SAVING THE ANDAMANS TOWARDS A STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS Shekhar Singh Uma Bordoloi MAN AND THE BIOSPHERE PROGRAMME UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND CULTURAL ORGANISATION 2002 THE ISLANDS AND THE PEOPLE ........................................................... 7 I. THE ISLANDS ...................................................................................................... 8 Geography and Geology ............................................................................................. 9 Soil .............................................................................................................................. 9 Climate ...................................................................................................................... 10 Land Use ................................................................................................................... 10 Forestry ..................................................................................................................... 11 Industry ..................................................................................................................... 12 Fisheries .................................................................................................................... 12 Agriculture ................................................................................................................ 13 Energy ....................................................................................................................... 15 Tourism ..................................................................................................................... 16 II THE PEOPLE ..................................................................................................... 18 The Tribals of the Andamans .................................................................................... 19 The Andamanese ................................................................................................... 20 The Onges ............................................................................................................. 21 The Jarawas ........................................................................................................... 23 The Sentinelese ..................................................................................................... 24 Tribals of the Nicobar islands ................................................................................... 25 The Nicobarese ..................................................................................................... 25 The Shompens ....................................................................................................... 25 The Former Convicts and their Descendants ............................................................ 26 The Settlers ............................................................................................................... 27 The Refugees ............................................................................................................ 27 The Mainlanders ....................................................................................................... 28 The Karens ................................................................................................................ 28 The Recent Immigrants ............................................................................................. 28 III THE HISTORY ............................................................................................... 29 Early History ............................................................................................................. 29 Colonial History ........................................................................................................ 30 Contemporary History .............................................................................................. 34 The History of Biological Explorations .................................................................... 34 IV THE ECOLOGY ............................................................................................. 40 Fauna ......................................................................................................................... 41 Mammals............................................................................................................... 42 Birds ...................................................................................................................... 43 Reptiles ................................................................................................................. 45 Marine Life ........................................................................................................... 46 Fish ........................................................................................................................ 49 Corals .................................................................................................................... 49 Flora .......................................................................................................................... 51 Forests ................................................................................................................... 56 2 Mangroves............................................................................................................. 58 Miscellaneous ........................................................................................................... 60 THREATS TO THE ECOSYSTEM ............................................................ 61 V POLICY AND LAW ........................................................................................... 62 The Indian Forest Act 1927 ...................................................................................... 62 The Forest Conservation Act 1980 ........................................................................... 62 The Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 .......................................................................... 62 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 ..................................... 62 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 ......................................... 63 The Environmental Protection Act 1986 .................................................................. 63 Coastal Regulation Zones ......................................................................................... 63 VI THREATENED FORESTS ........................................................................... 66 Commercial Forestry ................................................................................................ 68 Plantations ................................................................................................................. 78 Local Needs .............................................................................................................. 80 Encroachments on Forest Land ................................................................................. 80 VII THREATENED BEACHES, CORALS AND MANGROVES ................... 83 Beaches ..................................................................................................................... 83 Corals ........................................................................................................................ 85 Mangroves................................................................................................................. 86 VIII THREATS TO SPECIES .................................................................................... 87 Poaching and Over-exploitation ............................................................................... 87 Introduction of Exotics ............................................................................................. 88 IX GENERAL THREATS ................................................................................... 97 Inappropriate Tourism .............................................................................................. 97 Diversion of Land and Felling Of Trees ................................................................... 97 Distribution of Timber and Non-Timber Forest Produce ......................................... 98 STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.................... 99 X CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES .................................................... 100 Livelihood Concerns ............................................................................................... 102 Development Concerns ........................................................................................... 104 Potential for Economic Development ..................................................................... 105 Protecting Forests and Biodiversity ........................................................................ 106 Meeting Local Demand....................................................................................... 106 Wood Based Industry .......................................................................................... 110 Encroachments .................................................................................................... 111 Biodiversity Conservation .................................................................................. 113 Conservation of Beaches..................................................................................... 114 Miscellaneous