Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch - Gujarat

Situated on the southern shore of the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat State, Marine National Park covering an area of 458 square kilometers was declared as a National Park in 1982. This is the first marine park of India and is spread across an archipelago of 42 islands along the Jamnagar coastline which are mostly surrounded by reefs. Consisting of a unique bio-diversity and a fragile eco-system, these areas of the Marine National Park within the Arabian Sea separate the Saurashtra peninsula from the Great and Little Rann of Kutch.

Flora & Fauna

FLORAL attractions of the Marine National Park include a variety of colorful coral reefs, mangrove swamp forests, sea grass, sea weeds, Saag, Sesam, Kheru, and Limda alongside rocky shoals and mudflats. Forming an effective wall between land-based predators and sea-life, these plants serve an essential purpose.

WILDLIFE registered within the waters of the Marine National Park include coral lichen, coral sponge, green sponge, puffer fish, crabs, prawns, sea anemones, jelly fishes, octopus, sea hare, shelled mollusks, sea slug, star fish, dolphins and sea turtles.

COASTAL BIRDS that are abundantly found within the park areas include painted storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoon-bills, darters, flamingoes, avocets, ducks, terns, gulls, little cormorants, and stints. Moreover, 30 different species of migratory birds are found to shift here during the monsoon season.

Rare Species

Dugong or the Sea Cow, a rare marine mammal have also been spotted in the Gulf of Kutch, Marine National Park of Gujarat,