The
Honduran island of Utila will see an increase in eco-tourism as a
result of plans to develop a number of new diving centres there. A
modern airport is currently under construction and predictions are
that serious environmental problems will be the consequence of increased
visitor numbers unless conservation issues are seriously considered
at the planning stage. The island is tiny and its fragile ecosystems
cannot support the scale of development that is planned.
The
island is an important nesting site for the Hawksbill
turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata. Image courtesy
G. North
Butterfly
fish, Chaetodon melannotus. Image courtesy J. Ansell
Utila
possesses some of the most pristine and diverse coral reef eco-systems
to be found anywhere in the world. A number of terrestrial species
such as the endemic Utila iguana (Ctenosaura bakeri) are
already rare and universities in both Europe and America are working
on their conservation, click
here for more information.
We
hope to contribute more to our understanding of the effects of eco-tourism
on Utila’s flora and fauna and advise on methods that will minimise
the impact and enhance the conservation value of the island. Additionally,
we will be directly supporting active conservation measures on a number
of species and habitats. Because the island currently lacks the infrastructure
to cope with increased tourism all new developments must carefully
consider the conservation situation. Without proper forethought the
planned developments will destroy the very thing that the eco-tourists
go there to see.
Extensive
mangrove forests act to protect Utila's coral reefs and
serve as important fish fry nurseries
Nurse
shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum. Image courtesy G. North
