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                | About
                  Marine National Park |  
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                The Marine 
                        National Park is situated offshore from the southern 
                        coast of the Gulf of Kutch in the Jamnagar district of 
                        Gujarat. The Gulf of Kutch, located on the west coast of 
                        India is an arm of the Arabian Sea, and separates the 
                        Saurashtra peninsula from the Great and Little Rann of 
                        Kutch. It is about 58 km wide on the seaward (western) 
                        side, and 170 km wide in the eastern side. The Marine 
                        national park was established in 1982 under the 
                        provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for 
                        the protection of threatened marine flora and fauna in 
                        the area. This park was declared as the first marine 
                        national park in India in 1982 and covers an area of 458 
                        square kms. The Marine national park consists of an 
                        archipelago of 42 islands. Some of the best known 
                        islands are Pirotan, Karubhar, Narara, Poshitra. 
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                | Wildlife attractions 
                                                        in the Marine National Park |  
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                Colourful coral reefs, mangrove swamp forests, mudflats, sea 
                grass, sea weeds, Saag, Sesam, Kheru, Limda and rocky shoals 
                form the landscape of the shallow waters of the park. These 
                plants prevent the land based predators from penetrating and 
                also provides shelter to the birds for nesting and roosting 
                purposes. Coral lichen, Coral sponge, Green sponge, Puffer Fish, 
                Crabs, Prawns, Sea anemones, Jelly Fishes, Octopus, Sea hare, 
                Shelled mollusks, Sea slug, Star fish, Dolphins, Sea turtles and 
                various coastal birds like painted storks, herons, egrets, 
                ibises, spoonbills, darters, flamingoes, avocets, ducks, terns, 
                gulls, little cormorants and stints can be seen feeding |   |  
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                        on the 
                mudflats and rocky shores, nesting on the mangrove canopies and 
                wading in shallow coastal waters. Dugong or sea cow, a marine 
                mammal that looks like sea and breed in the Arabian sea and rare 
                species of Bonnalia, an undivided worm, was also found here. 
                During the monsoon season, 30 different species of migratory 
                birds make their home among the mangrove forests. One of the 
                most threatened birds, the great Indian bustard and Chowsingha, 
                the world’s only four-horned antelope is also found in certain 
                protected areas in this island.
 In the marine 
                national park, corals create fantasies in stone and are the 
                master builders of the park. Their limestone fortresses come in 
                a wide variety of shapes and sizes, from the convoluted brain 
                coral to corals that look like horns. There are some plants that 
                look like animals and animals that look like plants. There are 
                various varieties of turtles, shrimp, sponge, eels, sea urchin 
                lurk, fishes and octopuses that create a brilliance of colours 
                that can be unknown, unseen and unimaginable to us. Gobies are 
                also there which clean parasites from other fish and fishes who 
                burrow so deep that only their eyes can seen. The Marine 
                National Park also maintains a hatchery at Madhopur near 
                Porbandar and also some temporary hatcheries on islands near 
                Okha and Dwarka.
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                      | Best time to visit the 
                                                    Park |  
                      | The best time to visit the 
                      Marine national park is from end of October till end of 
                      February. You can also hire boats at jetties near Jamnagar 
                      for a trip to the Marine national park. |  |  
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                | How to get here |  
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                By Air:The nearest airport is 
                located at Jamnagar, about 7 kms.
 
 By Rail:
 The nearest railway station 
                are located at Jamnagar and Rajkot.
 
 By Road:
 The nearest bus stand is 
                located at Jamnagar.
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