Andaman's Intertidal Walk: Discover Havelock Island's Hidden Marine Life

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

On a recent visit to Havelock Island (now Swaraj Dweep) in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, I came up close with marine life at Tilar Siro, CGH Earth Experience, in a way I'd never known before.

Ocean vibes

“Have you ever done an intertidal walk before?” asks Sreelakshmi, the marine expert and naturalist at Tilar Siro, before starting the experience at the property. When I reply in the negative, she goes on to explain that the walk happens in the tidal zone when the water level is low. I am handed over a pair of special shoes that will ensure no marine life is harmed in the walk.“You can keep them in your room and use them during your stay here,” says Adarsh V.K., the general manager. The property itself is located on Vijaynagar beach (also called Beach number 5), and the rooms pay homage to the tropical life name of the resort is also an ode to the land. In the Great Andamanese Tribe, Thi means 'Earth', Lar means 'from', and Siro means 'sea', which translates to 'land emerging from the sea'. The resort itself has wooden boardwalks that are part of the pathways across the property and is surrounded by lush vegetation.

Low tides, high life

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I was most keen to do the intertidal walk, and I was lucky that the low tide occurred late on the first afternoon of my stay. Since the timing of the low tide changes daily, the experience and the species you sight will always be different, which adds a compelling element of intrigue. Sreelakshmi explains that the ocean space is divided into three zones: the shoreline, the intertidal area, and the fore reef.“The intertidal area can also be classified into the reef crust, reef flat and fore reef. On the shoreline you will see dead corals and many shells and hermit crabs. And in the second patch, you will see many algae, and the reef crust is the highest point, where you will see a lot of live corals and most of the fish life,” she explains, setting the tone for the walk ahead. Her final instructions are to be careful while walking, let the team know if you feel uncomfortable and not to touch anything during the walk.

Sea sights

Nodding my head in agreement, I walk towards the sandy shores in anticipation and see a lot of black rock-like structures strewn on the shore, which I find out are not rocks but are dead corals. Moving ahead, I see large, beautiful, dotted patterns on the sand. Akhil the naturalist who is with me on the walk explains that this is made by the sand bubbler crab.“They take in the micronutrients from the sand and throw it out as a bubble. They do not fully intake the sand; rather, they take in the sand through one clove in their mouth and take it out through the other clove. They do this so that they do not eat the same sand again, and these patterns are called sand mandalas or allies.” Next, a bright orange spark caught my eye: a fiddler crab. The male uses one oversized claw to 'fiddle', attracting females during the breeding season. Following this was a glass shrimp, which I am certain I would have missed had Sreelakshmi not gently scooped it from the shallow waters. Thrilled at seeing so many species in just the first few minutes, I continued ahead to discover more amazing marine creatures.

Marine musings

One of the most common associations with marine ecology is coral. We were fortunate enough to stop right at a live coral, where I noticed several rounded shapes. Interestingly, the coral itself is an animal, and each of those circular shapes is called a polyp.“For a coral we need thousands of such animals, and you can imagine how many of them are part of a coral reef,” she explains. I also saw a green sap-sucking sea slug that I am told usually lives in a colony. There is also a venomous cone snail present here - one of the most dangerous, as they can sting. I, however, only saw the shell of the snail on my walk here. Another creature I saw was the brittle starfish whose slender arms were visible under the muddy waters, and I am told these nocturnal creatures are very shy.“They come out only in the night, and their presence is an indication of a healthy ecosystem, and if they cut their arms, they will regenerate,” says Akhil.

Ocean oeuvre

Walking ahead, I stop to see a small rock with many fish moving around, which I find out are rock skippers that are amphibian creatures that can live both on land and in water. There were also many sea snails that are hidden under a shell; it is fascinating to note that they attach themselves to rocks in low tide. The other creatures I saw included the pistol shrimp, named for its arm that resembles a gun's piston, and a fascinating marine mollusc believed to have existed since the dinosaur era.“This is the only animal in the animal kingdom that is like a sandwich. It has eight hard shell plates on the exterior and one soft shell that is attached inside. If they find a home, they will come back and live there, and they move very slowly. You can probably see them here if you come back tomorrow,” explains Sreelakshmi.

I also saw a cork sponge, whose arm can grow up to 45 centimetres, and the crenate swimming crab, which paddles through the water scraping algae from dead corals. Another sighting was the moon crab, easily identified by the V or U shape on the underpart of its abdomen, which indicates its gender. The U shape denotes a female, allowing her to store more eggs. The naturalists also point out to a smooth rounded structure that is a moon snail egg case that is made of pure sand and mucus that helps them protect their eggs from predators.

I also spot the mantis shrimp, a creature that has the most powerful punch in the animal kingdom. They can even break glass and the tough corn shells to eat the snails. The ocean is also home to a marine algae species called green seaweed or watercress algae that is present in salads for its calcium content. In the season, the sea grows both brown and red seaweed (also used in making anti-ageing creams and has ongoing research for cancer prevention). There is also seagrass that grows here. I was lucky to see a juvenile octopus, a rarity. As dusk set in and the walk ended, I realised that my initial enthusiasm for the experience was justified, as this will be my favourite memory from Havelock Island.

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