Ram's Bridge Marine National Park | |
Alt Name: | Tamil: இராமர் பாலம் கடல்சார் தேசிய பூங்கா Sinhala; Sinhalese: ආදම්ගේ පාලම ජාතික සාගර උද්යානය |
Map: | Sri Lanka Northern Province |
Label: | Adam's Bridge Marine National Park |
Label Position: | right |
Location: | Northern Province |
Nearest City: | Mannar |
Coordinates: | 9.0708°N 79.6283°W |
Area: | 189.9km2 |
Administrator: | Department of Wildlife Conservation |
Owner: | Government of Sri Lanka |
Adam's Bridge Marine National Park (Tamil: இராமர் பாலம் கடல்சார் தேசிய பூங்கா|translit=Irāmar Pālam Kaṭalcār Tēciya Pūṅkā; Sinhala; Sinhalese: ආදම්ගේ පාලම ජාතික සාගර උද්යානය|translit=Ādamgē Pālama Jātika Sāgara Udyānaya) is a national park surrounding Adam's Bridge (Rama's Bridge) in northern Sri Lanka, approximately 300NaN0 north west of Mannar.
An Integrated Strategic Environmental Assessment of Northern Province produced by the government with the assistance of United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Environment Programme and published in October 2014 recommended that a national park with an area of 18990ha be created on the Sri Lankan section of Adam's Bridge.[1] [2] In May 2015 the government announced that a part of Adam's Bridge, along with Chundikkulam, Delft and Madhu Road would be designated national parks.[3] Adam's Bridge became a national park on 22 June 2015 with an area of 18990ha.[4] The Indian section of Adam's Bridge is part of the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.[2]
Many migratory birds follow the Pamban Island-Adam's Bridge-Mannar Island route when flying to/from Sri Lanka.[3] The sand dunes of Adam's Bridge are also used as breeding grounds by birds such as the brown noddy.[3] Numerous varieties of fish and sea grasses thrive in the shallow waters Adam's Bridge.[2] Sea life found around Adam's Bridge include dolphin, dugong and turtle.[2]