Sonadia Island

Sonadia Island is a small island of about 9 km² (3.5 sq mi), off the Cox's Bazar coast of Chittagong Division, Bangladesh. Sonadia is located at Kutubjom Union in Maheshkhali Upazila, 15 km north-west of Cox's Bazar District Headquarters. It is located at latitude 21.28˝-21.33˝ and longitude 91.50˝-91.56˝. Sonadia Maheshkhali is separated from the main island by a canal.

Biodiversity

Turtles

Five species of sea turtle have been reported from the territorial waters of Bangladesh, but only olive ridley and green turtles nest on Sonadia Island.^[1] The illegal harvesting of turtle eggs, bycatch in offshore fisheries, and alterations of sand dunes and nesting beaches are the main threats to sea turtles in Bangladesh.^[1] Since 1980, the nesting populations of sea turtles have declined significantly due to severe exploitation of eggs and killing of adult turtles by fishing and other activities.^[1] Despite complete legal protection since 2010, sea turtles continue to face severe threats in Bangladesh, and many of the nesting rookeries remain poorly studied.^[1]

Birds

The island has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of wintering migratory waders, including great knots, spoon-billed sandpipers and spotted greenshanks.^[2]

Threats

Sonadia is seen as a potential deepwater port lying on the Bay of Bengal that could serve the landlocked parts of India, Myanmar and China.^[3] Rail connections have yet to be built, and the question of gauge has yet to be resolved.