Meinmahla Kyun
Location:
15°52'N, 95°17'E; in the mouth of the Bogale and Kadonkani rivers, approximately 130 km southwest of Rangoon, Delta Forest Division.
Area:
12,960 ha.
Altitude:
0-25m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.4.1
Wetland type:
02, 03, 05, 06 & 07
Description of site:
An estuarine island in the delta of the Irrawaddy River, almost entirely comprised of alluvial deposits from the Bogale River. The island is flat, with low cliffs to the south and west dropping to a narrow sandy beach. Numerous creeks and channels intersect the island which also features sand dunes and mudflats. The sea throughout the entire area is highly turbid and very shallow, being no deeper than 5.5m up to 28 km offshore. The tidal range is 2.0-2.5m.
Climatic conditions:
Monsoonal climate with a mean annual rainfall at Bogale (60 km upriver) of 2,777 mm. The monsoon season extends from May to October.
Principal vegetation:
The island is almost entirely covered in mangrove forest. It has been logged in the past, and much of the forest is somewhat degraded.
Land tenure:
State owned; under the administration of the Divisional Forest Officer, Delta Forest Division.
Conservation measures taken:
The island was notified as a Reserved Forest in 1895. Wildlife and vegetation is legally protected on the island, although licensed collection of crocodile hatchlings by the People's Pearl and Fisheries Corporation is permitted by the Forest Department.
Conservation measures proposed:
It has been proposed that the island be designated as a Wildlife Sanctuary (FAO, l985a). The People's Pearl and Fisheries Corporation has plans to protect the island as a crocodile sanctuary, in conjunction with the Forest Department. This would involve the construction of a base camp at Tawbaing Chaung and placement of nine guard posts at river mouths around the periphery of the island (Salter, 1982). The Corporation intends to restock the island with juvenile crocodiles from the Thaketa Crocodile Farm near Rangoon, in order to commence sustainable harvesting.
Land use:
Intensive fishing in the creeks. There is no resident population on the island, but temporary camps are established by fishermen.
Disturbances and threats:
There is some illegal logging on the island, and the waterways are heavily fished (FAO, 1985a).
Economic and social values:
No information.
Fauna:
An estimated 2,600 Estuarine Crocodiles Crocodylus porosus inhabit the island, representing about two-thirds of the entire population in the eastern delta. Other wildlife includes Panthera tigris, P. pardus, Cuon alpinus, Lutra sp and Elephas maximus (Salter, 1982).
The island is likely to be of considerable importance for both resident and migratory waterfowl, but almost no information is available. Salter (1982) mentions having seen 250 Egretta spp and one Leptoptilos dubius in late 1982.
Special
floral values:
Meinmabla Kyun contains one of the few extensive areas of mangrove forest in the Irrawaddy Delta not subject to heavy exploitation.
Research and facilities:
The island was surveyed in November and December 1982 (Salter, 1982). There are no facilities.
References:
FAO (1983c & 1985a); IUCN (in prep); Salter (1982 & 1983).
Criteria for Inclusion:
1b, 2a.
Source:
See references.