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Ilha do Fogo, Mozambique

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Ilha do Fogo
Nickname: Fire Island
A drone image of Ilha do Fogo captured in 2020
Ilha do Fogo is located in Mozambique
Ilha do Fogo
Ilha do Fogo
Geography
LocationIndian Ocean
Coordinates17°14′02″S 38°52′42″E / 17.2338°S 38.8782°E / -17.2338; 38.8782
ArchipelagoPrimeiras and Segundas Archipelago
Administration
Mozambique

Ilha do Fogo, or Fire Island, is a remote, 3.5 km circumference island off the Zambezia Province coastline in northern Mozambique.[1] It forms part of the Primeiras and Segundas Archipelago, within Africa's most extensive coastal marine protected area.[2] The private island is encircled by coral-rich reefs on the island's south side and seagrasses on the north. It has 150 km of unexplored reef, with abundant and diverse marine life.

Northern Mozambique is thought to be a migratory corridor for endangered whale sharks and apex predators, including bull sharks and hammerhead sharks.[3] Manta rays, devil rays, and stingrays are also likely visitors to the extensive reefs around the island.

History

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Ilha do Fogo and the islands of the Mozambique Channel[4] hold importance in maritime history.[5][6] The remains of European shipwrecks have been discovered at a number of sites along the coast, between Ilha do Fogo and Ilha de Moçambique, dating between the 16th and 19th centuries. Europeans discovered the Primeiras e Segundas archipelago in 1498, during Vasco da Gama's first expedition to India,[7] a historically momentous voyage establishing the sea route to India.

Since then, the islands became an important stopping-off point for Portuguese trading fleets. The islands were colonies of Portugal until Mozambican independence in 1975. In November 2012, the Mozambique government declared Primeiras e Segundas the country's first Environmental Protection Area[8]

One of the most prominent features on the island is a lighthouse that was built in 1926.[9] It has been repaired over the years and the current structure sits at 111 feet (34 m) tall.

Ilha do Fogo was purchased by the current owners in 2014 and at that time, the plan was to build a boutique resort. The owners soon realised there was an alarming problem with the harvesting of sea turtles around the island. The area's status as an Environmental Protection Area had no impact, as the island and its neighbouring towns of Boror and Pebane are so remote, that law enforcement is almost impossible.

Conservation projects

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A street view of Pebane's main village centre with a small church
Pebane's remote village has a few brick buildings built by the Portuguese.

While conducting research for a documentary about the island and the threats to turtles, the team uncovered many underlying issues. They realised that there were numerous other species in danger of becoming extinct; the main issues being overexploitation, general depletion of natural resources, and destruction of habitat.

The island's resort plans were scrapped and the nonprofit organization Earth Legacy Foundation was founded. The organization has established projects that address the threats and put measures in place to protect and conserve marine life.[10] They also address the social and economic issues that impact the ability to ensure the conservation of the area. Earth Legacy Foundation to find sustainable nature-based solutions, that will have a lasting, positive effect on both human and animal inhabitants.[11] Projects include providing the local population with education, and alternative sources of income and nutrition.

SCUBA diver looking at the reefs on Ilha do Fogo
A coral reef on the coast of Ilha do Fogo

The main conservation project on the island is protecting endangered green turtles,[12] vulnerable olive ridley turtles,[13] and critically endangered hawksbill turtles.[14] Ilha do Fogo is a regular nesting ground for these animals.[15] All seven species of the world's sea turtles are now listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) has a dedicated Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG), which is one of the more than 160 Specialist Groups and Task Forces that make up the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of IUCN.[16][17]

Tourism

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The island accepts small groups of scuba divers for retreats, to dive and experience the reefs, although the owners have stated that the Ilha do Fogo retreat has been developed with as low an impact as possible to the environment.[18] A percentage of profits from the scuba retreats goes back into the nonprofit's conservation and community projects.[19]

References

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  1. ^ "The Island". Earth Legacy Foundation. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  2. ^ MacLennan, Alex (1 November 2013). "Primeiras e Segundas". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Mozambique Projects". Marine Megafauna Foundation. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  4. ^ "Mozambique Channel". Britannica. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  5. ^ Bergeron, Louis P. (25 December 2014). "The Forgotten Chokepoint: The Mozambique Channel's Rich Past and Bright but Insecure Future". Center for International Maritime Security. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  6. ^ Nehra, Abhijeet (1 May 2021). "Strategic significance of Mozambique channel". CeSCube or Centre for Security and Strategy Studies: 5 – via ResearchGate.
  7. ^ "Vasco da Gama's Voyage of 'Discovery' 1497". South African History Online. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  8. ^ "Decree No. 42/2012 creating the environmental protected areas of Primeiras islands in the District of Pebane and Segundas islands in the Districts of Angoche and Moma". United Nations Environment Programme. 12 Dec 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Ilha do Fogo Light, Mozambique". ibiblio. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Conservation". Earth Legacy Foundation. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Campaigns". Earth Legacy Foundation. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Green Turtle | Chelonia mydas". IUCN Red List. 30 April 2004. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Olive Ridley Turtle | Lepidochelys olivacea". IUCN Red List. 30 June 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Hawksbill Turtle | Eretmochelys imbricata". IUCN Red List. 30 June 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Saving Sea Turtles". Earth Legacy Foundation. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  16. ^ "The Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG)". IUCN. 10 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Species Survival Commission (SSC)". IUCN. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  18. ^ Strauss, Taylah (14 January 2022). "New eco-resort leading anti-poaching projects to open in Mozambique". Getaway. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  19. ^ "Earth Legacy Foundation Ecotourism". Earth Legacy Foundation. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
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