“Stars of Europe”) competition aims to reward projects funded by European funds that have demonstrated tangible impact on their territories. The first prize awarded to Caribaea Initiative highlights its commitment and actions in favour of regional cooperation between researchers, institutions, managers and Caribbean students, to better understand and manage biodiversity in the Antilles.
MERCI: a long-term cooperative project
Funded by the Interreg Caribbean programme, the operational phase of the MERCI project, led by Caribaea Initiative, took place from 2021 to 2023 in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica, and Saint Lucia. It focused on studying, monitoring and managing several exotic reptile species: geckos, anoles, iguanas, and turtles.
The collection and analysis of field data led to significant advances in our understanding of exotic reptiles in the Lesser Antilles—an essential step toward effective population management. This major scientific and naturalist work, which has already led to the publication of two articles in international peer-reviewed journals, continues today. The MERCI project also led to the development of several educational digital tools with various partners. In line with the core mission of Caribaea Initiative, the project helped train over 60 people in techniques for studying and monitoring exotic species, including seven Caribbean students at the master’s or doctoral level, several customs officers from the French Antilles, and staff responsible for wildlife management in Dominica and Saint Lucia.
This success gave new momentum to the launch of additional research and action programmes within Caribaea Initiative, continuing the legacy of the MERCI project. For instance, the DEVIMTOR project, which now focuses specifically on managing exotic freshwater turtles in the French Antilles, builds upon the progress of the MERCI project. The CIMBA project, also funded through the Interreg Caribbean programme, fits into the broader framework of managing exotic species by studying the impact of several introduced mammal species on native wildlife in the Antilles. Notably, it is enabling Yuna Mélane, a young student from Guadeloupe who earned her master’s degree through the MERCI project, to pursue a PhD with financial support from the Guadeloupe Region. Finally, the collaboration initiated within the MERCI project with the Ministry of the Environment of Dominica has grown stronger through the signing of a partnership agreement with Caribaea Initiative, aimed at building the technical capacity of Dominican staff involved in wildlife management.
Next stop: Brussels
The awards ceremony featured video presentations of the three nominated projects in each category, followed by the announcement of the winners. Our representatives, Christopher Cambrone (Scientific Coordinator), Élise Queslin (Programme Director), and Yuna Mélane, received the trophy on behalf of all the project’s partners and collaborators.
This recognition also opens the door for Caribaea Initiative to soon meet in Brussels with Interreg programme partners at the European Commission. The visit will be an opportunity to showcase our work at the European level and to forge new partnerships in support of our mission to protect Caribbean biodiversity by strengthening local scientific expertise.
Last modified: 31 May 2025
