Cherbaniani Reef
Encyclopedia
Cherbaniani Reef, also known as Beleapani Reef , is a coral
atoll
belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory
of Lakshadweep
, India
. It is the northwesternmost feature of Lakshadweep at 12°18′N 71°53′E. It is located 33 km north of Byramgore Reef
. The atoll has a roughly oval shape and was first described by ornithologist Allan Hume in 1876; its total area is 170 km².
has two small uninhabited islands on it. They are composed of accumulated coral sand
, shingle
, cuttle-bones and sea shells. There are many land hermit crab
s under the boulders and among the detritus. The atoll used to be a breeding ground for pelagic birds, including the Sooty Tern
(Sterna fuliginosa) and Brown Noddy
(Anous stolidus), which were formerly found in great numbers.
Lakshadweep islanders from Chetlat and Bitra
sometimes visit the islands to collect guano
for the gardens in the main inhabited islands, gathering eggs, dumping garbage and disturbing the nestlings of pelagic birds in the process. The beaches are strewn with marine litter composed mainly of oceanic flotsam deposited by currents, like plastic bottles, glass bulbs, polystyrene foam and cans.
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
of Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is the northwesternmost feature of Lakshadweep at 12°18′N 71°53′E. It is located 33 km north of Byramgore Reef
Byramgore Reef
Byramgore Reef, also known as Chereapani Reef , is a coral atoll belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is located 33 km south of Cherbaniani Reef and 41 km to the northwest of Bitrā Par, in the northwestern area of Lakshadweep at . The whole...
. The atoll has a roughly oval shape and was first described by ornithologist Allan Hume in 1876; its total area is 170 km².
Ecology
The 14 km long coral reef that encloses the lagoonLagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
has two small uninhabited islands on it. They are composed of accumulated coral sand
Coral sand
Coral sand is sand of particles originating in tropical and sub-tropical marine environments from bioerosion of limestone skeletal material of marine organisms. One example of this process is that of parrot fishes which bite off pieces of coral, digest the living tissue, and excrete the inorganic...
, shingle
Shingle
Shingle can refer to:*A flat covering element for a roof, including**Shake , a wooden shingle that is made from split logs**Roof shingle, a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements...
, cuttle-bones and sea shells. There are many land hermit crab
Hermit crab
Hermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. Most of the 1100 species possess an asymmetrical abdomen which is concealed in an empty gastropod shell that is carried around by the hermit crab.-Description:...
s under the boulders and among the detritus. The atoll used to be a breeding ground for pelagic birds, including the Sooty Tern
Sooty Tern
The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus , is a seabird of the tern family . It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake...
(Sterna fuliginosa) and Brown Noddy
Brown Noddy
The Brown Noddy or Common Noddy is a seabird from the tern family. The largest of the noddies, it can be told from the closely related Black Noddy by its larger size and plumage, which is dark brown rather than black...
(Anous stolidus), which were formerly found in great numbers.
Lakshadweep islanders from Chetlat and Bitra
Bitra
Bitra or Bitrā Par is a coral atoll belonging to the Amindivi Subgroup of islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in India, 33 km to the north of Perumal Par and 41 km to the southeast of Byramgore Reef...
sometimes visit the islands to collect guano
Guano
Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave dwelling bats, and seals. Guano manure is an effective fertilizer due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor. It was an important source of nitrates for gunpowder...
for the gardens in the main inhabited islands, gathering eggs, dumping garbage and disturbing the nestlings of pelagic birds in the process. The beaches are strewn with marine litter composed mainly of oceanic flotsam deposited by currents, like plastic bottles, glass bulbs, polystyrene foam and cans.