Dominica
The subject for my portrait for Dominica is Garry Auguiste wildlife conservationist specialising in Dominica's endemic parrots
About Dominica
Dominica is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. Dominica's closest neighbours are two constituent territories of the European Union, the overseas departments of France, Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast.
The main environmental issues facing Dominica are largely from climate change worsening disasters such as hurricanes and landslides and lost environments threatening biodiversity on land through acts such as deforestation and the marine and coastal ecosystems through pollution and overfishing.
About Garry
Garry Auguiste is an early-career conservationist dedicated to safeguarding Dominica’s endangered parrots—the Sisserou (Amazona imperialis) and Jaco (Amazona arausiaca). Through field research, education, and policy advocacy, he works to protect these unique species and champion biodiversity preservation.
His love for the life sciences was nurtured early and flourished when he pursued a Bachelor of Science in Biology, aspiring to give back to Dominica.
His focus on birds began after Hurricane Maria in 2017. Observing the lack of data on Dominica’s endemic parrots, he realized the urgent need for research. It was a chance to contribute meaningfully to conservation while embarking on an exciting scientific journey.
Watch the portrait's story below
This video shows the painting process, and tells some of Garry's story.
