Andaman Nicobar Mangrove Coral Reef Biodiversity Ecology

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands contain over 2,200 square kilometres of mangrove forest among the most intact in the Indian Ocean, alongside fringing and patch coral reef systems of extraordinary biodiversity. Mangroves lining Andaman creeks and bay inlets provide nursery grounds for dugong, hawksbill turtle, saltwater crocodile, and Andaman water monitor lizard. Coastal fishing cooperative members have voluntarily retired gill-net operations within designated mangrove creek zones following training by the Wildlife Institute of India. Nicobar cooperative honey collectors harvest from wild Apis dorsata colonies in coastal littoral forest under Forest Department permit. The reef survey cooperative trains tribal divers from Baratang and Rangat islands to conduct annual coral health monitoring using visual census protocol. Seagrass meadows adjacent to mangrove channels support Indo-Pacific dugong populations surveyed by cooperative boat operators.