An Interesting Week in Trinidad and Tobago

 It has been an interesting week for Trinidad and Tobago’s environmental scene. There were Scarlet Ibises in Oropouche Lagoon, another Leatherback Turtle on Maracas Bay, and Sea Foam across the Eastern Coast.

The Good:

In other good news, one of the National Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, a large fleet of Scarlet Ibis has been spotted in the Oropouche Lagoon. Most people know about the Caroni Swamp which is most renowned for the groves of Scarlet Ibis that live there but the Oropouche Lagoon is also home to this Environmentally Sensitive Species. The Oropouche Lagoon has a very similar environment to the Caroni Swamp which means that the Lagoon will be a perfect habitat for these birds. In recent times the sighting of these birds have increased in the Oropouche area. This is a positive outlook for Scarlet Ibis populations in Trinidad and Tobago (LoopNewsTT 2021). 

 

Figure 1: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday 2017

There was unusual news about a Leatherback Turtle on Maracas Bay heading towards the North Coast Road. Since the lockdown in Trinidad and Tobago has been implemented due to COVID-19, there have been many accounts of Leatherback Turtles coming up on the now quiet north coast beaches which are normally covered with beach-goers. When the Maracas Bay Police saw the turtle heading towards the roadway around 5:30am on Monday, 12th July 2021, they called the Las Cuevas Eco-Friendly Association (a conservation group) who came and redirected the turtle to safety. The turtle was initially stuck in the mud and was unable to move, when the group finally freed her and redirected her to the sea, she was too tired to move on her own. Due to the concerted efforts made by the Conservation group, they were able to get the turtle to the water where she swam off when she regained some strength. Due to the guest appearance made by the Leatherback Turtles during the pandemic, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago is considering making Maracas Bay and other popular North Coast Beaches no-plastic zones to encourage the nesting of this endangered animal (LoopNewsTT 2021).

Figure 2: Loop News TT 2021

The Bad:

The last event to happen within the last week was the appearance of Sea Foam along the Eastern Coast of Trinidad and Tobago especially in the Manzanilla and Mayaro area. Eye-witness accounts said the sea foam almost looked like “snow” across the beach and roadways. Sea Foam occurs when the wind agitates the seawater on the surface causing it to foam since seawater contains many contaminants such as dissolved salts, dead algae, proteins, and many more. This can also be caused by large algal blooms, when the algae die and decays, it can cause the foam to form. Sea Foam is not harmful to human life unless the foam is caused by algal blooms, when the foam bubbles pop, the gas released can cause eye irritation. In terms of marine life, Sea Foam is usually a good indication of a productive ocean, however if caused by an algal bloom, it can be devastating for the marine life (NOAA 2021). Algal blooms can kill all marine life by preventing sunlight from penetrating the water and using all the oxygen in the water during the decay.

Figure 3: Joshua Kalloo 2021

References

"Leatherback Turtle Rescued After Wandering Near Main Road | Loop Trinidad & Tobago". 2021. Loop News. https://tt.loopnews.com/content/leatherback-turtle-rescued-after-wandering-near-main-road-552969.

"Scarlet Ibises Spotted In Oropouche Lagoon | Loop Trinidad & Tobago". 2021. Loop News. https://tt.loopnews.com/content/scarlet-ibises-spotted-oropouche-lagoon-552813.

"What Is Sea Foam?". 2021. Oceanservice.Noaa.Gov. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/seafoam.html.





 

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