Amidst all the doom and gloom news we scroll through on a regular basis, big rays of sunlight do burst through.
One of these is a perhaps unlikely source of joy: the Jamaican Giant Galliwasp, a large lizard presumed extinct, and very old. I wrote about it for Global Voices here. (Yes, I know, it is admittedly also rather ugly!) And as I noted in that article, the return of a large lizard signifies much more than a scientific exchange between museums.
Actually, the Giant Galliwasp is thought to be a female, and has been named Celeste, after its genus Celestus. In any case, the “GG” has come home – like a human “returning resident” who has lived overseas for a long time. She has been tucked away safely.
Natural History Museum of Jamaica/Institute of Jamaica Repatriate Jamaican Giant Galliwasp, ‘Celeste’
KINGSTON, Jamaica. April 26, 2024 – Scientists from the Institute of Jamaica’s (IOJ) Natural History Museum of Jamaica (NHMJ) and the University of the West Indies, Mona campus returned to Jamaica Wednesday night with a repatriated Jamaican Giant Galliwasp from Scotland – approximately 170 years after the reptile was taken from the island.
The joint team, which travelled to Scotland on a six-day visit last weekend to retrieve the approximately 16-inch-long specimen from their counterparts at the University of Glasgow had an official handover on Monday at the university’s Hunterian Museum where the Giant Galliwasp, or ‘Celeste’, as it is being affectionately called by the repatriation team, had been housed.
The nickname Celeste originates from the genus Celestus, and the specimen is thought to be female.
This repatriation represents a significant moment for Jamaica as it is likely the first successful natural history repatriation in the English-speaking Caribbean. It is also expected to become a tool of engagement for Jamaican biology students and others interested in the life sciences.
NHMJ/IOJ zoology curator, Elizabeth Morrison, one of five Jamaican scientists who retrieved the reptile, describes the repatriation as ground-breaking.
“The repatriation of the Jamaican Giant Galliwasp is ground-breaking for Jamaica and takes on even greater significance for us at the Institute of Jamaica as we celebrate our 145th anniversary. It strengthens our resolve to preserve all aspects of our natural heritage and educate our people through “literature, science and art. This is an exciting time for Jamaican culture. Children and adults alike will be fascinated by Celeste”, said Morrison.
The Jamaican Giant Galliwasp became extinct in the mid-1800s due to the clearing of lands for sugarcane production and the introduction of the invasive predator mongoose. Their habitats were mostly wetlands, said to be in St. Elizabeth and Clarendon.
The repatriation team included Morrison and Dionne Newell, Senior Research officer in Entomology, also of NHMJ/IOJ; UWI Museum curator, Dr. Shani Roper; Dr. Tannice Hall of the Department of Life Sciences, and graduate student Desireina DesLandes.
The Jamaican Giant Galliwasp will be added to the National Zoological Collections at the Natural History Museum of Jamaica, IOJ. An official launch for its installation will be held at the museum on May 24.
NHMJ opens to the public for tours Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and every last Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Petchary's Blog 
Very interesting, Emma. Thanks for this.
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You are welcome! Please also read more on the repatriation/reparations aspect in my Global Voices post.
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