Chumbe Reef Sanctuary

To establish the conservation value and document the terrestrial and marine resources of Chumbe Island for nature trails and for the management of the nature reserve, species lists, short reports and studies have been produced on fishes, corals, amphibians and reptiles, birds, bats, butterflies and vascular plants.

Research is, when possible, conducted jointly with the Institute of Marine Sciences of the University of Dar es Salaam and the Departments of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries respectively. Joint research projects are presently conducted with the Institute of Marine Sciences with Swedish funding, on macroalgae and on scleractinian coral recruitment in the Chumbe Reef Sanctuary.

In addition, weekly reports on any incidents and observations on the Reef Sanctuary have been produced by the marine park rangers, former fishermen stationed on the island since September 1992. These reports are the basis of the local management of the Nature Reserve. Copies are sent to the Departments of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, respectively.

The surveys reveal that the protection of the reef west of Chumbe island since 1992 has already shown good results. Coral growth and diversity is among the highest in the region, and Chumbe has at least 90% of all the species that have ever been recorded from Eastern Africa reefs (Veron, letter 27.3.97). Fish diversity and populations have also increased. Nearly 380 species of fish belonging to 50 families have been recorded, including Giant Groupers Epinephelus lanceolatus (up to 1m length), a rare occurrence in shallow reefs (Mildner-Fiebig 1995). The rich fish life has attracted seabirds, such as the rare Roseate Terns Sterna dougalli which bred successfully on Chumbe in mid 1994. Around six hundred were ringed by an ornithologist to monitor their movements (Iles 1994). The rare Robber or Coconut Crab Birgus latro is common on Chumbe while it is threatened elsewhere in the Indian Ocean, since it is widely eaten and used in fish traps.

The achievements of CHICOP, the organization maintaining Chumbe as a Reef Sanctuary, have been acknowledged by international conservation organisations, such as the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and UNESCO-Connect. The Chumbe Reef Sanctuary is now fully registered as a marine protected area by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (established by UNEP, WWF and IUCN) in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

The noted coral taxonomist Prof. J.E.N.Veron from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) visited the reserve in February 1997 and established that it has "one of the most spectacular 'coral gardens' to be found anywhere in the world" and that "the Park is exceptionally well managed."