Page 8 - AHATA

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local Wednesday 17 april 2024

Let’s take care of our precious Patrishi bird

Together we can provide a healthy environment for the growth of Aruba’s flora and fauna

(Oranjestad)—Recent- some companies continue
ly, through his Facebook to give tours using these ve-
page, renowned activ- hicles in different locations
ist Greg Peterson from the without providing clear
Aruba Birdlife Conservation guidelines and rules for off-
posted a sad message, in- roading activities.
dicating that another type
of bird in Aruba, the Patrishi, Our local fauna and flora
has started to disappear is especially important for
due to UTV and ATV ac- the preservation of our na-
tivities around the island’s ture. Visitors and locals alike
wildlife territories. have always expressed
their love and admiration
"The last call of the Patri- for Aruba’s nature, and
shi. Around the area of the so it is important that we
Lighthouse where adven- work together to address
ture tourism has caused now disappeared," the used for off-roading adven- and fauna. This is not the and safeguard the island’s
great disturbance to a post indicates. tures, currently has a serious first time this tourist activity nature reserves. A healthy
historic breeding ground impact on Aruba's nature. has been denounced. For environment insures not
of Aruba's Burrowing Owl Peterson, who is an activist a long time now, citizens only the growth of our local
(Shoco), we have now firmly standing in the fight He stresses that this type of and organizations have flora and fauna, but also
noticed that the Crested to safeguard Aruba's na- tourism is not sustainable expressed their dissatis- provides an enjoyable ex-
Bobwhite (Patrishi), which ture and environment, em- and needs to be regulated faction with the damage perience for tourists visiting
once roamed this area in phasizes that the manner long before it causes more caused by ATV and UTV the island as well the locals
respectable numbers, has of use of the UTV and ATV, damage to Aruba's flora to nature, but nonetheless, receiving the visitors. q

How Aruban beaches came to be!

(Oranjestad)—We’ve talk- veloped over the span of sand starts to accumulate
ed about the best beaches thousands of years. Waves around the area. Howev-
to visit on the island before, crashing on the rocky for- er, whether the sand stays
but have you ever won- mations along our coast there is another question
dered how Aruba got its line (which consists mainly to be answered, and this is
white, sandy beaches, and of coral reefs) have start- where we highlight the big-
why there’s a clear differ- ed to wear and tear the gest difference between
ence between the northern reefs over time, resulting the northern and southern
and southern shores? Here in its gradual breakdown. coast of the island.
are some fun facts about Fish that feed off corals
the development of Aru- also contribute to this, one The sand that accumulates
ban beaches. small bite at a time. Over around a torn coral reef
the course of thousands is swept away along with stream is weaker, the sand interesting phrasing.
How did Aruba get its of years, as waves contin- the debris by the ocean tends to sick to the bot-
white, sandy beaches? ue to crash and fish con- stream. However, in areas tom faster. This is why the Aruba is a continental
Aruba’s beaches have de- tinue to eat off the corals, where it’s shallow and the beaches in the south—the island. The island actu-
areas with weaker stream ally forms part of South
and shallower ocean America, and the space
floors—has sand that between Aruba and the
stretches for miles. In con- South American continent
trast, the northern area, is simply referred to as land
where the stream is much that runs under the ocean.
stronger and the ocean This is why it gets gradu-
floor is much deeper, there ally deeper in the south,
is no sand present—they whereas the ocean floor in
were swept away with the the north runs steeply to the
current! bottom.

Why north deep, but south Source: archival document
shallow? provided by the National
Ah! Good question…and Archive of Aruba (ANA).q