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Successful restoration of smuggled corals in the Gulf of Mannar, Southeast India

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Title Successful restoration of smuggled corals in the Gulf of Mannar, Southeast India
 
Creator Raj, K Diraviya
Raghuvaran, R
Arasamuthu, A
Mathews, G
Laju, R L
Emmett, J S
Kumar, T K Ashok
Edward, J K Patterson
 
Subject Artificial reefs
Corals
Enforcement
Gulf of Mannar
Restoration
Wildlife crimes
 
Description 249-254
On account of their critical importance, corals are protected in India under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act,
1972, Govt. of India. In spite of that, reports of coral smuggling arise from the Indian reef areas, sporadically. Corals being
delicate animals, the restoration of corals seized from smugglers is difficult because of the delay involved in legal
proceedings, transportation and the fragile nature of the corals. The present study reports the first successful effort in
restoring seized live corals in the Gulf of Mannar, Southeast India. Fifty fragments of seized corals belonging to nine genera
have been successfully transplanted on perforated trapezoidal artificial reefs deployed around Vaan Island of the Gulf of
Mannar with an average survival rate of 62 % after 22 months. The growth rate of these surviving transplants ranged
between 1.28±0.12 and 8.56±0.11 cm year-1. The present attempt sets an example in the enforcement history of India, where
sensitive marine organisms like corals can be saved after seizure if conservation authorities and researchers work together.
However, proper network and coordination between these is critical to restore delicate marine organisms if seized alive.
 
Date 2024-02-27T06:51:47Z
2024-02-27T06:51:47Z
2024-02
 
Type Article
 
Identifier 2582-6727 (Online); 2582-6506 (Print)
http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/63458
https://doi.org/10.56042/ijms.v52i05.8009
 
Language en
 
Publisher NIScPR-CSIR,India
 
Source IJMS Vol.52(05) [May 2023]