Mafia Island | Flora and Fauna Mafia

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MAFIA ISLAND

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Mafia Island ("Chole Shamba") is part of the Tanzanian Spice Islands, together with Unguja and Pemba. As one of the six districts of the Pwani Region, Mafia Island is governed from the mainland, not from the semi-autonomous region of Zanzibar, of which it has never been considered to be a part.
According to the 2002 Tanzania census, the population of the Mafia District was 40,801. The economy is based on fishing and subsistence agriculture. The island attracts some tourists, mainly adventure scuba divers, game fishermen, and people wanting relaxation.

Mafia Island, Tanzania, lies off the mouth of the Rufiji River in Southern Tanzania. It is one of the least developed parts of an undeveloped country, yet it has been, and continues to be, part of important historical processes. Although its spectacular marine life is becoming increasingly well known, especially since the setting up of the Mafia Island Marine Park, little other information is widely available. Using search engines on the worldwide web tends to bring up mainly sites which represent the island as a tourist paradise: some of them also give inaccurate or misleading information.

Marine Life
The sea around Mafia Island hosts an outstanding mosaic of tropical marine habitat including coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves, inter-tidal flats reef flats, lagoons and coastal forest. These are nesting sites for Green and Hawksbill turtles while Leatherback, Olive Ridlely and Loggerhead also occur in Mafia. Sharks, barracuda, grouper, needlefish, moray eels and triggerfish are also prominent in these waters. Also Torpedo-shaped and robust yellow-fin tuna, cobia manta rays and sting rays, swordfish, black marlins and wahoo may also be seen in the Marine Park.

Flora and Fauna Mafia Island
The sea around Mafia Island hosts an outstanding mosaic of tropical marine habitat including coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves and inter-tidal flats. In addition, a remnant block of threatened lowland coastal forest on the eastern side of the island is incorporated into the park.
Most of the marine area of the park is less than 20 metres below mean tide levels. This area includes much of Chole Bay, the extensive area south of the bay enclosed by Mafia Island, Jibondo and Juani islands and several reef areas south of Bwejuu.
Extensive inter-tidal flats stretch along the southern part of Mafia Island, around Chole and Juani islands and between Jibondo Island and Kitutia Reef.

How To Get There
There are scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam are operated daily. You can also charter a private flight on short notice. Mafia island is also accessible by boat; however, few tourists take this option.
What To Do
Activities such as island hopping, fishing, swimming, scuba diving and snorking are available. The half-day spice tour is highly recommended

DON'T FORGET THE RULES WHEN YOU VISIT MAFIA ISLAND MARINE PARK!!
• Marine Park has entrance fees 20 USD per person per day.
• Users of the marine park should avoid all physical contact with reef organisms, such as corals and sponges. They can be easily damaged.
• The collection of marine organisms whether dead or alive by visitors is prohibited.
• All forms of waste disposal are regulated within marine park. Leave footprints ONLY!
• All extractive activities are prohibited in marine park and core zones.
• Fishing in marine parks is mainly reserved for registered local fishers.
• It is illegal to pick up or possess any marine organisms from a marine protected area without a valid permit or license.