Middle Button Island National Park

November 19, 2021

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About Me

Student at Symbiosis School of Liberal Arts, Pune.
Currently doing BA(Liberal Arts Hons) with Economics major and Media and English Minor
A Photography Enthusiast and an avid reader

Content

Geographical Location- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Landscape and Ecology of the national Park
Flora and Fauna
Conservation of marine life
Q&A
References

Geographical Location: Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Located between 6° and 14° North Latitude and 92° and 94° East Longitude
Consists of two groups of islands-The islands located north of 10° north latitude are known as Andaman while islands located south of 10° north latitude are called Nicobar
About 90 miles to the southwest of Great Nicobar lies the northwestern tip of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Both the Andaman and Nicobar groups are formed by the above-sea extensions of submarine ridges of mountains and are a part of a great island arc

More than 300 islands make up the Andamans.

North, Middle, and South Andaman-Great Andaman
Other Islands-Landfall Island, Interview Island, Sentinel Islands, Ritchie’s Archipelago, Rutland Island.

A 10-degree channel separates Little Andaman from Nicobar, which consists of 19 islands.

Some prominent islands are Car Nicobar, Camorta, Katchall, Nancowry and Great Nicobarin

Landscape and Ecology of the National Park

Located in the Andaman district of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Total area of the park is 0.44 Km2.
Most of the park area is covered with deciduous forest.
The Middle Button Island National Park is surrounded by sandy beaches and sea water with clear visibility.

Flora

Artocarpus gomeziana, Artocarpus chaplasha, Aprosa villosula, Caryota mitis, Dinochloa andamanica, Salmalia insignis, Calophyllum soulattri, Calamus palustris, Dipterocarpus grandiflorus, Hopea odorata, Sideroxylon sp., Parishia insignis, Baccaurea sapida, Dipterocarpus pilosus, Salmalia insignis, Canarium manii, Endospermum chinensis etc.

Fauna

Spotted deer, Fruit Bat, White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Sooty Tern, Monitor lizards, Dugongs, Dolphins, Sea turtles, Blue whale, Andaman Serpeant Eagle, Water monitor etc.

conservation of Marine Life

Andaman and Nicobar was named as one of the two “hope spots” by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) an organization involved in the study of oceans. A hope spot is an area of ocean that merits special protection because of its wildlife and significant underwater habitats. The park has unique marine wildlife which features on the Government of India’s list of Protected Areas.

The Park is strictly reserved for the betterment of the flora and fauna and biodiversity. Activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are strictly prohibited, and the boundaries are well-marked and demarcated.

Did you know that there are 96 wildlife sanctuaries, 9 national parks and one biosphere on these islands alone?

This group of island consists of 270 species and sub species of birds and over 300 species of fish found in the island and the seas. The state animal – the Dugong – along with some critically endangered species of turtles (leatherback, hawksbill, green and olive ridley turtles) are also found here.

The rich and diverse coral reef in Andaman represents millions of years of growth and some of them could be among the oldest living communities in the world. The Indian government is backed by several international conservation organizations like WWF that regularly conduct surveys and checks on the reef’s health.

What you can do?

Do not touch or break coral reefs when exploring the ocean.
When shopping, always look for a ‘Sustainable’ tag with your purchase.
Join a local conservation group that educates people, especially students, on the importance of marine life conservation such as ReefWatch.
Eat less wild fish and show your support to sustainable aquaculture fisheries and avoid eating any exotic varieties