The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park

The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park has the core area of about 560 sq.KM from Rameswaram to Tutucorin lying within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve covering an area of 10,500 Sq.KM. on the south-east coast of India. It covers the coast of Rameswaram, Tutucorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. It is one of the world’s richest regions from marine bio diversity perspective and the first marine Biosphere Reserve in Southeast Asia. The Biosphere Reserve comprises 21 islands with estuaries, mudflats, beaches, forests of the near shore environment, including marine components like algal communities, sea grasses, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroves.

Among the Gulf’s 3600 plant and animal species, there are the globally endangered species Sea Cow (Dugong dugong) and six mangrove species endemic to peninsular India.

The inhabitants are mainly Marakeyars, a local Community principally engaged in fishing. There are about 125 villages along the coastal part of the biosphere reserve which support about 100,000 people .This coupled with dynamite fishing, machanised fishing boats, use of destructive type of fishing nets catching untargetted marine animals and corals and over harvesting of fish makes the efforts of conservation challenging here.

Major ecosystem types available are Coral reefs, mudflats, beach, island, shallow water, and mangrove .

Sea grass beds dominated by family like Hydrocharitaceae and Potamogetonaceae and species Halodule uninervis, Cymodocea rotunds, C.Serulata ; Coral reefs; mangroves including Rhizophora muctonata, Avicennia alba, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Ceriops tagal, Lumnitzera racemosa are also common in the stretch.
The area has all the mangrove species available in India with Pemphis acidula being endemic and all the 11 sea-grasses of india occur here with Enhalus acoroides being endemic . The area supports 147 species of sea-weeds

Abundance of sea-weeds and sea-grasses in grazing ground attract Sea cow (Dugong dugong) – the flagship species of the protected area. Other marine creatures like Dolphins, Sea-horse, Sea-cucumber, Sea-anemone are common here. 137 coral reef species form the basis of the ecosystem where 3600 species of plants and animals are associated. Peculiar animal like Balanoglosses living –fossil linking invertebrates and vertebrates is endemic here. Sandy shores of islands is feeding ground for five endangered marine turtles – Green turtle, Olive ridley turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Leatherback turtle and Loggerhead turtle and the first two breed here too. The islands form a good habitat and a stop over between Chilka lake, Point Calimore and Sri lanka for migratary birds. Nearly 180 birds are found here warders and sea-birds being most common. Lesser sand piper, Curlew sandpiper, Little stint are abundent; Rare birds like Red knot, Eastern knot, Crab plovers Bar tailed Godwit, Broad billed Sandpiper, Dunlin, Longtoed stint, Rednecked phalarope are regulars here. Little tern, Kentish plover, Stone plover, Stone curlew, Lesser crested sterna breed here. Thousands of larger flamingos winter here before returning towards Rann of Kuch. Flora Acropora Cytherea Acropora Formosa Acropora Valida Sea Tentacles Major ecosystem types available are Coral reefs, mudflats, beach, island, shallow water, and mangrove . Sea grass beds dominated by family like Hydrocharitaceae and Potamogetonaceae and species Halodule uninervis, Cymodocea rotunds, C.Serulata ; Coral reefs; mangroves including Rhizophora muctonata, Avicennia alba, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Ceriops tagal, Lumnitzera racemosa are also common in the stretch. The area has all the mangrove species available in India with Pemphis acidula being endemic and all the 11 sea-grasses of india occur here with Enhalus acoroides being endemic . The area supports 147 species of sea-weeds. Fauna Lion Fish Coral Reef Algae Green Sea Turtle Coral fish – Yellow Butterfly Abundance of sea-weeds and sea-grasses in grazing ground attract Sea cow (Dugong dugong) – the flagship species of the protected area. Other marine creatures like Dolphins, Sea-horse, Sea-cucumber, Sea-anemone are common here. 137 coral reef species form the basis of the ecosystem where 3600 species of plants and animals are associated. Peculiar animal like Balanoglosses living –fossil linking invertebrates and vertebrates is endemic here. Sandy shores of islands is feeding ground for five endangered marine turtles – Green turtle, Olive ridley turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Leatherback turtle and Loggerhead turtle and the first two breed here too. The islands form a good habitat and a stop over between Chilka lake, Point Calimore and Sri lanka for migratary birds. Nearly 180 birds are found here warders and sea-birds being most common. Lesser sand piper, Curlew sandpiper, Little stint are abundent; Rare birds like Red knot, Eastern knot, Crab plovers Bar tailed Godwit, Broad billed Sandpiper, Dunlin, Longtoed stint, Rednecked phalarope are regulars here. Little tern, Kentish plover, Stone plover, Stone curlew, Lesser crested sterna breed here. Thousands of larger flamingos winter here before returning towards Rann of Kuch.   Musal Thivu Sea Gulls Pamban Coast Mangroves The Algal Flora of the Coral Reefs The algal species composition on the coral reefs is different from that found in the lagoons. The following species are noticed in the reefs: Acropora Cytherea Coral Reef Algae Ulva recticulata Halimeda opuntia H.tuna Caulerpa racemosa V.Clavifera Pocockiella sp. Chnospora implexa Sargassum sp. Turbinaria conoides T.ornate Gelidiella acerosa Chondrococcus harnemanni Coral Reef Algae Padina was observed on the shores and lagoons. Gracilaria Lichenoides was found more on the shore and lagoon than on reefs. Sargassum and Turbinaria are found on the shoreward part of the reefs. The predominant species on the coral reefs is Halimeda opuntia. Caulerpa, Sargassum, Amphiroa fragilissima, Gracilaria lichenoides are the other dominant species. The Seagrass Ecosystem The Gulf of Mannar is rich in sea grasses. The following species belonging to Hydrocharitaceae and Potamogetonaceae have been recorded. The sea grass beds provide food sources for the sea mammals, particularly Dugong dugong which feeds upon these pastures on the Gulf shoreline and surrounding islands like Krusadai. The Dugongs prefer pastures of Halodule uninervis for food It is significant to observe that among marine angiosperms, only Enhalus acoroides shows aerial surface pollination. Most sea grasses are dioecious and cross fertilization is the rule. Not a single marine angiosperm is closely related to terrestrial plants. The marine share, however, in total angiospermic species is negligible. No marine dicot has been recorded so far.