Marine National Park

DEEP SEA SECRETS

Marine National Park near Jamnagar in Gujarat attracts exotic species during winter, says Nayan Dave

February 4, 2006 -- The Times of India 

Narara Island: It’s a marine biologist’s dream. The 162 sq km Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch draws some of the rarest deep sea species during winter, making it a ‘must see’ for environment enthusiasts. 

Exotic species like puffer fish, brittel star fish, octopus and sea cucumber find their way out of the deep waters of Arabian Sea and head towards the marine park near Narara Island on the Jamnagar coast every winter.

Vinod Pandya, coordinator of Natural Interest in Conservation of Environment (NICE), an NGO for nature lovers, says that this being the breeding season, several species make their way to the Jamnager coast because of its warm waters.Marine creatures are not the only attraction of Narara Island. Greater flamingos arrive in large numbers at Narara Island which is also a part of the Marine Park. But drastic climatic changes have taken their toll on this sanctuart. Species like the hipo campus have not been seen for the last one decade.

Pandya says that over the last few years, the loss of mangrove has affected marine life adversely and this could be the reason why the hipo campus are no longer found here during the breeding season. The rich marine life expectedly attracts a large number of tourists. Nature lovers have to seek permission of the state forest department before taking a tour, but many complain of inadequate infrastructure.

According to Shailesh Patel, a nature lover and frequent visiter to the sanctuary, the state forest department should deploy professional guides and provide.

Pandya says that over the last few years, the loss of mangrove has affected marine life adversely and this could be the reason why the hipo campus is no longer found here during the breeding season. The rich marine life expectedly attracts a large number of tourists. Nature lovers have to seek permission of the state forest department before taking a tour, but many complain of inadequate infrastructure.

According to Shailesh Patel, a nature lover and frequent visitor to the sanctuary, the state forest department should deploy professional guides and provide equipment like telescopes for a close look at the rare marine species during breeding season. “Of course, for such services, the department should charge the tourists,” he says. Other tourists also see this as a potential spot to develop eco-tourism.

A senior forest official, on condition of anonymity, says that the state government does want to develop eco-tourism in the state, but before that it is essential for visitors to be environmentally conscious so that the delicate ecology of the Marine National Park is not destroyed. Adequate funds for infrastructure development is also required, says the official. 

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