Nariva Swamp

The swamp is located on the east coast of Trinidad, immediately inland from the Manzanilla Bay through Biche and covers over 60 square kilometres (23 mi2).

The area provides important habitat for waterfowl and is key habitat for the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus).,[2][3] caimans, anacondas, boas, red howler monkeys, white-fronted capuchin monkeys, numerous species of parrots, including both the blue-and-gold macaw and red-bellied macaws, as well as many wetland and savanna birds, like herons and white storks.

The Trinidad Regional Virus Lab (TRVL) (now CAREC) conducted research on arboviruses there in past decades.

Bonadie and Bacon (1998) confirmed that roosting sites for orange-winged parrots (Amazona amazonica) and red-bellied macaws (Ara manilata Bodd.)

were concentrated in Roystonea and Mauritia palm stands in the Nariva Swamp and they only counted 136 parrots (a reduction from 600 in 1969) and 224 macaws.

Parrots and macaws fed on seven plant species with the major concentration of feeding on Mauritia setigera and Roystonea oleracea palm fruit.

In recognition of this interest, in July 1968, the Trinidad and Tobago Tourist Board held a meeting with the Forestry Division on the potential of the mouth of the Nariva River and its eastern bank for tourism.

Their objectives were to promote wise use of the Ramsar site, to improve the welfare of the Kernahan community and the wider society from the use of Nariva’s resources and to contribute to UWI teaching and research.

Active lobbying and effort was expended to give the swamp the status of an internationally recognised entity and therefore remove it from solely national political decisions.

The Nariva Swamp was designated as a Wetland of International Importance (especially as a waterfowl habitat) under the Ramsar convention on 21 April 1993.

Ms. Molly Gaskin, and Ms. Karilyn Shephard of the Pointe á Pierre Wildfowl Trust, and Ms. Nadra Nathai-Gyan, of the Wildlife Section, Forestry Division, and Dr. Carol James, at the time with the UNDP-GEF, were present at this meeting.