A Marine wetland of Natural origin located in the Semi-arid Zone of the North-Western province. The Gulf of Mannar has some of the most extensive reef formations and marine seagrass beds in the country. In addition to the coral reef systems of the Bar Reef, there exist several other reef formations to the south off Kandakuliya and Talawila, and northwards towards Mannar, including reefs off Silavaturai and Vankalai. The status of reefs within the northern Gulf of Mannar are not well known due to a lack of access, but many reefs in the southern Gulf of Mannar are now in a degraded condition due to overfishing and the use of destructive fishing methods. However, the area supports high species diversity due to its extent and variety of habitats. Reefs in this area are very similar to those within the Bar Reef, and consist of shallow continental shelf patch reefs and deeper sandstone reefs. Most coral patches are located within depths of 1-10m, while sandstone habitats are located deeper, often down to 30 m or deeper. The reef in Talawila rises sharply from a sandy bottom on its shoreward side to an outer reef slope on the seaward side. There is a shallow reef built upon sandstone and dead coralline structures in Mampuri. Coral patches off Kandakuliya and Silavaturai resemble those of the Bar Reef.

Gulf of Mannar Reefs Related references