Ulenge Island or Ulenge Island Marine Reserve is a 3.151 km2 protected, seasonally inhabited island in the Pemba Channel under the Tanga Marine Reserves (TMRS) with the IUCN category II bordering Tanga Bay and Kwale Bay at the north of Tanga. Ulenge Island is nicknamed as Bird Island due to its importance as a seabird sanctuary and contains a diverse range of bird species, including Greater Sand Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Crab Plover, Migrating Waders, and many more. Ulenge Island is also bordered by a healthy coral reef that offers great snorkeling and diving over its shallow reef crest and down into the drop off the Pemba channel.
The first people to live in Ulenge Island were the Swahili people from North who were lead by Chief Mwinyi Ulenge. Because of water shortage on the Island, they were forced to go to the mainland. Most of them settled at an area now called Chongoleani. Ulenge Island has also ruins from the German colonial period.
What to See: Ruins, Mangroves, Coral Reefs, and Birds
Tanga Marine Parks & Reserves
Tanga Marine Reserves System (TMRS) is a group of marine reserves in the Tanga Region with covers total of 56.30 km². The Tanga Marine Reserves have every species of mangrove found in Tanzania.
Rhizophora mucronata predominated in wave-protected locations, while Sonneratia alba is the main tree seaward. The Islands serve as significant sea bird breeding areas, Maziwe Island Marine Reserve have sand beach which is ideal for tourists.
- Kwale Island Marine Reserve
- Kirui Island Marine Reserve
- Ulenge Island Marine Reserve
- Mwewe Island Marine Reserve
- Maziwe Island Marine Reserve / Maziwe Sand Bar