The ecologically sensitive Pathiramanal island in Vembanad Lake has become the first local biodiversity heritage site (LBHS) in the district.
A declaration in this regard was made by the biodiversity management committee (BMC) attached to the Muhamma grama panchayat recently. As per a decision of the BMC, the district unit of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) had conducted a biodiversity study of the island. The KSBB recently approved a report, which recommended Pathiramanal island heritage site status.
As per the report prepared by Jose Mathew and Sandeep Unnikrishnan, both members of the district-level technical support group of the KSBB, the island is home to a large number of mangroves belonging to four species.
There are 160 types of flowering plants and nine types of ferns. Of them, 52 types are trees. There are 21 species of shrubs, 72 small plants, 13 creeper plant species and so on. Besides, 106 types of butterflies, 89 bird species, 18 types of dragonflies, 18 amphibians, 12 types of reptiles, and five mammal species are also found on the island. In the waters surrounding the island, fishes, prawns, clams are among the 120 aquatic species found during the study.
J. Jayalal, president, Muhamma grama panchayat, said the island would be made a biodiversity study centre. “Muhamma is the first local body in the district to declare an LBHS for the protection of biodiversity. We will plant more mangroves, medicinal among other plants at Pathiramanal,” Mr. Jayalal said.
K.V. Dayal, environmentalist and convener of the BMC, said a portion of the island would be converted into a bird sanctuary.
KSBB district coordinator T.G. Chandraprakash urged other local bodies in the district to follow suit. “BMCs attached to local bodies can declare biodiversity-rich sacred groves, mangrove forests, wetlands and so on within in their limits as local biodiversity heritage sites,” he said.
Apart from being biodiversity-rich, Pathiramanal is also a popular tourist destination.
