Mahatma Gandhi Marine

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, also known as the Wandoor Marine National Park, is located near Wandoor village on South Andaman Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Union Territory of India. Covering 281.5 square kilometres of shallow sea, coral reefs, mangroves, and 15 islands, it was established in 1983 as India's premier marine protected area and the first marine national park in the country. The park protects exceptional coral reef ecosystems in the eastern Indian Ocean, with the Andaman Sea's warm, clear waters supporting extraordinary marine biodiversity. The park is named for Mahatma Gandhi, reflecting India's commitment to peaceful coexistence with nature.

The marine environment of the park supports one of the richest coral reef ecosystems in Indian territorial waters. Over 180 species of corals have been recorded, forming extensive reef systems that shelter an extraordinary diversity of reef fish—over 500 species. Sea turtles, particularly olive ridley and green turtles, use the beaches for nesting and the reefs for foraging. Dugongs (sea cows) are present in the seagrass beds, making this one of the few remaining dugong habitats in India. Saltwater crocodiles inhabit the mangrove-fringed creek systems. Marine mammals including dolphins and occasionally whale sharks are observed in surrounding waters. The land areas of the 15 islands support diverse seabirds, fruit bats, and endemic land species including the Andaman hill myna.

The park encompasses several distinct marine and coastal ecosystem types. Coral reefs are the most biodiverse—dominated by branching Acropora and massive Porites corals, with table corals and brain corals common. Seagrass meadows of Thalassia hemprichii and Cymodocea rotundata support dugong feeding grounds. Mangrove forests line the tidal creeks on the park islands, with species including Rhizophora mucronata, Avicennia marina, and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza providing nursery habitat for juvenile fish and crustaceans. Tropical moist forest covers the interiors of the larger islands. Some islands support pristine beaches with vegetation communities of strand plants including Casuarina, Ipomoea pes-caprae, and Pandanus.

The Andaman Islands are part of a submerged volcanic island arc formed at the subduction zone where the Indian plate dives beneath the Burmese microplate. The islands are composed of Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks, with Jurassic ophiolite sequences (ancient oceanic crust) exposed in some areas. The shallow Andaman Sea platform around the islands provides the ideal bathymetric conditions for coral reef development—water depths of 5–30 m with abundant light penetration. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake (magnitude 9.1) dramatically affected the region, with some islands uplifted and others submerged, and associated tsunamis caused significant damage to coral reefs within the park.

The Andaman Islands experience a tropical monsoon climate with no dry season. The southwest monsoon from May to September brings heavy rainfall—up to 3,000 mm annually on South Andaman—with rough seas that make boat travel within the park dangerous and visitor access restricted. The northeast monsoon from November to January brings moderate rainfall and calmer seas. The period from February to April is the driest and calmest, making it the best season for snorkelling and diving. Water temperatures are warm year-round, between 26°C and 30°C. Cyclones occasionally affect the islands during the monsoon transition periods. High humidity is year-round.

The Andaman Islands were inhabited by indigenous Andamanese peoples for tens of thousands of years, with the local groups including the Great Andamanese, Jarawa, Onge, and Sentinelese developing highly sophisticated maritime cultures adapted to the island environment. The British East India Company established a penal colony in 1858 following the 1857 Indian Rebellion, using convict labour to clear forests and build infrastructure. The area around Wandoor was affected by colonial settlement and forest clearance. The islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945 during World War II. After Indian independence in 1947, the islands became a Union Territory and immigration from mainland India has been substantial.

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park was established in 1983, shortly after India's Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was extended to the Union Territories, making it India's first marine national park. Its establishment reflected growing recognition of the extraordinary marine biodiversity of the Andaman Sea and the need to protect it from fishing, coral collection, and coastal development. The park's management has undergone several revisions since establishment, with core zones where all human activities including tourism are prohibited and buffer zones where regulated activities are permitted. The 2004 tsunami caused significant physical damage to the park's reef systems and required substantial management responses.

Boat tours from Wandoor Jetty are the primary access to the park, visiting Jolly Buoy Island or Red Skin Island (they alternate seasonally to allow reef recovery). The islands offer spectacular snorkelling and glass-bottom boat viewing of the coral reefs, which include some of the most accessible and diverse reef formations in Indian waters. Red Skin Island has significant mangrove forest walkways. The underwater visibility in calm season is typically 15–25 m, making the reef fish diversity vivid and impressive. Port Blair, the nearest city and the main base for visitors, has a forest office where permits are obtained and tours booked. The Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park visitor centre provides ecological information.

Port Blair (Veer Savarkar International Airport) is the gateway, connected to major Indian cities by air. The park is reached by government ferry from Wandoor, about 29 km from Port Blair. Only Indian citizens and foreigners with Restricted Area Permits (which are not generally available) may visit the Andaman Islands. Daily visitor numbers to the reef islands are capped to limit impact. Accommodation is entirely in Port Blair and surrounding areas; there are no facilities on the park islands. The best months for reef visits are February to April, when seas are calm and visibility is good. Life jackets and snorkelling equipment are provided on tours.

Coral bleaching events associated with Indian Ocean warming have periodically damaged the park's reef systems, with major bleaching in 1998, 2010, and 2016 causing significant mortality. Recovery has been partial and uneven. The 2004 tsunami physically damaged reef structures through coral breakage and sediment smothering. Preventing anchor damage from boats is managed through mooring buoy systems. Fishing pressure in the park's buffer zones remains a concern, particularly from commercial vessels. Plastic pollution washing from mainland India and passing shipping lanes affects the beaches and reefs. The forest department conducts annual coral reef health monitoring using transect surveys, and a coral restoration pilot programme using micro-fragmentation techniques was initiated at several locations.