Poachers are despoiling the nests of "bubies" of 1,000 eggs per day on the "Seven Sisters," the north coast string of islets that serve as home to the endangered and protected species. A type of seagull, the "bubies" scientifically known as sula leucogaster are under the protection of the National Parks Department (DNP), by virtue of the fact that the "Seven Sisters" form a part of the Monte Cristi National Park. The predators who were unself-consciously photographed in the act of robbing a nest appear to operate in complete impunity. The story published in Hoy, notes that no DNP presence was noted either on the islets or in nearby waters. DNP vigilance of the use of national parks has supposedly been strengthened with the recent personnel increase of more than 200%. In the 19th century, "bubies" made an important contribution to the Dominican economy, when the government leased the island of Alto Velo to an American company to mine their abundant phosphorus-rich guano.
