Andaman Islands

The Andaman Islands are a group of islands in the Bay of Bengal, and are part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory of India. Port Blair is the chief community on the islands, and the administrative center of the Union Territory. The Andaman Islands form a single administrative district within the Union Territory, the Andaman district (the Nicobar district was separated and established as a new district in 1974). The population of the Andamans was 314,084 in 2001.

Fauna

The endemic bird species include Nicobar megapode (Megapodius nicobariensis), Nicobar green imperial pigeon (Ducula aenea nicobarica), and the Nicobar emerald dove (Chancophaps indica augusta). The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porusus) nests in the region, as do Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), and Olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Marine mammals include Dugong (Dugong dugon), Finless porpoise (Neophocaena hocaenoides), and Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris). Rich fish and invertebrate faunas exist on the reefs; fish families include Labridae, Pomacentridae, Scaridae, and Blenniidae. Nine species of seagrass are also present.

Related Topics:
Dugong - Whale

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Fish are very numerous and many species are endemic to the Andaman seas. Turtles are abundant and supply the Calcutta market. Of imported animals, cattle, goats, asses and dogs thrive well, ponies and horses indifferently, and sheep badly, though some success has been achieved in breeding them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~