Little Tobago
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Little Tobago (or Bird of Paradise Island) is a small island off the northeastern coast of Tobago, and part of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
The island supports dry forest. It is an important breeding site for seabirds such as red-billed tropicbird, Audubon's shearwater, brown booby, brown noddy, sooty and bridled terns. A few pairs of white-tailed tropicbirds are also nesting here.
Little Tobago is also a good site from which to see birds which breed on neighbouring small islands, including red-footed booby and magnificent frigatebird. The latter species is frequently seen harassing the tropicbirds, boobies and terns.
A few species of reptiles have been recorded on Little Tobago. Among them are lizards such as
Among the more conspicuous of the invertebrate fauna on the island are large terrestrial hermit crabs.
The sea between Tobago and Little Tobago is shallow, and glass-bottomed boats enable the attractive corals and brightly coloured tropical fish to be seen on the crossing. It is a popular area for snorkelling and diving, especially on Angel Reef in front of Goat Island.
History
In 1908 the British politician and businessman
After Ingram's death in 1924 his heirs deeded the island to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago as a wildlife sanctuary. The birds survived on the island until at least 1958 when they were filmed by a National Geographic crew. There are no reliable records after 1963 when Hurricane Flora hit the island and the population is presumed to be extinct.
See also
- Islands of Trinidad and Tobago
References
- ^ Abe, Naoko (2019). 'Cherry' Ingram; the Englishman who Saved Japan's Blossoms (1 ed.). London: Chatto & Windus. p. 55.
- ISBN 0-8108-3173-2.
- Boodram, Natalie. 2001. The ecology of plant species on Little Tobago, Tobago, W.I. M.Phil. Thesis, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine.
| Major Islands |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Bocas Islands | ||
| The Five Islands | ||
| San Diego Islands | ||
| Selected Islands off Tobago | ||
| Other Islands | ||
