NATIONAL PARK OF ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

              SOUTH BUTTON ISLAND NATIONAL PARK

Set up in 1977, the park is located in the Andaman district covering an area of 2sq.km.

 The nearest town is Long Island 60km and the airport is Port Blair at a distance 

of 200km from the park.

Located south-west of Havelock Island, roughly hours away by motor boat. The island is beautiful with azure blue water and luxuriant green trees and shrubs to be found. Under the water one witnesses a whole new world of colours and shapes that can be found in the form of fish and reeds. Housing amenities include hotels around the area and also on the island. The town of Long  Island is not a great distance and plenty of lodging is available there. A number of hotels are  obtainable on the Port Blair mainland as well.

Adventure sports like scuba diving or snorkeling can be enjoyed here and is the best 

means by-which one can observe the different creatures and life forms below sea level.

here is a lot to learn about marine life and the easiest and most enjoyable way to

do it is by making a trip here.

NATIONAL PARK OF ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

                               Rani Jhansi Marine National Park

Rani Jhansi Marine National Park  256 sq. km area is located in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. Notified as a national park in 1996, the Rani Jhansi Marine National Park is located in Ritchie’s Archipelago. The park is around 40 km from Baratang Island.  Rani Jhansi Marine National Park can be approached from Port Blair. The nearest airport is in Port Blair.To enter the park, you require an entry permit.

The forests in Rani Jhansi Marine National Park are unique and mostly made up of mangroves along the shore line. Apart from the fruit eating bat that the park is famous for crocodiles and dugong are also seen along with other wild life. The park also has on display a coral reef, marine life and avifauna.

Another must visit when on tour to the Rani Jhansi Marine National Park are the surrounding islands. The John Lawrence Island, Henry Lawrence Island and the Outram Island which gives visitors a glimpse into the history of the British Empire in India and the effects it had even on this Island. The Rani Jhansi Marine National Park promises to be an unforgettable experience.

CROCODILE SANCTUARY OF ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

                                      Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary

Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary spreads over an area of 100 sq km and is situated north of Marine National Park, Wandoor in South Andaman Island.Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary Wildlife Sanctuaries in Andamans,Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary Wildlife Sanctuaries Andaman Islands,Lohabarrack Crocodile Sanctuary The creeks inside the sanctuary are the excellent habitat of salt water crocodile.

Port Blair: Tthe crocodiles have taken over. Five salt-water crocodiles, which entered a remote village of south Andaman, 26 km from Port Blair, after it went under the sea, are attacking villagers.

The North Reef Island contained an extensive freshwater marsh until 1995, which has turned saline due to sea-water intrusion into the land from the south-western portion of the island. Although an abundance of crocodiles was reported, population estimates for the species could not be substantiated for these two island ecosystems.

Hunting of the species for the skin trade was reported to be rampant during the 1950s and 1960s, until enforcement of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act in 1972. Initial crocodile surveys to estimate the saltwater crocodile population for North Andaman Island began in 1975 (Whitaker & Whitaker, 1978).

The authors reported large scale hunting for the commercial skin trade, prior to 1972, as a major cause for the initial decline in crocodile numbers, in addition to the rapid encroachment of nesting habitats for agricultural practices, killing of nesting females and large scale egg collection by settlers.

Surveys conducted in 1993 and 1994 indicated a further decline due to the rapid increase and influx of immigrants and encroachment of flat wetland areas comprising ideal crocodile nesting habitat, intensive mechanized boat traffic and fishing in the creeks, which was taking its toll on the last remaining population (Andrews, 1994 & 1997)

NATIONAL PARK OF ANDAMAN & NICOBAR

Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve

NICOBAR  PIGEONS

The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Wildlife Sanctuaries in Andamans,Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Wildlife Sanctuaries Andaman Islands The Great Nicobar Island is the southern most island of Andaman & Nicobar archipelago and is also the southernmost part of India. The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve is situated about 482 Kms south of Port Blair and is dominating most of the Great Nicobar Island. The reserve is the home of one of the most primitive tribes of India, the Shompens. The most endangered species in India, the Megapode and the Edible-Nest Swift let, also reside in this reserve.

The total geographic area of the reserve is 885 sq. km. and is surrounded by a 12km-wide "forest buffer zone". It presents a varied natural panorama covered with virgin lush evergreen dense tropical forests, which extend from sea coast to the tip of the hills.

The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve was established in January, 1989 with a view to achieve certain aims and objectives.The environment of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve is classified by the World Wide Fund for Nature as Tropical and subtropical moist broad leaf forests bio-me, and it is located in the Indomalaya ecozone.Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Wildlife Sanctuaries in Andamans,Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Wildlife Sanctuaries Andaman Islands The reserve represents the tropical rain forests in Andaman & Nicobar Islands bio-geographic region. About 85% of the forest in this Biosphere Reserve is still in its virgin state and they are rich in their species composition. Some of the most important species that are found in the reserve include the 5 species of Ficus, 2 species of Terminallia, Pandanus tanctoria, Pynanga coastata, Sterculia alata, Ipomea spp., Casaurina sp., Nipa Palm, Albizia procera, Canarium euphyllum, Callophyllum spp., Syzizium Cuminii, Eliocarpus gangestrus (Rudraksha tree), Malinkara litoris, Rhizophora spp., Brugeria spp., Ceriops tagal, the Canes etc. However, the characteristic tree fern (Cyathea albosetacea) and the beautiful ornamental ground orchid (Phalaenopsis speciosa) are endemic to this reserve and they can only be found in this southern most island.

Apart from the rich flora, the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve also houses several species of fauna that attracts a large number of visitors, every year. The most unique fauna of this Biosphere Reserve include the Crab Eating Macaque, Salt Water Crocodile, Giant Leather Back Turtle, Malayan Box Turtle, Nocobar Tree Shrew, Nicobar Megapode, Reticulated Python and the Giant Robber Crab. There are also several other important species found in this reserve that include the Andaman Wild Pig, Palm Civet, Fruit Bat, Nicobar Pigeon, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Nicobar Serpent Eagle, Parakeets, Nicobar Parakeets, Water Monitor Lizard etc. This reserve is well known for its unique bio-diversity and also for housing rich genetic germ plasm resources.