Pigeon Island National Park
Encyclopedia
Pigeon Island National Park is one of the two marine
national park
s of Sri Lanka
. The national park is situated 1 km off the coast of Nilaveli
, a coastal town in Eastern Province
. The island's name derives from the Rock Pigeon
which has colonized it. The national park contains some of the best remaining coral reef
s of Sri Lanka. Pigeon Island was designated as a sanctuary in 1963. In 2003 it was redesignated as a national park
. This national park is the 17th in Sri Lanka. The island was used as a shooting range
during the colonial era
. Pigeon Island is one of the several protected areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami
in 2004.
, and is about 200 m long and 100 m wide. The small pigeon island is surrounded by rocky islets. The national park is situated within the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The mean annual temperature is around 27 °C (80.6 °F). The annual rainfall ranges between 1000–1700 mm (39.4–66.9 in) while most of the rain is received during the North-eastern monsoon season from October to March.
spp. with some Montipora
spp. Faviidae
, Mussidae
and Poritidae species dominate the coral reef around the rocky islets. Areas with soft corals
such as Sinularia, Lobophyton, and Sarcophyton can also be observed. The coral reef harbors many Vertebrate
s and Invertebrate
s. Many of the 100 species of corals and 300 coral reef fishes recorded around the Trincomalee
area are found in the national park. Juvenile and adult Blacktip reef shark
are seen around the shallow coral areas. Hawksbill turtle
, Green turtle and Olive Ridley
are the visiting sea turtle
s of the coral reef. The island is important breeding ground for the Rock Pigeon
.
site. Uncontrolled tourism has resulted in reef degradation and loss of biodiversity and fish density. Scientific research was hindered due to the civil war
in the past two decades. A proposed pier between the mainland coast and the island has attracted criticism.
Marine park
A marine park is a park consisting of an area of sea sometimes protected for recreational use, but more often set aside to preserve a specific habitat and ensure the ecosystem is sustained for the organisms that exist there...
national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The national park is situated 1 km off the coast of Nilaveli
Nilaveli
Nilaveli is a coastal resort town located about 20 km North-West of Trincomalee, Trincomalee District, Sri Lanka...
, a coastal town in Eastern Province
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
. The island's name derives from the Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
which has colonized it. The national park contains some of the best remaining coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s of Sri Lanka. Pigeon Island was designated as a sanctuary in 1963. In 2003 it was redesignated as a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
. This national park is the 17th in Sri Lanka. The island was used as a shooting range
Shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
during the colonial era
British Ceylon
British Ceylon refers to British rule prior to 1948 of the island territory now known as Sri Lanka.-From the Dutch to the British:Before the beginning of the Dutch governance, the island of Ceylon was divided between the Portuguese Empire and the Kingdom of Kandy, who were in the midst of a war for...
. Pigeon Island is one of the several protected areas affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
in 2004.
Physical features
Pigeon Island consists of two islands; large pigeon island and small pigeon island. The large pigeon island is fringed by a coral reefCoral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
, and is about 200 m long and 100 m wide. The small pigeon island is surrounded by rocky islets. The national park is situated within the dry zone of Sri Lanka. The mean annual temperature is around 27 °C (80.6 °F). The annual rainfall ranges between 1000–1700 mm (39.4–66.9 in) while most of the rain is received during the North-eastern monsoon season from October to March.
Flora and fauna
The large pigeon island's coral reef's vegetation is dominated by AcroporaAcropora
Acropora is a genus of scleractinian coral in the Phylum Cnidaria. Some of its species are known as table coral, elkhorn coral and staghorn coral. There are currently 149 described species...
spp. with some Montipora
Montipora
Montipora is a genus of small polyp stony coral in the phylum Cnidaria. Depending on the species and location, Montipora may grow as plates or ridges, appearing to some as a bowl or flower. Undisturbed, the plates expand radially and may encrust over surrounding rocks, shells or debris...
spp. Faviidae
Faviidae
Faviidae is a family of Scleractinia. Members of this family are widely sought after for the reef aquarium trade.-Genera:*Astreosmilia Duncan, 1867*Australogyra Veron, 1982*Barabattoai Yabe and Sugiyama, 1941*Bikiniastrea Wells, 1954...
, Mussidae
Mussidae
Mussidae is a family of stony coral that contains the genera Acanthastrea, Blastomussa, Cynaria, Isophyllastrea, Isophyllia, Lobophyllia, Mussa, Mussimilia, Mycetophyllia, Scolymia, and Symphyllia...
and Poritidae species dominate the coral reef around the rocky islets. Areas with soft corals
Alcyonacea
The Alcyonacea, or the soft corals are an order of corals which do not produce calcium carbonate skeletons. Soft corals contain minute, spiny skeletal elements called sclerites. Aside from their scientific utility in species identification, sclerites give these corals some degree of support and...
such as Sinularia, Lobophyton, and Sarcophyton can also be observed. The coral reef harbors many Vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s and Invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s. Many of the 100 species of corals and 300 coral reef fishes recorded around the Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
area are found in the national park. Juvenile and adult Blacktip reef shark
Blacktip reef shark
The blacktip reef shark is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, easily identified by the prominent black tips on its fins...
are seen around the shallow coral areas. Hawksbill turtle
Hawksbill turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Pacific subspecies. E. imbricata imbricata is the Atlantic subspecies, while E...
, Green turtle and Olive Ridley
Olive Ridley
The olive ridley sea turtle , also known as the Pacific ridley, is a species of sea turtle.- Description :The olive ridley is a small extant sea turtle, with an adult carapace length averaging 60 to 70 cm 1...
are the visiting sea turtle
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...
s of the coral reef. The island is important breeding ground for the Rock Pigeon
Rock Pigeon
The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
.
Conservation
Fishing and ornamental fish collection are the main economic usages of the coral reef. The pigeon island is also used as a scuba divingScuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
site. Uncontrolled tourism has resulted in reef degradation and loss of biodiversity and fish density. Scientific research was hindered due to the civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
in the past two decades. A proposed pier between the mainland coast and the island has attracted criticism.