Trinidad and Tobago

Knowledge and data on pollinators and pollination are scarce in the Caribbean region, including Trinidad and Tobago. Based on available data, Trinidad and Tobago is estimated to host around 150 species of bees, 760 species of butterflies, over 3500 species of moths, 70 species of bats, 18 species of hummingbirds, and 31 recorded species of Syrphid flies in Trinidad, with only one species recorded in Tobago. However, it should be noted that invertebrates, in particular, are vastly understudied, and the actual numbers are expected to be much higher. A recent bee survey identified two additional genera of bees that have previously been unrecorded.

The loss of pollinators and pollination services has significant implications, including reduced overall biodiversity, decreased climate resilience, compromised food security in terms of diversity, quality, and quantity, and a decline in services provided by plants, which are directly reliant upon pollinators. These services include carbon sequestration, soil retention, water filtration, and protection against storm surges, among many others.

Several key pressures threaten pollinators in the Caribbean region, including habitat loss, destruction, and fragmentation, excessive and mismanaged pesticide use in agriculture and homes, climate change, alien invasive species and exotic pests and diseases (including those transmitted by honeybees), lack of public knowledge and understanding, inadequate legal protection and policies, insufficient integration into management plans, and a dearth of data on species diversity, status, and trends.

Trinidad and Tobago is continuously taking action to improve pollinator management and conservation, which is the result of collaborations between government, NGOs, community-based organisations, private organisations, and the general public. Initiatives undertaken include the development of pollinator gardens and education on sustainable farming practices; as well as the provision of workshops on permaculture and related sustainable practices, seagrass pollination, bat pollination, pollinator identification, and stingless (Meliponini) beekeeping; the compilation of a plant-pollinator catalogue and a Lepidoptera catalogue; the adaptation of pollinator sampling protocols to the local context; a KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practices) survey on the attitudes of the general public towards pollinators; the execution of the iNaturalist initiative; the development of guidelines for improved Meliponini beekeeping; providing resources for and encouraging communication within a network of Meliponini beekeepers; the creation of public education materials and education materials specifically for schools; as well as the promotion of a Caribbean beekeeping app. The country’s participation in the BIOSCAN Programme further assists in the provision of valuable data on pollinator species.