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Back To: Environment
Mohéli
Marine Park
Equator Prize 2002 Finalist
Mwali/Mohéli, is home to a rich variety of plant and animal
species, including the endangered Dugong, and the Livingstone fruit
bat, and its marine environment is a treasure trove of biodiversity.
In 1995, ten villages in southern Mohéli began to advocate for the
designation of their offshore waters as a marine park to protect
this unique natural environment.
In April 2001, 404 square kilometers of the south coast of the
island were declared a marine park, the first protected area in
Comoros. The Park includes the Nioumachoua Islets, beaches and rocky
areas, coral reefs and scattered mangrove stands.
Protection and management of the Park involves the villager
associations. Mohéli Marine Park project is proving that a country
rich in biodiversity and struggling with poverty can tackle poverty
while at the same time promoting environmental sustainability. The
Park project offers a range of benefits for fisheries, local
economies and the marine environment, such as : safe haven for fish
and marine turtles, protection of 45 green turtle breeding beaches,
presentation of destructive reef fishing practices, maintenance of
biodiversity by protecting the endemic flying fox, and the
coelacanth; development of ecotourism and income for local
people.
The Park is divided into zones and, in ten of these, it is
completely forbidden to extract anything. In the other zones, it was
made illegal to poach turtles or birds, destroy coral or introduce
any new species. Fishermen from other areas are still allowed to
fish in the park provided they respect the regulations.
Mohéli Marine Park is a breeding site for turtles. Four species
frequent its shores: the Green turtle, Scaly turtle, Logger-head,
and Lute turtle. The Green and Scaly turtles are both endangered
species. Danger to nesting turtles comes from human activity
(removal of sand for construction), poaching, and capture of turtles
for commercial purpose, though prohibited by Comorian law.
Other species unique to Moheli are the Moheli Scops-Owl. The entire
population of 400 pairs is restricted to the only 5 % of forest left
on the island.
Source:
http://www.iucn.org/places/earo/projs/comores.htm
Photo source:
http://www.km.undp.org/sdpen.htm
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