Ulenge Island | |
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Location | Tanzania, Tanga Region, Tanga District |
Nearest city | Tanga |
Coordinates | 5°0′28″S39°9′42″E / 5.00778°S 39.16167°E |
Length | 1.0 km (0.62 mi) |
Width | 0.2 km (0.12 mi) |
Established | 2010 |
Governing body | Marine Parks & Reserves Authority (Tanzania) |
Website | Tanga Marine Reserves System |
Ulenge Island officially, Ulenge Island Marine Reserve (Kisiwa cha Hifadhi Akiba cha Ulenge, in Swahili) is a protected, seasonally habited island in the Tanga Bay of Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Kwale Island and Ulenge Island are the only islands in the marine reserve that are seasonally inhabited. Of Tanga's whole marine reserves system, Ulenge Island is the most degraded. Ulenge's reefs had the lowest fish numbers and the lowest coral cover and species diversity (5-7%, 16 coral genera). This is mostly because Tanga Bay and Tanga City Council are nearby, which has a greater negative human impact. Ulenge Island is nicknamed by English speakers as Bird Island due to its importance as a seabird sanctuary. [1] [2]
The Swahili people from the north, led by Chief Mwinyi Ulenge, are said to have been the initial inhabitants of Ulenge Island. They were compelled to travel to the mainland due to a water deficit on the island. The majority of them relocated to Chongoleani ward of Tanga city. [3] The island is also the location of two of Tanga's most famous lighthouses; the Ulenge Island Front Range Lighthouse and the Ulenge Island Rear Range Lighthouse. [4]
The primary biotope at Ulenge Island Marine Reserve is mangrove vegetation. Despite the presence of all mangrove species, species with robust root systems, such as Rhizophora mucronata and Sonneratia alba, predominate. Numerous plant (trees and grass) and animal (unstudied) populations can be found on Ulenge Island. Daily tidal wash through in the mangrove ecosystem on Ulenge results in a relatively thin layer of silt buildup. [5]
According to Birdlife International, the Ulenge and Kwale Island Marine Reserves are located in IBM 35, an important bird region. This bird area contains a diverse range of bird species, including Greater Sand Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Crab Plover, migrating waders, and many more. Despite being threatened by human activity and climate change-related reasons, mangroves and coral reefs are not actually in danger. [6]
On the west and south of Ulenge Island, the intertidal zone is longer (up to 800 m), while it is shorter (50–350 m) on the seaward side. North of Ulenge Island, the intertidal is rock, with large algae mats in the lower intertidal zones. On the lower intertidal zone on the seaward side, algae mats were also discovered. Along the Ulenge-Kwale channel, beyond the algal mats, to the south and south-west of Ulenge (in Tanga Bay), and in the lower intertidal zones of Kwale Bay, one can see seagrass beds. [7]
Turbidity and bottom sediment type, which are regulated by rainfall/river discharge patterns and oceanic conditions, determine the amount and distribution of seagrass. On the seaward side, coral reefs are few. The results of the manta tow and swimming benthic cover surveys showed a relatively small area of patchy coral reefs that were stressed by sediments from Tanga Bay and nearby rivers. In most of the Ulenge Island waters, there was less than 10% coral cover. [8]
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The Mnazi Bay-Ruvuma Estuary Marine Park(MBREMP) was established on 1 July 2000 under Act No. 29 of 1994 of Marine Parks and Reserves of Tanzania.
Bongoyo Island is a protected, uninhabited island under the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve with the IUCN category II located within Kinondoni District of Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania. The island situated 2.5 km north of the country's largest city, Dar es Salaam in the Sea of Zanj. It is the most frequently visited of the four islands of the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve System (DMRS) and a popular daytrip for both tourists and Tanzanian residents alike for snorkelling and sunbathing. North of the island is Mbudya Island and to the west is Pangavini Island. The island is home to some of Tanzania's largest specimens of endangered coconut crabs.
The Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve System or DMRS is a group of marine reserves in Tanzania, with the IUCN category II located within Dar es Salaam Region of Tanzania. The reserve system consists of nine uninhabited islands, four located north of Dar es Salaam's Kinondoni District; and four south of the city Makatumbi Islands, Kimbubu Island, Sinda Island and Kendwa Island in Kigamboni District. It provides protection for several important tropical ecosystems; coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds.
Pangavini Island is a protected, uninhabited island under the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve with the IUCN category II located within Kinondoni District of Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania. The island reserve measures around 2.13km2. Pangavini is the smallest island in the group, only about 250 m long; it has a rocky coastline without beaches. To the west of the island is Kunduchi ward and to the north is Mbudya Island. To the south of the island is Bongoyo Island.
Fungu Yasini Island is a protected, uninhabited island under the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve (DMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Kinondoni District of Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania. The island reserve measures around 22.90km2 with most it underwater as a reef. South of the island is Mbudya Island.
Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) is a parastatal public corporation acting under the aegis of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, that has the responsibility "to manage and operate" the ocean ports and lake ports of the country of Tanzania. The Tanzania Ports Authrorty headquarters are located in Mchafukoge ward of Ilala District in Dar es Salaam Region. It is a member of the Port Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa.
Maziwi island officially, The Maziwe Island Marine Reserve is a unvegetated, protected island surrounded by coral reefs located about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south east of the town of Pangani off the northern coast of Tanga Region in Tanzania. The island is administered under Mwera ward of Pangani District. However, it is currently under the Tanga Marine Reserves System. It became a nature reserve in 1975. At one time the island was larger than its present area and was well-vegetated but with the loss of its coconut trees and scrub cover, it has suffered erosion and is now sometimes completely immersed at the time of the highest tides. Green sea turtles no longer nest on the island, but it is visited by numerous sea birds. The sea contains many species of coral and over two hundred species of fish. The reserve has received little active conservation work but management is now supported by levying a small fee on tourists which is used to compensate local fishermen for loss of income.
The East African mangroves are a mangrove ecoregion consisting of swamps along the Indian Ocean coast of East Africa in Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya and southern Somalia.
Mangrove ecosystems represent natural capital capable of producing a wide range of goods and services for coastal environments and communities and society as a whole. Some of these outputs, such as timber, are freely exchanged in formal markets. Value is determined in these markets through exchange and quantified in terms of price. Mangroves are important for aquatic life and home for many species of fish.
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The Ulenge Island Rear Range Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse on Ulenge Island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Tanga City Council of Tanga Region in Tanzania.
The East African coral coast is a marine ecoregion along the eastern coast of Africa. It extends along the coasts of Kenya, Tanzania, and northern Mozambique, from Lamu in Kenya to Angoche in Mozambique. It adjoins the Northern Monsoon Current Coast ecoregion to the north, and the Bight of Sofala/Swamp Coast ecoregion to the south.
Kwale Island is a protected, seasonally inhabited island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located inside Kwale ward in Mkinga District of Tanga Region in Tanzania. The coral island, located approximately a kilometer offshore in Manza Bay, and the modern hamlet on the shoreline are both referred to as Kwale. 86.2% of Kwale Island, or 528.1 Ha, is covered with mangroves. Kwale Island and Ulenge Island are the only seasonally inhabited by islands in the marine reserve, thus the two have the most human impact. The Island has an average elevation of 7 m (23 ft).
Kirui Island officially, Kirui Island Marine Reserve is a protected, uninhabited island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Mkinga District of Tanga Region in Tanzania. The Island is the largest in Tanga and one of the largest protected marine Islands in Tanzania Mangroves are thought to cover 680 ha (ha) of the island of Kirui, with the largest mangrove area being on the north and west sides, Kigomeni mangrove being on the east coast, and Kirui South Mangrove being on the south.
The Tanga Marine Reserves System (TMRS) is a group of marine reserves in the Tanga Region of Tanzania. All TMRs, though, serve as significant sea bird breeding areas. The Tanga Marine Reserves are: Kirui Island, Maziwe Island, Ulenge Island, Kwale Island and Mwewe Island.
Mwewe Island officially, Mwewe Island Marine Reserve is a protected, uninhabited island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II located within Mkinga District of Tanga Region in Tanzania. Acoording to oral Digo history, the island was used by some Kirui Island residents, Mwewe Island was eventually purchased by Sultan Bin Athmani of Moa.
Kwale Island also known as Kuvala Island is a historic island located inside the Mafia Channel, in Kisiju ward of Mkuranga District in southern Pwani Region of Tanzania. 7.1 square kilometres is the size of Kwale Island.
Kwale Island is a protected island located in Fumba ward of Mjini District in Mjini Magharibi Region, Tanzania. The island is included in the marine conservation area of Menai Bay.