Apart from the birds which normally live in the swamp, large communal roosts are formed every evening by several species, such as the beneficial cattle-egret, which feeds elsewhere during the day. The reverse is true and some species which feed in the swamp come in from surrounding non-swampy areas.

Loss of our swamps will mean loss of all these birds. It will also mean loss of many species of fish, and in turn, loss of our fisheries. A coastal swamp and marsh is a delicately balanced system, dependent on the free flow of the tide and of the rivers and streams that feed it fresh water.

They are used as spawning and nursery areas, and healthy coastal fisheries depend on healthy estuaries and swamps. Sixty to seventy percent of fish in our coastal waters depend on wetlands for food, spawning and shelter at some point in their lives. 

The area supports dense growth of edible oysters, mussels, barnacles, sponges, snails, crabs, shrimp and other marine and estuarine species, and provides a suitable habitat for a number of recreationally and commercially important fish.

The major ones are tarpon (Tarpon atlanticus), grouper (Mycteroperca sp), moorfish (Selena vomer), cavalli (Caranx latus), snapper (Lutjanus griseus), shrimp (Penaeus sp), mullett (Mugil sp), brochet (Centopomus sp), salmon (Stellyer microps, tilapia (Tilapia mossambica), oysters (Crassostrea rhizophorae) and the hairy crab (Ucides cordatus).

Also found in the swamp are crab-eating racoons (procyon cancrivorus), many species of oppossum, including the wolly oppossu (cphilander trinitatis), silky anteaters (Cyclopes didactylus), snakes and of course the ever present and ready, spectacled caiman (Caiman sclerops).

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In 1953, the Caroni was made a prohibited area and a wild life sanctuary. Despite this, illegal hunting continues and today the swamp is badly polluted by agricultural and industrial waste. (Many industries are located on the swamps feeder rivers).

On the south-west coast, 8 kilometers from San Fernando, Trinidad’s second largest city and the ‘Industrial Capital’ of Trinidad and Tobago, lies another beautiful and important wetland, the South Oropouche Swamp, an estuarine system with a shallow brackish lagoon up to 1.5 metres deep with an adjacent sand bank.

All form a complex of habitats which includes mangrove woodland which, because of soil and wind factors and only slight salinity, grow tall and straight, adjacent grass/sedge marsh with fresh to brackish water conditions, and a shallow, generally turbid offshore bank.

The wetland covers 26 square kilometers, the offshore bank 62 square kilometers, 92 hectares are within a Forest Reserve. It is an important breeding area for waterfowl and has been used by the Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust as one of the release sites for its breeding and release programme.

Unfortunately this beautiful swamp is seriously threatened by unplanned rice cultivation (on part of the marshes) and its ensuing agrochemical pollution and petroleum exploration, production and pollution.

To the south-east of Trinidad along the Manzanilla-Mayaro coast lies the Nariva Swamp, until a few years ago, on of the few truly wild areas left in Trinidad, and this country’s largest freshwater herbaceous swamp.

It stretches well over 6,000 hectares and includes mainly palm swamp forest, an endemic species of Moriche palm (Mauritia flexuosa var trinitensis) and over 1,550 hectares of highland forest.

An extremely rich and varying fauna can be found in the Nariva, including over 57 species of mammals of which 32 are bats, 171 species of birds and several species of reptiles. Troops of red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus) and weeping capuchin monkeys (Calbifrons trinitatis), three species of oppossums (Caluromis philander, Didelphis marsupialis and Marmosa robinsoni), the three-toed and silky anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla and Cyclopes didactylus) and the tree porcupine (Coendu prehensilis) all roam the swamp’s diverse habitats.

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The ecology of this swamp is unique, serving as the spawning ground of many freshwater fish including the cascadura (Hoplosternum littorale), an important source of food for many people.

The swamp also supports a rich avifauna, including the endangered indigenous species such as the seed eating finches, the twa twa (Oryzoborous irostris) and bullfinch (Oryzoborous angolensis), the rare red-bellied macaw (Ara manilata), the locally extirpated blue and gold macaw (Ara ararauna) and the moriche oriole (Icterus chrysocephalus); the latter three species confined only to the Palm swamp forest. 

Other species of wild duck found in the area are the black bellied or red billed whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) and the fulvous whistling duck (Dendrocygna bicolor). This swamp also serves as a refuge for North migrating water birds.

Other rare and endangered species of animals including the aquatic mammal, the manatee (Tricheus manatus), found nowhere else in the Caribbean, the giant anaconda (Eunectes murinus) and the country’s largest freshwater turtle, the mata mata (Chelys fimbriata) are all found there.

The Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary, a local and international research centre (Trinidad Regional Virus Laboratory and New York Zoological Society), which includes low-lying swamp areas as well as true hard wood forest, is located within the swamp.

In 1993, Trinidad and Tobago became a Contracting Party to RAMSAR and the Nariva Swamp was designated the country’s sole listed RAMSAR site.

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The Nariva Mayaro Windbelt Reserve which is also an extremely important forest ecosystem, is located on the western end of the Nariva.

The Nariva Swamp is the last bastion for many forms of our wildlife, and travelling through it is a primitive experience that is both exhilarating and exciting, educational and satisfying. It emphasises the word ‘wilderness’.

Our wetlands are precious God-given gifts that we must learn to appreciate, value and use, as they were meant to be. The rich bio-diversity of our wetlands is a sensitive indication of our ecological wealth. When wetlands are stressed, such as by pollution or drainage, not only does species-richness decline, but ecosystem structure and functioning are altered.

Wetland reserves have considerable potential for generating income from tourism and recreation. However, care must be taken to ensure that any infrastructural development does not reduce the value of the area for tourism.

Spectacular scenery, ease of access and close views of wild life are all factors important to tourism and are available in Trinidad and Tobago, but the latter two are also factors that threaten the very wildlife and habitats that we need to attract the tourists in the first place.

Recreation and tourism can contribute significantly to local, regional and national economies – but this must be very carefully controlled, monitored and used wisely.

Wetland areas are – or should be wilderness areas. Wilderness areas have considerable economic significance. Human activities do not necessarily mean human disturbances. Ecotourism means human activities without human destruction. Wetlands are unique environments where human activities can evolve to make the best use of the resources available. These activities can demonstrate sustainable use of valuable resources.

Wetlands, in their natural state, are not wastelands – only man can make them so. Our wetlands must be cleaned up and rehabilitated. This is immediately desirable and is possible.

Life is a matter of balance, a balance we do not have at present. Man is no exception to the rule that that the quality of all living things is a direct result of the quality of the environment.