06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
06-bioresourcesstatu.. - M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
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Gulf of Kachchh<br />
II. Description of Site<br />
i. Geographic location<br />
The Gulf of Kachchh is an indentation in the<br />
Saurashtra Peninsula of the western coast of<br />
India, aligned approximately in the east-west<br />
direction (Figure 1). Water depth in the Gulf<br />
ranges from 15 to 55m and the deeper areas<br />
occurs in the axial part along east west. The Gulf<br />
lies between latitudes 22" 15'N to 23"N and<br />
longitudes 69"E to 70"35'E. At seaward (western),<br />
it is 70 km wide from where it tapers gradually<br />
eastwards, extending for nearly 170 km and has<br />
an area of 7350 km'.<br />
The southern shores of the Gulf area are marked<br />
by a low-level coastal plain with indentations,<br />
deep inlets and a large number of river openings.<br />
In the southern region, an area of 457.92 km' that<br />
includes 42 islands is managed under Marine<br />
National Park & Sanctuary.<br />
Table 1 : Distribution of Wildlife Protected Areas<br />
around the Gulf of Kachchh<br />
Bin-geographic Area National Area Sanctuary Area Tntal<br />
SUb.division park<br />
Bio-geographic Zone -3lndian Desert, Biotic Province- 3A Kachcl1h<br />
Uttle Rann 4.000 - WiidAss 4,953.7 4.953.8<br />
GreatRann 15,000 GreatRann 7,5<strong>06</strong>.2 7.5<strong>06</strong>.2<br />
Kachcl1h Plateau 26.650 - Narayan 444.2 444.2<br />
Sarovar<br />
Kacl1c11hGIB 2.0 2.0<br />
Tntal 45650 - - 4 12,9<strong>06</strong>.1 2,9<strong>06</strong>.2<br />
BiD-geographic Zone.B, Coasts, Biotic Province- SA West Coast<br />
Gulf of Kachchh 7.350 Marine 162.9 Marine 295.0 457.9<br />
National Sanctuary<br />
Park<br />
Source: Singh, 200f.<br />
FIgure 1 : The Gulf 01 Kacbchh Msp.<br />
2<br />
f<br />
Numerous live and dead corals with their reefs,<br />
islands and extensive mudflats fringe the southern<br />
coast. In contrast, the northern coast is fringed by<br />
tidal flat only.<br />
Entire coast in the west of Kachchh, including the<br />
network of Kori creek has e~ensive mudflats. Out<br />
of 42 islands, 33 have coral reefs. The intertidal<br />
coral reefs on islands and the coastal zone in<br />
Jamnagar are either degraded or dead, 20 to 30%<br />
coral reef area is live in the intertidal zone (SAC<br />
Report, 1994).<br />
Majority of the coast in Kachchh and Jamnagar<br />
are occupied by Prosopis chilensis. Thorny scrub<br />
forests occur on the coast of Jamnagar and also on<br />
some of the islands.<br />
About 100 km towards northwest of the Gulf of<br />
Kachchh is located the opening of the Indus river,<br />
discharging an annual suspended load of over 400<br />
million tones. Some of the suspended sediments<br />
are transported towards south-east direction into<br />
the Gulf of Kachchh where the sediments are in<br />
transit under the action of the high speed of the<br />
currents.<br />
The Gulf of Kachchh is a terrestrial ecosystem but<br />
it is a part of biogeographical zone 'coasts'. As per<br />
biogeographical classification by the WII,<br />
Dehradun, the Park and Sanctuary area lies in the<br />
biotic province 'SA-WestCoast'. The Gulf areas is<br />
located between the terrestrial biotic provinces of<br />
semi arid - 4B Gujarat-Rajwara and Desert-3<br />
Kachchh. Distribution of area under various<br />
categories/eco-systems are indicated as under: