BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT St Mary Islands
	Setting | Threats | Knowledge Individuals | Habitat | Life Scape | Management

 

1. Name of the Hotspot: Coconut Island (St Mary Islands)

2. Focal Species: Marine Gastropods, Echinoderms and Anthozoans

3. Coordinating Team: Dr. N A Madhyastha , Dr. K P Achar and N A Aravind.

    Experience/expertise: Ten years experience in Biodiversity Inventorying and monitoring.

4. Investigating Team: N A Aravinda and N A Madhyastha.

    Experience/expertise: Specialists in land snails

5. Dates of data collection: 1^st of Sept to 30^th Oct. 2003

6. Process of data collection: Hand picking and in situ observation

7. Sources of information: Field observations and published literature.

8. Number of man-days consumed in data collection: 10 days.(approximately).

(For core area, zone of influence)

1.      Location. About 4 kms from Sea Shore. 7 metres above sea level at the highest point.

2.      Area (in ha or sq.km.): about 1.0 sq kilometer.

3.      Latitude/Longitude/Altitude: 13°27’ to13° 20’

4.      Village/Town/Taluk/District: Malpe, Udupi Taluk, Udupi District.

5.      Maps (kind of map and the scale): NA

6.      Mode of access (Distance from Railway/Bus station):

            Malpe is about 5 kms from Udupi and from Malpe, the Coconut Island (St Marys Island) is about 5kms.  There is a regular boat service from Malpe fishing harbour to Coconut Island. The mechanized boat may at a time 70 to 80 people.

7.      Facilities to stay closest to the hotspot.

             Excellent Hotels available at Udupi and Minipal.

8.      Tariff (if any) to be paid to visit the hotspots:

             Rs. 50/ per person (to and fro) for boat.

9.      Controlling authorities:

            Under the control of Udupi District administration and Malpe Development authority.

10.  Classes of Landscape: Island consisting of Coconut orchards, grass patches and sandy and rocky beaches.  

11.  Water bodies: Sea on all the sides.

12.  Human populations: nil

13.  Presence of Scheduled tribes or Nomadic tribes population: nil

14.  Livestock: nil

15.  Irrigation status & Major crops: nil

16.  Significant forest produce: Nil

17.  Quantities recorded at the Range or Divisional Forest offices: nil

18.  Cooperative societies and their transactions: nil

19.  Significant fresh water fish productions: Nil.

20.  Disposal of fishing rights (Leasing/Auctioning/License): NA

21.  Significant estuarine & marine fish/shell fish productions: NA

22.  Number and type of fishing crafts: Nil

23.  Nearest Fishing landing centres: Malpe Fishing Harbour

24.  Availability of fish processing facilities: Nil

25.  Mining and quarrying activities: nil.

26.  Sources & extent of air and water pollution: nil

27.  Prevalence of Human diseases: NA

28.  Prevalence of Livestock diseases: NA

29.  Educational institutions: nil

30.  Cooperative societies: nil

31.  Youth clubs: nil

32.  Ladies clubs: nil

33.  Active NGOs: Indian Naturalist ® Udupi

Table-2

(For core area, zone of influence)

(a)   Preparation of sketch map of the landscape

1.      For zone of influence

(b)   Description of Habitat types

1.  Habitat type: Coconut orchards

                             Grassland + shrubs

                              Avicenia patch

                              Sandy shore on eastern, western and northern sides

                              Rocky out crops on southern side and northwest.

2.  Local name (if any) Thonse Par.

3.  Approximate total area (ha): 1.0 sq km.

4.  Special significance of the habitat type (if any):

             Govt. of India declared the island as Geological Monument for its unique hexagonal formations from basaltic lava.

5.      Management regimes:

            Udupi District Administration and Malpe Development Authority.

Goods and Services provided by the habitat:

            Tourism, habitat for birds and marine life.

Bads and Disservices provided by the habitat: Nil

6.      Significant ecological processes influenced by the habitat type:

             nil

7.      Significant man- induced processes influenced by the habitat:

       Anthropogenic pressure has altered the shore habitat of marine life.  During the summer months thousands of tourists visit the island causing sufficient damage to the habitat.

8.      Interacting individuals and institutions (Local):

            Local fishermen and their organizations.

9.      Activities:

            Local fishermen occasionally use the island for shelter.

10.  Interacting individuals and institutions (External): Tourists

11.  Activities: Colleting the shells and animals.

            For colleges and Universities this is an ideal place to study marine organism.

(c)    History of important habitat patches over 10-15/40-50 years

1.      Type and name of the habitat patch: St Marys Group of Islands

2.      Change in

(i)                  Area: The northern most of St Mary’s Islands is called coconut Island or Thonsepar.  Central part of this Island was owned by private patta holders till ten years ago.  Now the entire island is acquired by the government and hence is now under government control.  

            .

      ii.     Vegetation strata:

      Coconut trees were grown by private land owners and now are yielding coconuts. The other vegetation of the Island is natural ones, but mostly  weeds.

3.      Aquatic habitat change in

(i)                  Catchment area:

            Aquatic fauna:

(ii)                Aquatic flora. Marine algae.(Sargassum and Ulva)

4.      Significant ecological processes influencing the habitat patch: Nil

5.      Significant man induced processes influencing the habitat patch.

            A jetty is under construction for landing the boat. A toilet and a few thatched huts are built to provide shade to tourists.

6.      Productivity of Goods and Services:

7.      Extent of Bads and Disservices:

             Destruction of habitat because of tourists.  No care is being taken for protecting the coconut orchards and hence very tender coconuts are being mindlessly plucked and thrown. Often the grasses are burnt.

8.      Reasons for ongoing changes:

            No security personnel is stationed in the island.

9.      Gainers:

10.  Losers.

11.  Desired changes/Desired future:

            Necessary to declare the Island as a marine sanctuary or at least as heritage site, in addition to its status as geological monument. 

12.  Desired management system: Joint management under the leadership of district administration, local NGOs and the leaders of fishermen community to be involved in the management system.

13.  Suggested component for a feasible management plan for that habitat patch

        The island being an important tourist centre there shall be a balance between the activities of the tourists and the survival of the flora and fauna.  An island superviosry council shall be constituted with due representation from the ecologists and environmental activists. Proper field guide and information brochures may be provided to the tourists so that the threat to ecosystem can be minimized.  Regular monitoring of the biodiversity of the island may be taken up to asses the changes taking place.

(Fore core area, zone of influence)

(a)   Naturally occurring species of significance

1.  Flora

Cocos nucifera

Ipomoea pescaprae

I. tuba

Clerodendrum inerme

Premma serratifolia

Pongomia pinnata

Calophyllum inophyllum

Ficus asperrima

Streblus asper

Zizyphus jujube

Lanatana camara

Tridax sp

Strobilanthus sp.

Crotolaria sp.

Sida acuta

Aristolochia indica

Avicenna sp.

Marine Algae

Sargassum,

Ulva

2  Fauna

a. Coelenterates

Obelia colony

Sea anemones, 2 sp.

Zooanthus colony

b. Molluscs

    List enclosed

c. Echinoderms

Antedon sp.

Echinus sp.

Astropecten  sp.

Holothuria sp.

d. Birds

P. mongolus (Lesser Sand Plover)

Actitis hypoleucos  (Common sand piper)

Pluvialis squatarola (Grey Plover)

Sanderling,

Dunlin

Arenaris interpres (Turnstone)

Egretta gularis  (Reef Heron)

Milvus migrans (Pariah Kite)

Haliastur indus (Brahmini Kite)

Larus brunnicephalus (Brown headed Gull)

Acridotheres trisits (Indian Myna)

Sterna albifrons (Little terns)

Merops orientalis (Small green bee eater)

(For core area, zone of influence)

1. (a) Perspectives of others

The district administration wants the island to be an important tourist centre of the state of Karnataka.  Accordingly, they are planning for development of the islands, with out violating the CRZ regulations.

The fishing community wants access to the island for rest recreation during fishing activities.

The colleges nearby want the island to be important habitat for the in situ study of marine  organism (both plants and animals).

Petty shop keepers want some facilities to start business. 

CRZ regulatory authoritiss prevent construction of any concrete structures in around the island.

2.  Significance of management issues and response options:

            Management issues pertaining to

(a)    Habitat and/or: Control and regulation of tourists.

(b)   Species/variety: Marine gastropods and Echinoderms.

(c)    Customary/Administrative: The district administration is managing the island pretty well as on today although there were some problems in the past, in terms of safety to entrants to islands.  As a major part of the island was under private patta holder, there was a problem of managing the island.  Now there are no such problems.

(d)   Since how long the arrangements have been in practice: for the last ten years.

(e)    Changes if any in management pattern over last 10-15/40-50 years: Partial control by the private land holders has been completely taken over by the Government for last 20 years.

2.      Desired changes/Desired future: To declare the area as a heritage site for marine animals and necessary protection to the animals of the island.

3.      Desired management system: The present system of control by District administration if is fair enough but needs the involvement of local fishermen community and the  NGOs.

(b) Perspectives of Investigators  

            The senior investigator has been closely watching the islands for the last 35 years and found that there two major changes, viz., the entire island is now in the hands of the government and secondly the number of visitors has increased year after year.  There is no restriction on the collections of zoological materials from the island. This is one of the reasons that the Antedon, an echinoderm has totally disappeared from the island. Hence we strongly recommend that the collection of live specimens from the island shall be stopped once for all. We also suggest that a complete data base of the island may be created after making complete inventory of the island.

(c) Desired and feasible pattern of management that should be promoted in the opinion of the investigators

            We suggest that there shall be a group of people, let us call “Islanders”, consisting of scientists, leaders from the fishermen community, local NGOs and the district administration to manage the Island. The district administration shall help the Islanders in providing financial assistance and administrative help.  Due consideration shall be given to the conservation of flora and fauna of the island.

 (d) Suggested strategy for promoting the desired patterns of management and the communication needs for the purpose;

 1. Cultural, religious, recreational, scenic, tourist significance of the hotspot

            The island is known for its unique hexagonal prisms of granite formed some 50 millions years ago.  It is geological monument and a tourist centre.  The island is also known for its scenic beauty, for it over looks Arabian Sea.

 2. Ecological evaluation of the hotspot:

            Rich in inter tidal organisms. Crabs, sea anemones, oysters, gastropods and Belanus are quite common.

3. Suggested follow up investigations:

            A complete check list of organisms of the island has to be prepared.

4. Any other suggested follow up;

Steps may be taken to declare the island as a heritage site.