Wild Tobago

To the east of Trinidad and Tobago is the Atlantic, on the west the Caribbean Sea. However, the most powerful influence of water on these islands might be the fresh waters coming off the South American mainland. This week, Anjani Ganase, marine biologist, looks at the mighty Orinoco river whose delta comprises islands many times the size of Trinidad. This feature was first published in the Tobago Newsday on Thursday, December 1, 2016 Follow Anjani Ganase on twitter: @AnjGanase “When Columbus sailed into the Gulf of Paria he had to make sense of two anomalies. His navigational readings were picking up the earth’s equatorial bulge, and the Orinoco being in spate meant that the water was fresh. Captivated by the apparently friendly natives, the exuberant vegetation, the benign climate and the extraordinary landscape, he called the area Tierra de Gracia (Graceland).” -John Stollmeyer, Place of Beginnings, the World Views of the Amerindians of Cairi and of Medie...

Anjani Ganase, Trinbagonian marine biologist, continues her exploration of marine Tobago. In this issue, she considers three islands with coral reef ecosystems: Tobago, Curaçao and Heron Island. This feature was first published in the Tobago Newsday on Thursday, September 8, 2016. Follow Anjani Ganase on twitter: @AnjGanase Between 2009 and 2012, I worked and lived on three islands doing research in marine ecology. Each island had very different marine, terrestrial and social landscapes. Working on these islands taught me the importance of understanding all three aspects in order to implement environmental management and protection. Let’s have a look at these different islands with coral reef ecosystems, and peek into what makes each so special. TOBAGO In the summer of 2009, after graduating with a first degree in marine biology, my first job was in Tobago diving and collecting information on the juvenile turtles that lived on Tobago coral reefs. This was my...