Marvellous manateesMonday, August 2 2010
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Manatee. grazing on edge of waterway...
Twenty years ago, members of the San Juan Rotary Club decided to focus their environmental efforts on protecting the then relatively obscure manatee in its native habitat of Nariva Swamp. This was in direct response to the “Protect Planet Earth” project of 1990 - 1991 launched by Rotary International to all its districts across the globe.
The Club at that time was already involved in an environmental project at the Caroni River where members would assist in clearing the river and tributaries of debris and over-grown vegetation. The tipping point which shifted focus to the manatee happened about a month before this project was launched. Reports coming from employees of the Emperor Valley Zoo had indicated that a manatee was held by some residents in a pond along the Manzanilla Stretch on the Nariva Estate. Unfortunately, while investigating the report, it was learned that the manatee was slaughtered. Executive members of the Rotary Club of San Juan, being already sensitised to the plight of these animals, decided that the survival of this unique animal would be one of their environmental projects.
One of the Club’s core members, Gupte Lutchmedial, recalled an encounter with a dead manatee in 1984 during river-rafting at the Mitan River and was troubled that the manatee was still under siege some six years later. Discussions with the Wildlife Section, Forestry Division helped to shape the project as it was realised that cooperative measures with a non-governmental organisation would bring much-needed attention to the manatee. The San Juan Rotary Club was then able to play a pivotal role in facilitating research activities and promoting education and public awareness.
Within a matter of years, the Club was launching a Manatee Research Station at Manzanilla, a task performed by the then Minister of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, Dr Keith Rowley. Support for this venture came from the then manager, Michael Miller of Huggin’s Trust Ltd, owners of the Nariva Estate.
This facility was made available to the Forestry Division and other interested researchers to conduct population studies and patrols on a regular basis. To the credit of the Club and the Forestry Division this cooperative venture continues up to today and Antony Ramnarine, Conservator of Forests, recognises the value of this win-win situation.
The measure of success of this San Juan Rotary Club’s manatee project lies in the fact that in the mid 1990s, with financial backing from mainly Rotarians, principally Rotarian Gupte Lutchmedial and Rotarian Joe Ramkissoon, the estate was purchased from Huggins Trust Ltd. This estate had been under the previous owners for approximately 100 years. It was acquired by the Manatee Conservation Trust for the sole purpose of protecting the manatee habitat. This coconut estate is some 500 acres situated along the periphery of the Nariva Swamp and stretches well over 12 kilometres along the Manzanilla /Cocal coast line. The drive through this coconut estate is one of the most scenic in Trinidad. By taking this action, the Trust ensured that the remaining manatee population came under strict protection as these animals live in the tributaries and rivers that pass through the Estate and by a special deed of covenant, it will also protect this picturesque drive along the coast line.
Foundation members included Lutchmedial, Nadra Nathai-Gyan, Lisa R-Maharaj, Joe Ramkissoon, David Boodoo, Benjamin De La Rosa, Michael James, Saiyaad Ali and Michelle Ramnath.
By taking this action to safeguard the habitat of an endangered species through private ownership and setting aside strictly for protection purposes, the Manatee Conservation Trust has created history in Trinidad and Tobago by being the first local community based organisation (CBO) to purchase lands to protect an animal’s habitat for life. The Trust, as it exists today is first and foremost a community-based, non governmental and non profit organisation based at Nariva, Manzanilla with the majority of its membership (approximating 75 percent) being drawn from the local communities. Representatives of other environmental interest groups and government agencies comprise the remaining membership. The Trust is a major employer in the Manzanilla area, growing watermelons, coconuts and other agricultural crops, the income from which has contributed to its self sufficiency.
Such is the strength and purpose of this organisation, that today it has expanded its social responsibilities to the surrounding areas. A documentary entitled The Last Sanctuary was made by the Trust and is perhaps the only one of its kind to draw attention to the manatee in Nariva Swamp. Apart from the manatee, all other animals have found refuge in this vulnerable habitat on the Nariva Estate. The Trust’s programme also encompasses protection of other endangered species especially marine mammals and marine reptiles. Some of the other achievements of the Trust over the years have been its leading role in saving 14 of the 25 short-finned pilot whales which were stranded on the Manzanilla Beach in 1999, annual patrols at Manzanilla Beach to protect the nesting leatherback turtles and promoting environmental awareness and wildlife conservation. The Trust’s members are also first responders to stranded marine mammals.
Accolades for the Trust include a national award, the Humming Bird Medal (Silver) for protection of the environment. The Trust has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to further its animal welfare agenda in the region. The Trust also has collaborative relationships with many local governmental and non-governmental organisations, including the Forestry Division and the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago.
It is because of this shared relationship with the Zoological Society that the Trust chose the Emperor Valley Zoo as one of the venues for this poster display. Joining the celebrations on the opening day on Friday 30 July, 2010 was Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Collin Partap in his capacity as the Parliamentary Representative for the Trust’s home base of Manzanilla.
For Minister Partap, his tour of the poster exhibition led by the Trust’s President, Lisa Ramkissoon-Maharaj took him back to his earlier days as he is no stranger to the Trust and its activities. He recalled accompanying his father, the then Parliamentary Representative for the area on manatee sojourns and trips to the Nariva Swamp. Minister Partap expressed his congratulations to the Trust and his wishes for the continuation of its success in wildlife conservation and environmental protection.
The exhibition continues for the week at the Emperor Valley Zoo.
