Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
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ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS UNION TERRITORY BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN PREPARED UNDER THE NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN- INDIA GOI/UNDP MoEF, Government of India ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM 2003 ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS UNION TERRITORY BIODIVERSITY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN NBSAP Executing Agency: Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. NBSAP Funding Agency: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) / Global Environment Facility. NBSAP Technical Coordination Agency: Technical Policy Core Group (TPCG) coordinated by Kalpavriksh. NBSAP Administrative Agency: Biotech Consortium India Ltd., New Delhi BSAP Nodal Agency: Andaman and Nicobar Island Environmental Team (ANET) Nodal Agency personnel: Mr. Harry Andrews Dr. Rauf Ali Mr. Manish Chandi Mrs. Aparna Singh Steering Committee Members: The Secretary, Environment & forests Chairman Andaman and Nicobar Administration The Chief Conservator of Forests Vic-Chairman Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Chief Wildlife Warden Member Secretary Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Director of Fisheries Member Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Director of Agriculture Member Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Director, AH & VS Member Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Representative, CARI Member Andaman and Nicobar Islands Deputy Director, BSI Member Andaman and Nicobar Islands Officer- in- Charge, ZSI Member Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Representative, ANET Member Working Group Members: The Deputy Conservator of Forests (WL- 1), A & N Dept. Environment & Forests. The Assistant Conservator of Forests Planning), A & N Dept. Environment & Forests The Director Information Publicity & Tourism, Port Blair Dr. Mukhopadhyaya Anthropolocical Survey of India, Port Blair Dr. Prasant Mohanraj Central Agricultural Research Institute Dr. P. V. Shreekumar Botanical Survey if India, Port Blair Dr. P. T. Rajan Zoological Survey of India, Port Blair Mr. Sanjit Biswas Andaman Public Works Department, Port Blair Mr. Samir Acharya Society for the Andaman & Nicobar Ecology Mr. Sarang Kulkarni Reef Watch, Mumbai ANET Team Other Reviewers and Contributors: Dr. M. V. Wafer National Institute of Oceanography, NBSAP-TPCG member associate. Mr. Ashish Kothari Kalpavrish, NBSAP-TPCG member Mr. P. V. Savanth Dept. Environment & Forests, A & N Administration Dr. D R K. Shastry Zoological Survey of Insia, Port Blair Dr. R. Soundarajan Central Agriculture Research Institute, Port Blair Dr, S. Dam Roy Central Agriculture Research Institute, Port Blair Dr. N. Sarangi Central Agriculture Research Institute, Port Blair Dr. K. Madhu Central Agriculture Research Institute, Port Blair Dr. R. Madhu Central Agriculture Research Institute, Port Blair Dr. A. B. Mondaldr Central Agriculture Research Institute, Port Blair Dr. S. K. Mukherjee Dept. of Agriculture, Port Blair Dr. B. Mahto Dept. Animal Sciences & Veterinary Sciences, Port Blair Dr. A. K. Bardhan Dept. Animal Sciences & Veterinary Sciences, Port Blair Miss. Bandana Aul Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team Final Reviewers and Contributors: Mr. R.S.C. Jayaraj Dept. Environment & Forests Mr. Ajai Saxena Dept. Environment & Forests Mr. Harry V. Andrews Andaman and Nicobar Islands Environmental Team We would also like to thank Luc Gastmans and Tharaq Andrews for help with production of this document. Citation: ANET. 2003. Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory- Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Prepared Under the National Biodiversity Strategy And Action Plan- India. GOI- UNDP. Administrative coordination by Biotech Consortium India Ltd., Kundan House, 4th Floor, 16 Nehru Place, New Delhi- 110 091. Email: [email protected] Andaman & Nicobar Islands Environmental Team (ANET) Post Box- 1, Junglighat P. O. Port Blair- 744 103, Andamans Email: [email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................. 2 1.1. The planning process ............................................................................................... 2 1.2. Key issues and recommendations ........................................................................... 3 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................... 4 2.1. Scope of the SAP ...................................................................................................... 4 3. Area profile ................................................................................................................ 5 3.1. Geographical area .................................................................................................... 5 3.2. Geology ..................................................................................................................... 6 3.3. Climate .................................................................................................................... 10 3.4. Socio-economic profile ........................................................................................... 10 3.5. Political profile ....................................................................................................... 13 3.6. Ecological profile ................................................................................................... 13 3.7. Forestry ................................................................................................................... 14 3.8. Endemicity .............................................................................................................. 15 3.9. Brief history ............................................................................................................ 15 3.10. Information on previous studies ........................................................................... 16 3.11. Information on previous surveys .......................................................................... 19 4. Current range and status of biodiversity .............................................................. 20 4.1. State of forest ecosystems ...................................................................................... 20 4.2. State of agricultural ecosystems ........................................................................... 22 4.3. State of marine ecosystems.................................................................................... 24 4.4. State of mangrove and coastal ecosystems........................................................... 26 4.5. State of wetland ecosystems .................................................................................. 27 4.6. State of introduced and domesticated livestock .................................................. 27 5. Statement of key issues and problems ................................................................... 28 5.1. Loss of forest and conversion to monoculture ..................................................... 28 5.2. Decreasing agricultural productivity ................................................................... 34 5.3. Loss of reef cover ................................................................................................... 38 5.4. Issues with mangroves and coastal ecosystems ................................................... 40 5.5. Issues with coastal ecosystems .............................................................................. 41 5.6. ‘Island’ effects more likely to lead to species extinction ..................................... 42 5.7. Introduced domestic species: cattle and goats. .................................................... 42 5.8. Introduced species in the absence of predators ................................................... 43 5.9. Declining tribal populations and loss of indigenous knowledge ........................ 45 5.10. Impact of developmental activities ....................................................................... 46 5.11. Impact of tourism .................................................................................................. 46 5.12. Immigration from mainland ................................................................................. 46 5.13. Knowledge of medicinal plants ............................................................................. 47 6. Identification of relevant ongoing plans and programmes ................................. 47 6.1. Central government departments ........................................................................ 47 6.2. State govt. departments ......................................................................................... 51 6.3. Research institutes ................................................................................................. 53 6.4. Non-governmental organisations .......................................................................... 54 7. Identification of stakeholders ................................................................................ 55 7.1. Central government departments ........................................................................ 55 7.2. State govt. depts. .................................................................................................... 56 7.3. Research institutes ................................................................................................. 57 7.4. NGOs ....................................................................................................................... 57 7.5. Settlers ...................................................................................................................