FranklynDavitt2 at 00:30, 29 March 2026

2026-03-29T00:30:20Z

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{{Short description|Mangrove forest in Kollam district, Kerala, India}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Ayiramthengu Mangrove Forest
| iucn_category =
| location = [[Ayiramthengu]], [[Oachira|Oachira Block]], [[Kollam district]], [[Kerala]], India
| coordinates = {{coord|9|7|33.85|N|76|28|43.21|E|region:IN-KL|display=inline,title}}
| area = 25 acres (10 ha)
| established = Restoration began in 1998
| governing_body = [[Department of Fisheries (Kerala)|Department of Fisheries]], Government of Kerala
| designation = Environmental Hot Spot
}}

The '''Ayiramthengu mangrove forest''' is located in [[Kollam district]] of [[Kerala]], India. The forest is adjacent to [[Kayamkulam Kayal|Kayamkulam Lake]] and is 25 acres in size.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://kollam.nic.in/en/history/|title=History of Ayiramthengu|website=Kollam District Official Website}}</ref>

==Ecology and conservation==
The mangrove [[ecosystem]] was destroyed in [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami]], but it has since been successfully restored.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/Mangrove-forest-on-chopping-block-again/article13980205.ece|title=Mangrove forest on chopping block again|newspaper=The Hindu|date=22 September 2016|access-date=12 November 2025}}</ref> Now it has been designated as an [[Environmental Hot Spot]] because of its fragile status and [[Ecology|ecological]] value.{{cn|date=March 2026}}

There is a management plan developed by the State Fisheries Department for the mangrove forest, which is an important fish breeding area with ecological value to the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.keralatourism.org/kerala-article/2024/ayiramthengu-kollam/1370|title=Ayiramthengu |website=Kerala Tourism|date=2024|access-date=12 November 2025}}</ref>

In 1998, there was management to restore the area for the introduction of native species of plant life. The [[mangrove forest]] has at least 9 species, such as [[Avicennia marina]], [[Bruguiera cylindrica]], and [[Rhizophora apiculata]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Vishal |first1=Vijayan |last2=Latha |first2=M. |title=FLORISTIC DIVERSITY AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF MANGROVE FORESTS AT AYIRAMTHENGU, KOLLAM DISTRICT, KERALA|journal=Journal of Plant Development Sciences|volume=11|issue=7|pages=694-700|url=https://jpds.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/03.-Vishal-Vijayan-694.pdf|date=July 2019|access-date=12 November 2025}}</ref> The mangrove forest ecosystem also has value as habitat space and shelter for other species, like [[Crab|crabs]], [[Snail|snails]], and support at least 27 [[List of sharks|species of the fish]] in the area.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sreeraj |first1=B |last2=Nisha |first2=Thomas P. |title=Study on Mangrove-associated Shellfish Diversity of Aayiramthengu Mangrove Forest, Kerala, India|journal=Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology|volume=8|issue=2|pages=178-185|url=https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/409717.pdf|date=2020|access-date=12 November 2025}}</ref>

==Threats==
Although the mangroves have been restored successfully, they are still threatened by people who are cutting down the [[Mangrove|mangroves]] and converting the land to be developed or farmed for [[Agriculture|agricultural]] purposes, and they are also threatened by other sources of [[pollution]].<ref name="The Hindu">{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/Mangrove-forest-on-chopping-block-again/article13980205.ece|title=Mangrove forest on chopping block again|newspaper=The Hindu|date=22 September 2016|access-date=12 November 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Mangroves]]
[[Category:Landforms of Kerala]]

Aayiramthengu mangrove forest - Revision history

FranklynDavitt2 at 00:30, 29 March 2026