BNT raises $100,000 for flamingo conservation at Cuban pig roast

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) celebrated the return of in-person events with its first Cuban Pig Roast since 2020 on Saturday, May 7 at Maillis Farm. The event was a huge success, raising $100,000 to support strengthening BNT’s predator control program. The predator control program at Inagua National Park will enhance the protection of our national bird, the West Indian Flamingo.

The Pig Roast’s goal was to raise $175,000 to kick-start the project, providing important start-up funds for the organization’s fundraising efforts. The event offered attendees a night of Cuban-style cuisine, mojitos and cocktails, flamenco dancing and entertainment provided by Events by Alexandra, as well as the opportunity to participate in a live auction to pledge donations in support of flamingo conservation. More than half of the funds raised by the auction came from within the ALBANY community, with the Callender and Young families making the largest donations.

The West Indian Flamingo was once endangered, but through the establishment and management of Inagua National Park in the 1950s, it became one of BNT’s earliest conservation success stories. Today, Inagua National Park is the world’s largest breeding colony for West Indian Flamingos. Unfortunately, in 2021, an increase in the number of wild boars on the island led to significant damage to flamingo nests and breeding colonies.

The predator control program will help reduce the number of wild pigs that threaten this vulnerable species and support increased scientific monitoring of the island’s flamingos. Funds raised by the Pig Roast will be used to purchase all-terrain utility vehicles, specialist monitoring and surveillance equipment, pig feeders and traps for population control, consultation and expertise, community outreach and training, and more.

“This pig roast was very special because it was the first we have held since the pandemic began and it supported an important program at a historic national park,” said Eric Carey, Executive Director of BNT. “During a recent trip with our partners Re:wild, we assessed the needs of Inagua National Park to revisit its management plan. BNT is incredibly proud of what we have accomplished so far at Inagua. But this predator control program is critical in order to continue protecting our national bird now and into the future.”

“We’d like to thank everyone who attended and supported the 2022 Pig Roast and we hope to continue to see the same support as we step up our fundraising efforts to reach our target.”

The event attracted its annual supporters who were delighted to see the return of the BNT fundraiser, as well as very special guests including: Basil McIntosh, Minister of Environment and Inagua MP, Usha Pitts, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy and Her Excellency Sarah Dickson of the British High Commission.

Corporate attendees at the Pig Roast included: ALBANY Resort; AML Foods; Atlantis; The Bahamas Foundation; Bahamas First; Bahamas Waste; Bahamas Brewery; Bristol Wine & Spirits; Caribbean Bottling Company; Caribbean Wine & Spirits; Ernst & Young; Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits; Lyford Cay Club; Octogone; Royal Bank of Canada; Sagoma Construction; Scotia Wealth Management and West Bay Advisors.

Thanks to generous sponsors and in-kind donors, Pig Roast guests will also be entered into a draw for prizes including: three-night accommodations for up to four people on Inagua donated by Glenn Bannister, Past President of BNT; round-trip airfare for two to the exclusive Kamalame Cay Private Island in Andros on Western Air; a luxury one-night stay at The Island House; a Dewar’s Scotch Whisky flight package; Perrier-Jouët Brut Champagne; Graycliff cigars; Bahama Barrels wines; chef’s cleavers, spices and coffee donated by Best Brew Bahamas and more.

To learn more about the role BNT plays in managing terrestrial and marine national parks, protecting habitat species and developing environmental policies, visit its website: www.bnt.bs and follow its various social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.