Suheli Par
Encyclopedia
Suheli Par is a coral
atoll
in the Union Territory
of Lakshadweep
, India
. It is located at 10°05′N 72°17′E, 52 km to the SW of Kavaratti
, 76 km to the south of Agatti
, 139 km to the west of Kalpeni
and 205 km to the NNW of Minicoy
, with the broad Nine Degree Channel
between them. There are two uninhabited islands on the reef encircling the lagoon. This oval-shaped 17 km long atoll is surrounded by an area of rich marine fauna.
, Scaevola taccada
, Tournefortia argentea and Pemphis acidula bushes.
The Grey Heron
and the Black-capped kingfisher
have been observed in this atoll. Owing to the rich marine life there was a proposal to declare Suheli Par a Marine National Park.
In 2006 a ship from Seychelles
ran aground on this atoll, but there was no oil spill
reported.
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
atoll
Atoll
An atoll is a coral island that encircles a lagoon partially or completely.- Usage :The word atoll comes from the Dhivehi word atholhu OED...
in the Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
of Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is located at 10°05′N 72°17′E, 52 km to the SW of Kavaratti
Kavaratti
Kavaratti is a census town in the Indian Union Territory and the capital of Lakshadweep. Kavaratti is also the name of the island upon which the town stands.-Geography:...
, 76 km to the south of Agatti
Agatti
Agatti Island , also known as Agathy, is a 5.6 km long island, situated on a coral atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is located about 459 km off Kochi in the mainland and 7 km to the southwest of Bangaram, the nearest island...
, 139 km to the west of Kalpeni
Kalpeni
Kalpeni is an inhabited island in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It lies 71 km south of Androth and 201 km to the NNE of Minicoy, with the broad Nine Degree Channel between them...
and 205 km to the NNW of Minicoy
Minicoy
Minicoy, locally known as Maliku is a census town in the Indian union territory of Lakshadweep and was formerly a part of Maldive Islands.-Etymology:...
, with the broad Nine Degree Channel
Nine Degree Channel
The Nine Degree Channel is a channel in the Indian Ocean between the Laccadive Islands of Kalpeni and Suheli Par, and Maliku Atoll. These two subgroups of islands, together with the Amindivi Subgroup, form the Indian Union Territory of Lakshadweep....
between them. There are two uninhabited islands on the reef encircling the lagoon. This oval-shaped 17 km long atoll is surrounded by an area of rich marine fauna.
Islands
- Valiyakara Located at the northern end of the lagoon. This island has retained most of its original vegetation. It has also some largely stunted, unkempt coconut trees and is visited occasionally by workers who collect the coconuts. Hermit crabHermit crabHermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. Most of the 1100 species possess an asymmetrical abdomen which is concealed in an empty gastropod shell that is carried around by the hermit crab.-Description:...
s are found in abundance. There is a lighthouseLighthouseA lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
on this island. - Cheriyakara Located on the southeastern side of the lagoon and slightly smaller than Valiyakara. This island has a large coconut plantation. Between mid-October and mid-April, fishermen of Agatti and Kavaratti stay in temporary settlements on this island. They catch tuna in the surrounding waters of the atoll and process it on the island.
- Suheli Pitti is a long sandbank located between the two islands. It was used as a breeding ground by ternTernTerns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s.
Ecology
Both islands have coconut trees, as well as PandanusPandanus
Pandanus is a genus of monocots with about 600 known species. They are numerous palmlike dioecious trees and shrubs native of the Old World tropics and subtropics. They are classified in the order Pandanales, family Pandanaceae.-Overview:...
, Scaevola taccada
Scaevola taccada
Scaevola taccada, also known as Beach Cabbage, Sea Lettuce, Beach Naupaka, Naupaka kahakai , Merambong and Ngahu is a flowering plant in the family Goodeniaceae found in open coastal locations of the tropical areas of the Indo-Pacific...
, Tournefortia argentea and Pemphis acidula bushes.
The Grey Heron
Grey Heron
The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions...
and the Black-capped kingfisher
Black-capped Kingfisher
The Black-capped Kingfisher, Halcyon pileata, is a tree kingfisher which is widely distributed in tropical Asia from India east to China, Korea and Southeast Asia...
have been observed in this atoll. Owing to the rich marine life there was a proposal to declare Suheli Par a Marine National Park.
In 2006 a ship from Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
ran aground on this atoll, but there was no oil spill
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
reported.