Caroni Swamp

Caroni Swamp

The Caroni Swamp is Trinidad and Tobago's largest mangrove wetland on the west coast of Trinidad, where the Caroni River flows into Gulf of Paria. The Caroni Swamp is a 5 611-ha estuarine system of mangrove forests and herbaceous swamps, dissected by several channels and brackish and saline lagoons, and on the seaward side by extensive intertidal mudflats. The ecologically diverse wetland is an important wetland habitat, as it consists of marshes, mangrove swamps and tidal mudflats, which are located in close proximity to each other. The wetland supports a wide range of habitats for plant and animal species and as such provides a high biodiversity. It offers a highly productive system of food and shelter, as well as a nursery for marine and freshwater species. The Caroni Swamp is protected as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The swamp which includes both freshwater and saltwater marshes is well known as a bird sanctuary. The central part of the area is designated as a wildlife sanctuary, and is the habitat of one of Trinidad and Tobago's national birds, the Scarlet Ibis. The Caroni Swamp is the main breeding site of the Scarlet Ibis and is also home to more than 100 species of birds. A popular program in the area is Nanan's Bird Sanctuary Tours, which started in the 1930s. During the tours, trained guides give daily guided boat tours to the Caroni Swamp. Tours offer special bird watching tours, fishing tours, water sampling trips, educational and research trips, photography and filming tours.