Caroni Swamp

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Caroni Swamp

The Caroni Swamp is the second largest mangrove wetland in Trinidad and Tobago . It is located in the northwest of the island of Trinidad and is a designated nature reserve.

geography

The 6000 hectare area is located immediately south of the capital Port of Spain on the Gulf of Paria . Administratively, it is largely in the San Juan-Laventille region ; the southern extension cuts off the largest city of Trinidad, Chaguanas, from the sea and protrudes a little into the Couva-Tabaquite-Talparo region . The eastern boundary is the Uriah Butler Highway , one of the country's most important north-south axes, which was built on the formerly larger swamp reclaimed and from which a spur road branches off as the only access route to the Caroni Swamp. The highest point is ten meters. In addition to numerous small canals, four rivers cut through the area and drain into the Gulf of Paria: TheCaroni River , the Cunupia River, the Gayamare River and the Madame Espagnol River, whereby the Caroni River influences the ecology of the area. There are numerous saline lagoons inside the wetland. The entire wetland is subject to the tides; the tidal range is about one meter. The flood washes saltwater from the Gulf of Paria into the Caroni Swamp, while rivers and (especially during the rainy season) tropical rains bring freshwater to the area; the result is weakly saline brackish water , which is essential for the specific flora and fauna of the area. In 1950 the Caroni Swamp was an almost pure freshwater swamp due to the greater inflow of fresh water at the time; however, after the construction of the Caroni Arena Dam south of Arima in the late 1970s , the freshwater supply decreased, which increased the salinity of the Caroni Swamp.

Flora and fauna

The area of ​​the Caroni Swamp is covered by mangrove forest. The dominant type of mangrove is the red mangrove , with black and white mangroves a little further away from water bodies . The construction of the drinking water reservoir also changed the flora of the Caroni Swamp; the original vegetation with freshwater plants receded, and only on the eastern edge are small areas with herbaceous marsh plants and reeds.

The Caroni Swamp is home to around 185 species of birds, 20 of which are considered endangered. Among other things, the area is home to a colony of scarlet ibis , one of the two national birds of Trinidad, with around 15,000 specimens . Animal species to which the wetland provides habitat and refuge are:

Scarlet ibis on the evening flight home
Birds

Anthracothorax viridigula, Gull (ca. 5000), Blauflügel duck , bicolor Conirostrum, Coccycua minuta, Dendroplex picus, Osprey , knob-billed duck , Kahn Schnabel , Heron , Krabbe Bussard, mangrove cuckoo, Neotropic Cormorant , Paroaria gularis, greater ani , Scarlet, Schneckenweih , American White , Black Hawk, Urutau- Day sleeper , white tailed hair

Reptiles

Boa , emerald tree boa , Tree Boa , spectacled caiman

fishes

Anableps anableps, four- eyes

Mammals

Crab raccoon , pygmy anteater

Insects and crustaceans

Cardisoma guanhumi, erythemis vesiculosa

use

Caroni Swamp

Nature reserve

The Caroni Swamp is a protected wetland area according to the Ramsar Convention and is managed by the State Forestry Office. Within the area, an area of ​​324 hectares is designated as a nature reserve. The nature reserve was established in 1953 to protect the scarlet ibis population that nested there, at that time only counting 10,000 specimens. The Caroni Bird Sanctuary is a visitor center that provides information about the flora and fauna of the wetland and from which commercial providers operate boat tours through the canals and lagoons.

Economic use

In addition to tourist use, the use for oyster farming, fishing and hunting is important. The canals are navigable for small motor boats. Attempts in the 1920s and 1940s to establish rice cultivation in the area of ​​the Caroni Swamp failed and led to the incursion of salt water into the then fresh water swamp due to eroded dams.

literature

  • Peter R. Bacon: The Ecology of Caroni Swamp . Central Statistical Office Printing Unit, Port of Spain 1970.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Rodney V. Salm and John R. Clark: Marine and Coastal Protected Areas: A Guide for Planners and Managers . International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Gland 2000, ISBN 2-8317-0540-1 , p. 334 .
  2. ^ A b William L. Murphy: A Birdwatcher's Guide to Trinidad & Tobago . Prion Ltd., Cley 2004, ISBN 978-1-871104-11-0 , pp. 65 .
  3. ↑ a b Caribbean-Beat.com: Winston Nanan and the Caroni Swamp. Retrieved April 11, 2016 .
  4. ↑ a b Biodiversity.gov.tt: Caroni Swamp Ramsar Wetlands. Retrieved December 16, 2015 .
  5. ^ A b Birdlife.org: Trinidad & Tobago. Retrieved May 15, 2016 . (PDF, 680 kB)

Coordinates: 10 ° 35 ′ 18 ″  N , 61 ° 27 ′ 21 ″  W.