By Jeniece Germain
Did you know that conservation officials in Trinidad and Tobago have observed an increase in the number of flamingos at the Caroni Swamp over recent years?
Cari-Bois Environmental News Service spoke to representatives of the Forestry Division’s Wildlife Section, and Nanan’s Caroni Bird Sanctuary Tours, to learn more about changes within the swamp and highlight the need for the public to understand the importance of conserving its biodiversity.
More flamingos at the Caroni Swamp
A research assistant at the Forestry Division’s Wildlife Section, Tevin Butler, said flamingos have been observed at the swamp since the 1980s but their current numbers are higher than average.
“Within an eight-year span, we have started to see the increase in population,” he said. “While their numbers remained around 100 in previous decades, recent surveys by the Division have reported approximately 600 birds.”
Of the six species of flamingo that exist worldwide, the Caribbean Flamingo — which is native to the region and ranges from Venezuela to Florida — calls the Caroni Swamp home.
While non-migratory in nature, flamingos are known to fly long distances in search of food or to reproduce.
Like the scarlet ibis (Trinidad and Tobago’s national bird), flamingos obtain their color from the carotenoid-rich food they consume — shrimp and crabs — which are found in coastal mud flats like those at the Caroni Swamp.
Butler told Cari-Bois that the relatively sudden rise in the number of flamingos at Caroni may be due to disturbances in their previous habitats in neighboring territories. As a result, they may have moved to Trinidad for new feeding and breeding grounds. But Butler cautiously noted that the root causes for their shift in location remains unknown. Even though an increase in population is a good thing, balance within ecosystems is important and it is fair to question if the increase in flamingos affects any other species at the swamp or the availability of food/resources.
But Nanan’s Caroni Bird Sanctuary Tours guide, Khemraj Bhagan, said that the flamingos are existing harmoniously in the swamp especially with its famous neighbor, the scarlet ibis. Bhagan explained that the Ibis roost in the foliage of the mangroves while flamingos remain on the mud flats where they feed and sleep.
While the increase in flamingos has been welcomed, the growing presence of mussels at the swamp has had less fanfare.
Bhagan told Cari-Bois that a species of small, black mussel has been rapidly multiplying on the roots of the swamp’s red mangroves. His concern is that these mussels are “taking over the oysters,” referring to the mangrove cupped oyster which is found at the swamp and is a local street food.
The mussel appears to be the charru mussel, which has been reported in the Gulf of Paria since the 1950s. But whether their increasing numbers is posing a threat to the oyster fishery, or by extension the swamp, needs to be further researched.
How humans contribute to changes at Caroni Swamp
The reduction in human activity during the Covid pandemic was thought by many to be nature’s “well-deserved break from our presence.”
But recent studies revealed that this anthropause (coined by Dr. Christian Rutz of St. Andrew’s University) had a double-sided effect on species conservation. While some species benefited from limited disturbance at the Caroni Swamp, others may have suffered from the lack of human protection, with the spectacled caiman being one of these species.
Victor Nanan, director of Nanan’s Caroni Bird Sanctuary Tours, has observed what he considers to be a significant decline in spectacled caiman sightings.
Before the pandemic, Nanan said tour guides may have seen one to two caimans per week. Since recommencement of tours in 2022, sightings of these caimans have been limited.
As top predators, caimans are vital in regulating the populations of prey. If not regulated, an overabundance of prey species can put pressure resources within an ecosystem.
Nanan said that the decline in spectacled caimans at Caroni Swamp was likely due to increased poaching during pandemic lockdowns. He noted that poaching — especially of the scarlet ibis for meat during the Christmas season — is an ongoing problem that needs to be addressed through more patrols at the swamp and greater enforcement of environmental laws.
Oil Spill Near Caroni Swamp
In August 2022, a truck accidently spilled diesel in the vicinity of the Caroni Swamp and Nanan said that it contributed to mangrove die-off along the swamp’s entry channel. While efforts were made by authorities to clean the spill, the fuel could not be contained and made its way into the entry channel which resulted in the die-off.
The Caroni Boardwalk
To commemorate World Wetlands Day, the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries opened the Caroni Boardwalk. Free of charge to the public, the boardwalk extends into swamp and gives the public a waterfront view of the swamp’s many natural attractions, including the Scarlet Ibis.
The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Farook Hosein, addressed the event and explained that the boardwalk was created to allow visitors greater accessibility to the swamp, especially for those unable to participate in boat tours.
The Forestry’s Division Conservator of Forests, Denny Dipchansingh, said in his address that plans to expand the boardwalk have already been approved by the Public Sector Investment Programme.
There are also plans to restore the birdwatching tower at the swamp. The Ministry touts the projects as efforts to improve accessibility to the swamp to “deepen the public’s connection with nature and underscore the importance of wetlands to human well-being.”
This article was originally published by the Cropper Foundation’s Cari-Bois Environmental News (www.caribois.org/2024/09/exploring-recent-changes-at-trinidads-caroni-swamp).
