Wild Tobago

Every year, sea turtles - including the iconic leatherback - return to Trinidad and Tobago shores for their nesting season.   Dr Anjani Ganase suggests how we should treat these very special guests.   Every memory of going to observe turtle nesting has become a lasting one. I still remember going to Matura as a child, following my mother in the dark along the long sandy stretch only to suddenly stumble on to a laying leatherback bigger than me!   Fast forward to Grande Riviere in my early twenties where leatherback turtles were literally bumping into each other in the darkest night, on the beach with the highest density of nesting turtles in Trinidad. Such encounters were always guided by an expert and were significant for the respect and care that were expected if we were to be in the presence of these ancient and majestic creatures.    Leatherback turtle returning to the sea in Grande Riviere. Photo by Anjani Ganase   The leathe...

First published in Newsday TT on April 21, 2022. Here is the text with a few more photos. Pat Ganase revisits Little Tobago after 32 years for a stroll into the past. Photos by Pat Ganase.   1990: looking down the cliffs towards the wild sea   1990: living dangerously with Jet, 8 week old pup 1990: Wordsworth Frank leads the tour In 1909, Sir William Ingram, a British peer and politician and managing director of the Illustrated London News, bought the small star-shaped island off the north-east coast of Tobago. He would turn it into a bird sanctuary to accommodate a small colony of the Greater Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea apoda) which was over-hunted in its native New Guinea for feathers for ladies hats. Two dozen nesting pairs were introduced - and the island which had in the late 18 th century produced a very high yield of cotton per acre - became known as Bird of Paradise island. In 1924, after Sir William died, the island was deeded to the Governm...

As marine scientists work to figure out what’s affecting precious sea urchin colonies, they ask all divers, snorkelers, swimmers to report all sightings of sea urchins - healthy, ailing or dying - to the network that is tracking disease spread. Dr Anjani Ganase reports.   Healthy, living  Diadema  urchin and healthy group of urchins. Photo by K. Marks, sourced from AGRRA Diadema Response Network.   On Caribbean coral reefs, the long spined urchins ( Diadema antiilarum ) are important grazers of algae on coral reefs. Algae compete for space with corals and other benthic creatures on reefs, and these urchins maintain algae free surfaces to allow corals to settle and grow.   In mid-February of 2022, a local dive shop observed dozens of dead Diademas in a harbour in St Thomas. With news of the die off, local researchers began investigating neighbouring sites only to observe more dead and sick sea urchins. All observations show that when the urchins become ...

Could enthusiasts of sports such as surfing influence the conservation of their favourite beaches? Anjani Ganase makes the case for surfers in Trinidad and Tobago to champion beaches like Toco or Mt Irvine. Coastlines that generate outstanding wave formation and epic surf conditions often coincide with areas rich in biodiversity and marine life. It sometimes happens that marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs that support rich marine life below, also support roaring surfing communities above the water. Photo 1 Surfing at Grange Bay, Tobago. Photo by Nicholas Marsan All coastal areas are heavily influenced by human activities, especially since over 70 % of the world’s populations are found within 50 km of coasts. As a result, there’s hardly a coast or marine ecosystem that’s untouched by human activity. Indeed many have undergone significant degradation. Popular surfing destinations have not been spared from a wide range of human activities such as coastal development, seabed dredging a...

Cunning strategies and nefarious practices that some birds use to secure nests or caregivers to their eggs. Are these ploys to ensure survival of their species or just bad mind? Faraaz Abdool looks at some birds that get others to do these jobs. (Photos by Faraaz Abdool)   It’s the start of spring in the temperate northern hemisphere and here in the tropics we’re also undergoing a shift in the seasons. Subtle changes in weather may be imperceptible to humans, but to the trees and animals, the signals are clear. Countless trees in the forest have burst into flower, some are just releasing their seeds, and others are already sprouting new leaves. To coincide with this boon in resources, many birds are also entering their breeding season. Breeding season begins with courtship displays: A male Giant Cowbird engages his mate. Photo by Faraaz Abdool   While some species of resident birds in Trinidad and Tobago do breed all year, there is a marked increase in breeding activity ...