Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park | |
---|---|
Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu, India | |
Nearest city | Rameswaram |
Coordinates | 09°08′15″N 79°28′21″E / 9.13750°N 79.47250°E |
Area | 560 km2 (220 sq mi) |
Established | 1986 |
Governing body | Tamil Nadu Ministry of Environment and Forests |
forests |
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park is a
Geography
The 560 km2 (220 sq mi) park is part of the 140 km long and 25 km wide Mannar
The islands (listed southwest to northeast)
Tuticorin group: (4 islands)
Vaan, 16.0 ha [5] 8°50′11″N 78°12′38″E / 8.83639°N 78.21047°E
Koswari, 19.50 ha 8°52′08″N 78°13′30″E / 8.86879°N 78.22506°E
Vilanguchalli, 0.95 ha 8°56′17″N 78°16′11″E / 8.93815°N 78.26969°E, now 1 m below mean low tide level as a result of excessive coral mining.
Kariyachalli, 16.46 ha 8°57′15″N 78°15′08″E / 8.95409°N 78.25235°E
Vembar group: (3 islands)
Uppu Thanni, 22.94 ha, elevation 4 m 9°05′21″N 78°29′29″E / 9.08921°N 78.49148°E
Puluvini Challi, 6.12 ha, elevation 5.5 m 9°06′12″N 78°32′13″E / 9.10320°N 78.53688°E
Nalla Thanni, 101.00 ha, elevation 11.9 m (recently populated) 9°06′24″N 78°34′44″E / 9.10667°N 78.57885°E
Kilakarai group: (7 islands)
Anaipar, 11.00 ha, elevation 2.1 m 9°09′11″N 78°41′41″E / 9.15294°N 78.69481°E
Vali Munai, 6.72 ha, elevation 1.2 m 9°09′13″N 78°43′50″E / 9.15354°N 78.73052°E
Poovarasan Patti, 0.50 ha, elevation 1.2 m 9°09′15″N 78°46′01″E / 9.15413°N 78.76695°E
Appa, 28.63 ha, elevation 6.4 m 9°09′57″N 78°49′33″E / 9.16582°N 78.82596°E
Talairi, 75.15 ha, elevation 2.7 m 9°10′53″N 78°54′24″E / 9.18133°N 78.90673°E
Valai 10.10 ha, elevation 3.0 m 9°11′03″N 78°56′19″E / 9.18421°N 78.93866°E
Mulli, 10.20 ha, elevation 1.2 m 9°11′11″N 78°58′05″E / 9.18641°N 78.96810°E
Mandapam group:(7 islands)
Musal, 124.00 ha, elevation 0.9 m 9°11′57″N 79°04′31″E / 9.19912°N 79.07530°E (recently populated)
Manoli, 25.90 ha 9°12′56″N 79°07′42″E / 9.21564°N 79.12834°E
Manoli-Putti 2.34 ha 9°12′57″N 79°07′41″E / 9.21581°N 79.12800°E
Poomarichan 16.58 ha 9°14′43″N 79°10′48″E / 9.24538°N 79.17993°E
Pullivasal, 29.95 ha 9°14′13″N 79°11′28″E / 9.23699°N 79.19100°E
Kurusadai, 65.80 ha 9°14′49″N 79°12′34″E / 9.24690°N 79.20945°E was recently populated.[6] Its surrounding shallow waters harbour three species of seagrass that are found nowhere else in India. Representatives of every animal phylum known (except amphibians) are found on this island.[7]
Shingle, 12.69 ha, elevation .6m 9°14′30″N 79°14′08″E / 9.24174°N 79.23563°E
Tidal amplitude in the area is about .5m.[5]
There were two more islands named Pandayan and Punnaiyadi at 8°46′51″N 78°11′43″E / 8.78075°N 78.19536°E that were destroyed for construction of the new Tuticorn Port facilities.
Flora
The park includes marine components such as
Mangroves dominate the intertidal zones of the park islands. They consist of species of the genera
Fauna
Vertebrates
The
About 510 (23%) of the 2,200 fin fish species in Indian waters are found in the Gulf, making it the most highly diverse fish habitat in India. Coral associated ornamental fishes of the family Chaetodontidae (
A unique endemic species of Balanoglossus – Ptychodera fluva, a living fossil that links invertebrates and vertebrates, has been recorded only at Kurusadai.[7]
Invertebrates
Four species each of
The coral fauna includes 106 species from 30 genus of
Habitation
The islands are uninhabited except for Krusadai, Musal and Nallathanni islands where antipoaching sheds are operating.[25] Along the coast near the park there are about 125 villages which support about 100,000 people who are mainly Marakeyars, a local community principally engaged in fishing.[4][9]
Habitat degradation
Experts say that Vaan Island, one of the four islands of the Tuticorn group, has split in two and if immediate efforts are not taken then the island would soon vanish under the sea. Vaan Island, which is the southernmost of the 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar, was initially spread across 16 hectares, but had shrunk alarmingly by around 10.3 hectares to its current 5.7 hectares in less than three decades. According to J K Patterson Edward, director of Suganthi Devadasan Marine Research Institute (SDMRI), Tuticorin,"Rampant coral mining by people of the fishing villages along the coast is the main cause of the devastation to the island. Coral mining was banned in 2005, but the damage had already been done." Two of the 21 islands have already submerged around a decade ago.[26]
See also
- Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
- Coral reefs in India
- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
- Fisheries College and Research Institute
References
- ^ UNDP (1994). "Conservation and Sustainable-use of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve's Coastal Biodiversity" (PDF). UNDP, Project Brief, New York. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ Shaunak B Modi (2011). "Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park - Tamil Nadu Forest Dept. (GOMNP)". Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ Madhav, Sughosh; Nazneen, Sadaf; Singh, Pardeep, eds. (2021). Coastal ecosystems : environmental importance, current challenges and conservation measures. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. p. 15.
- ^ a b Undp gombr (October 2006). "Annual Project review, Conservation and sustainable use of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve's Coastal Biodiversity" (PDF). UNDP GEF APR/PIR 2006 – Biodiversity (1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006). UNDP. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- ^ a b IOM (2007). "Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve". Ecologically Important Areas of Tamil Nadu Coast. Institute for Ocean Management, Anna University. Archived from the original on 6 January 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ a b J. K. Patterson Edward; Jamila Patterson; G. Mathews; Dan Wilhelmsson. "Status of Coral Reefs of the Tuticorin Coast, Gulf of Mannar, Southeast Coast of India" (PDF). Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ a b OSTI staff (July 2004). "Focus on an Island" (PDF). Ocean Science and Technology for Islands Newsletter, Vol 2.3 Issue 5, p.2. National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai. Retrieved 15 October 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, India". UNESCO. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ a b c "Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park". Ecologically Important Areas of Tamil Nadu Coast. Tamil Nadu Forest Department. 2007. Archived from the original on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2007.
- ^ Jeganathan Stalin (2007). "Vegetation status in the offshore islands of Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Tamil Nadu". Wildlife Institute of India. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ E.V. Muley; J.R.B. Alfred; K. Venkataraman; M.V.M. Wafar (2000). "Status of Coral Reefs of India". 9 ICRS, BALI. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. http://www.tuticorincity.info/plan-your-tour/Gulf-of-Mannar-Marine-National-Park.html. Tuticorin City. retrieved 13-05-2014
- ^ Wells (1995). "Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park". Cetacean habitat directory for MPAs, national and international sanctuaries. Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ Active Asia Travel. http://www.hotelsatmaldives.com/Whales.html Archived 13 May 2014 at archive.today retrieved 13-05-2014
- ^ Accounts of Whale Watching in Sri Lanka. http://www.jetwingeco.com/content/accounts-whale-watching-sri-lanka. Jetwing Eco Holidays. retrieved on 13-05-2014
- ^ Balaenoptera edeni. "Bryde's Whale". Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.. Marine Mammal Conservation Network of India. retrieved 13-05-2014
- ^ Kasim H.M., Balasubramanian S.T., 1989. On the stranding of Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis along Gulf of Mannar coast. Marine Fisheries Information Service, Technical and Extension Series, 95. pp. 12-14. Eprints@CMFRI. http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/3068/. retrieved on 13-05-2014
- ^ Miller M., Scott A., Gulf of Mannar. http://www.psu.edu/dept/nkbiology/India/Gulf_of_Mannar.pdf. Biosphere Reserve Project. retrieved on 13-05-2014
- ^ Marichamy R., Rajapandian M.E., Srinivasan A., 1984. The stranding of rorqual whale Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus) in the Gulf of Mannar. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India. 26. 168-170. Marine Mammal Conservation Network of India. Submit a Record. "Submit a Record". Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2014.retrieved 13-05-2014
- ^ Hoon Vineeta (1997). "Coral Reefs of India: Review of Their Extent, Condition, Research and Management Status". FAO, Regional Workshop on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coral Reefs. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ Patterson J.K.
- ^ UNDP (January 2001). "Project Document – Conservation and Sustainable-use of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve's Coastal Biodiversity" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme, Global Environment Facility. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2007.
- ^ Edward J. K Patterson, Mathews Edward G., Patterson Jamilla, Wilhelmsson Dan, Tamelander Jerjer, Linden Olaf (April 2007) Coral Reefs of The Gulf of Mannar, Southeastern India-Distribution, Diversity and Status, special Research Publication # 12, Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute, J.K. Patterson Edward, Director, 44 Beach Road, Tuticorn, Tamil Nadu, 628001 India [www.sdmri.org]
- ^ Venkataswaran Dr. V (January 2000) Status Survey of Gulf of Mannar Coral Reefs, Marine Biological Station, Zoological Survey of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India, 100 San Thome High Road, Chennai, India, 600028
- ^ V.K.Venkataramani and N. Jayakumar (2007). "Biodiversity and biology of marine ornamental reef fishes of Gulf of Mannar – parrotfishes (family: scaridae)" (PDF). Fisheries College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Thoothukudi. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2007.
- ^ "Gulf of Mannar isle splits in two, may sink". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
Further reading
- Corals images gallery: #1, #2.
- Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Trust
- Conservation and Sustainable-use of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve's Coastal Biodiversity, UNDP
- Sea turtles and their Conservation[permanent dead link]
- Marine Protected Areas of India