Marine National Park - Gulf of Kutch Information | Photos | Location

Marine National Park is stunning discovery and stretches 170 km along the coastline and  includes a group of 43 islands, 33 of which are ringed by coral reefs. The Gulf of Kutch National Park provides tourists with an opportunity to admire nature along the seashore. This is India’s first Marine Park which sprawls along the Jamnagar Coast of Gujrat. The park is one of its kind as it houses the rarest of the  flora and fauna. The park houses various types of King crab, Crabs, Hermit crabs, Neptune, Wolf, Ghost crabs, Scorpions, Wiper- Isosceles, Sea slugs etc. The Park covered with Mangrove trees and out of the world 250 kinds of mangroves 60 have been found in this park. The best time to visit the park is from November to March.

The Gulf of Kutch National Park is positioned in a zone which is subjected to both low and high tides. This supports the existence of a wide range of ecological communities which include estuaries, coral reefs, mudflats, creeks, seaweeds and grass, marshy lands, and saline grasslands. 

The National Park exhibits a wide range of diversity in the form of fishes, birds, animals, sponges, reptiles, sea mammals, corals, mollusks, algae, and turtles. Gangetic Dolphins, Beluga Whales, Avocets, Ibises, Starfishes, Jellyfishes, Jackals, Leather Back Turtles, and Jungle cats are examples of the rich fauna available here.

The marine national park was declared as a sanctuary in the year 1980 and National Park was set up in 1982 with the aim of preserving mangroves and corals while following the guidelines Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

The national park falls in the inter-tidal zone and is swamped by natural volatile waters twice a day. The park has a rich biodiversity and witness’s diverse topographic elements like ranging from coral reefs, mangroves, mudflats, creeks, estuaries, and sandy strands to saline grasslands, marshy areas and rocky shores. You can be a spectator to the beautiful coral reefs, estuaries, , mudflats, creeks, sandy strands to saline grasslands, mangroves, marshy areas and rocky shores all at one place.

It is better that tourist avoid visiting the National Park during the rainy season as the water turns murky. Once in Jamnagar tourist can take a ferry boat and visit any of the 42 islands such as Pirotan, Karubhar, Narala, and Positara. Permission may be required from Forests Office at Ganjiwada, Jamnagar.