Wild Tobago

Countless marvelous marine critters live in seagrass meadows which are easily seen in places like the Buccoo Reef marine protected area in Tobago. Dr Anjani Ganase encourages us to learn about their connections to reef and mangrove, and to allow the children to explore them.   Seagrasses are the only flowering plants that grow in the marine environment. Let that sink in for a second: a flowering plant adapted to living underwater in the ocean! They are commonly found in shallow sheltered waters along coastal areas. Though widely distributed along shallow coastal areas that are connected to about one billion people from the tropics to the poles, the actual acreage of seagrass is less than one percent of the ocean (the size of The Philippines). Yet in the narrow shallow zones between the land and the open ocean, the seagrass habitats provide special ecological functions to the ocean and to us. Unfortunately, seagrass communities around the world are declining a...

  As the earth warms, ice caps and glaciers melt, sea level rise is inevitable. Dr Anjani Ganase, marine scientist, wonders what is the monitoring and management plan for our islands’ coasts; urgently needed especially for low-lying communities around Tobago Although the impact of sea level rise as a result of global warming is less obvious to us on island ecosystems in the tropics, temperature rises in the polar regions result in very visible changes to the landscape and environment. For years, we have seen images of the lone polar bear on an isolated iceberg adrift. More recently, images of waterfalls cascading off the glacial cliffs and huskies wading through ice melt on a balmy 22 degree day remind us that the changes are accelerating. Ninety percent of sea level rise recorded in the last 40 years resulted from a combination of melting glacial ice from the poles, rapidly melting ice sheets from Greenland (just under 2 million km 2 of it) plus the expan...

On June 5, everyone on the planet – each of the seven billion of us – is invited to remember our place in nature. Human beings are not apart from nature, we are a part of nature. The theme for World Environment Day 2017 is “connecting people to nature – in the city and on the land, from the poles to the equator.” Here in Tobago, we are fortunate to be able to renew this connection in direct ways. No one has to go far to be in nature. Schools and families are encouraged to select an activity that awakens these connections. This feature was first published in the Tobago Newsday on June1, 2017 In Tobago, we are the best hosts. We can recommend all the places that delight visitors: the beaches, the waterfalls, the forest walks. How many of these places do we – apart from those who work as guides or tour operators – actually know intimately? This World Environment Day, we suggest that you renew your acquaintance with what brings visitors here. Sometimes we need t...

Anjani Ganase, marine scientist and PhD candidate for a study of Coral Reefs, made a presentation to the Green Market community in Santa Cruz. She shares the presentation here in support of her belief that caring for the Caribbean Sea no longer rests only with marine scientists. We should all know and care about what’s happening offshore our islands and in the oceans everywhere. This feature was first published in the Tobago Newsday on Friday March 3, 2017  Follow Anjani on twitter @AnjGanase Coral reefs around the world can be found in specific locations, around tropical islands where ocean temperatures are warm and the water is generally clear enough for sunlight to filter through. These locations amount to about one percent of the ocean floor. If we look at the map, we’ll see that our islands – Trinidad and Tobago – lie within one of these coral-select regions of the world, the Caribbean.  Map shows where most coral reefs are located (Courtesy WWF)...

In observance of the season of celebration and thanksgiving, Jahson Alemu shares 12 creatures special to Buccoo Reef that we should cherish and protect. Make a note for 2017 to appreciate the marine environment that surrounds Trinidad and Tobago. Without it, we are rocks in the ocean, black dots on the map.  Follow Jahson on twitter: jahson_alemu Christmas is in the air. The smell of pastelles, black cake, ham and all sorts of seasonal goodies tantalise our taste buds. From simple to intricate lights adorn houses; and like moths drawn to a flame, paranderos flitter from house to house to spread joy, serenade and wish us well for the season. In the spirit of the season, here is a Christmas tribute to some of the creatures that add vibrancy, wonder, colour and life to our Buccoo Reef. Red Cushion Starfish, photo courtesy Jahson Alemu On the first day of Christmas, My true love gave to me, One Red Cushion Starfish (Oreaster reticulatus). Two French Angelfish, photo co...