4 sites on Nicobar west coast identified for coral translocation, says Zoological Survey of India

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has identified four sites on the west coast of Great Nicobar Island for the translocation of coral colonies and Giant Cl...

What Happened

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has identified four sites on the west coast of Great Nicobar Island for the translocation of coral colonies and Giant Clams displaced by the proposed International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Galathea Bay.
ZSI communicated these findings to the biodiversity oversight committee during its fourth meeting on 7 November 2025; the committee minutes were made public by ANIIDCO on 10 June 2026.
Translocated coral colonies will be maintained with GPS tags for systematic monitoring of survival and growth.
The Environmental Clearance for the Great Nicobar project, upheld by the National Green Tribunal in February 2026, mandates the translocation of 16,150 coral colonies from the project impact area.
Ecological experts and coral biologists have raised questions about the viability of large-scale coral translocation in the Andaman and Nicobar conditions, citing high mortality rates in transplanted corals globally.

Static Topic Bridges

Coral Reefs — Ecology, Legal Protection, and IUCN Status in India

Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth, occupying less than 0.1% of the ocean floor but supporting an estimated 25% of all marine species. In India, major coral reef systems exist in five areas: the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, and Palk Bay. India grants corals the highest level of legal protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WPA), which prohibits collection, trade, and possession of both live and dead corals, with penalties of three to seven years' imprisonment. The Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019 additionally bans development and waste disposal in coral reef ecosystems.

Schedule I of WPA 1972: highest level of protection for wildlife — prohibits hunting, collection, trade; penalties 3–7 years imprisonment + fine
CRZ Notification, 2019: bans development in coral reef areas (classified as CRZ-IA — ecologically sensitive zones)
India's coral reef area: approximately 2,375 sq km (2.4% of global coral reefs)
IUCN classification: coral reefs are not individually listed species, but specific coral species under threat are listed on the IUCN Red List; staghorn and elkhorn corals are listed as Critically Endangered globally
Key Indian coral zones: Andaman & Nicobar (largest), Lakshadweep, Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Palk Bay
Galathea Bay contained coral colonies and Giant Clams prior to project construction

Connection to this news: The WPA Schedule I protection means every coral colony in the project impact area requires formal government permission to relocate — the Environmental Clearance and ZSI's identification of translocation sites is the regulatory mechanism through which this legal obligation is being discharged.

Coral Translocation — Technique, Efficacy, and Scientific Controversy

Coral translocation (also called coral transplantation or assisted migration) is the process of moving live coral colonies from a stressed or threatened location to a new substrate where they can survive and grow. Two main techniques are used: direct translocation of intact colonies (used for large, slow-growing species like Giant Clams and massive corals) and coral gardening (growing coral fragments in underwater nurseries before transplanting). In India, coral restoration efforts are ongoing in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Gulf of Kachchh. However, translocation as a mitigation tool for large-scale development projects — where the displacement is permanent and the receiving habitat is less optimal — is scientifically controversial, with studies showing variable survival rates depending on species, thermal stress, and water quality at recipient sites.

Coral restoration introduced in the 1970s as an active reef management technique
Main methods: (1) direct colony transplant with cement/adhesives; (2) coral gardening — fragmentation in nurseries, then transplant; (3) biorock/mineral accretion for substrate enhancement
GPS tagging of translocated colonies (as mandated for the Great Nicobar project) is standard monitoring practice to track survival and growth
India's largest coral restoration initiative: Mithapur project (Gujarat) — 2,310 artificial reefs, 57 coral garden nurseries
Giant Clams (Tridacna spp.): Schedule I, WPA 1972; largest bivalve molluscs; ecosystem engineers that filter water and provide habitat for fish larvae
16,150 coral colonies mandated for translocation under the Great Nicobar EC — one of the largest such exercises in India

Connection to this news: The ZSI's identification of 4 west coast sites is the first concrete step in fulfilling the translocation mandate. The west coast location was likely chosen for its lower wave energy and greater substrate stability compared to the project-affected eastern/bay sites. However, the scientific community has flagged concerns about the west coast sites' ability to sustain the full 16,150 colonies given thermal and ecological differences.

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) — Role and Mandate

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) is a premier national organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), established in 1916, with its headquarters in Kolkata. ZSI's mandate includes surveying, inventorying, and monitoring India's faunal diversity; publishing faunal records; and providing technical expertise to government bodies on wildlife and marine ecology. In the context of large development projects, ZSI conducts faunal impact assessments and provides expert guidance on mitigation measures including translocation protocols for marine species.

Established: 1916; headquarters: Kolkata
Under: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
Primary function: taxonomic survey, faunal inventory, and biodiversity monitoring for India
Comparable body for flora: Botanical Survey of India (BSI), also under MoEFCC, established 1890
ZSI maintains 16 regional stations across India, including one in Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar)
For Great Nicobar, ZSI is the designated expert body for marine fauna mitigation oversight alongside the Wildlife Institute of India (WII)

Connection to this news: ZSI's role in identifying the 4 translocation sites is a statutory function under the Environmental Clearance conditions — the committee it reported to is the biodiversity oversight committee established as a post-clearance monitoring mechanism required by MoEFCC.

Galathea Bay — Ecological Significance and Denotification

Galathea Bay is a marine bay on the southeastern coast of Great Nicobar Island. It was designated as Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in 1997, primarily to protect the nesting grounds of the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) — the world's largest sea turtle and a Critically Endangered species. Galathea Bay is India's and Southeast Asia's largest known leatherback turtle nesting site. The sanctuary was denotified in 2021 to facilitate construction of the transhipment port, a move challenged by conservationists. Leatherback nesting numbers at Galathea Bay have been: 649 nests (2022), 505 nests (2023), and 619 nests (2024), indicating active nesting continues.

Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary: established 1997; denotified 2021 for port project
Key species: Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) — IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR); Schedule I, WPA 1972
India's and Southeast Asia's largest known leatherback nesting site
Recent nesting counts: 649 (2022), 505 (2023), 619 (2024)
Galathea Bay is part of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere Reserve area: ~885 sq km (land + marine); includes the Campbell Bay National Park and Galathea National Park

Connection to this news: The ZSI's coral translocation sites are on the west coast of Great Nicobar — the opposite side from Galathea Bay — indicating the bay's primary coral communities will be displaced to habitat with different ecological characteristics. The ongoing leatherback nesting activity at the denotified bay adds to conservation concerns about the project's cumulative impact.

Key Facts & Data

Coral colonies mandated for translocation: 16,150 (as per Environmental Clearance conditions)
ZSI biodiversity committee meeting: 4th meeting, 7 November 2025; minutes published 10 June 2026
Translocation sites: 4 locations on west coast of Great Nicobar Island (GPS-tagged monitoring required)
NGT upheld Environmental Clearance for Great Nicobar project: February 2026
Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary: established 1997; denotified 2021
Leatherback nesting at Galathea Bay: 619 nests (2024), 505 (2023), 649 (2022)
India's coral reef area: ~2,375 sq km; 5 major reef systems
Schedule I, WPA 1972: prohibits collection/trade of corals; penalty 3–7 years imprisonment
ZSI established: 1916; headquarters: Kolkata; under MoEFCC
Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve area: ~885 sq km (land + marine)
Giant Clams (Tridacna spp.): Schedule I, WPA 1972; also targeted for translocation alongside coral colonies