Wild Tobago

Faraaz Abdool looks into the seabird family that might most easily be seen on Little Tobago. All photos by Faraaz Abdool   The pool of bird names reveals all manner of information and inspiration. By themselves, birds are incredible creatures, emblematic of freedom and presence. Examining their names is an exploration of their lives in a unique and novel way – as we see them and allows us to refresh our perspective on our feathered friends.   Some bird names describe a physical characteristic. The Shoebill lurking in sub-Saharan swamps is a bird with a massive bill that recalls a Dutch clog. Others speak to a behavioral trait, if you see a bird pecking at wood, it’s likely a woodpecker. Names are sometimes onomatopoeic, such as “kiskadee” or “chachalaca” – as we know them, “cocrico”. Other times, they stir the imagination, for example “sungrebe” or “starthroat”. A few names pay homage to other languages; the desert cardinal of arid Northern Mexico is...

Islands have a special appeal: why else do visitors flock to tropical islands as places of idyll and escape. Islanders must exercise special care of their ecosystems which are fragile. Dr Anjani Ganase explains why islands are more vulnerable; and considers the delicate balance.             Islands off islands: St Giles lies off the northwest coast of Tobago Photo by Anjani Ganase     The definition of an island is a piece of land surrounded by water. There is an upper limit to how big islands can be;   very large land masses, such as Australia, are considered continents. Usually they are as small as the rocks we observe out at sea. The largest is Greenland, followed by New Guinea. Islands are mostly found in the ocean but can occur in lakes and rivers. The Orinoco River has several islands in its mouth formed by the sediment collected by the river. Consider the high-end New York neighbourhood of Manhattan that sits on an island in t...

Meet the birds of Tobago’s offshore islands with Faraaz Abdool This feature was published in Tobago Newsday, December 14, 2017 (All photos courtesy Faraaz Abdool) No, we’re not talking about Giles the Hermit – but something that has a similar level of secrecy and a whole lot more majesty. The islands of St Giles at 11.34 degrees north latitude form the northernmost land mass that falls under the jurisdiction of Trinidad and Tobago. Located just off the north-eastern tip of Tobago, this gathering of rocky offshore islets is an ecologically important site for a host of different creatures. So much so that the critically acclaimed (not to mention mind-blowing) documentary series Blue Planet II features a segment that was filmed in the waters just off St Giles Island. After being the property of Charlotteville Estates for one hundred years, the St Giles islands were deeded to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in 1965 – under the condition that they be designate...