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Coral Gardens - Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa National Park is one of the three marine national parks in ...

Hikkaduwa National Park is one of the three marine national parks in Sri Lanka. The national park contains a fringing coral reef of high degree of biodiversity. The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary on May 18, 1979, and then on August 14, 1988, upgraded to a nature reserve with extended land area.[1] The growth of the number of visitors in the next 25 years increased thedegradation of the coral reef. To reduce the effects to the ecosystem, the reef was declared a national park on September 19, 2002.

Hikkaduwa coral reef is a typical shallow fringing reef with an average depth of around 5 metres (16 ft).[2] The coral reef reduces the coastal erosion and forms a natural breakwater.[1] The coast of the national park extends four km. Generally the coast is narrow, ranging from 5–50 m according to the climatic conditions of the year. Scuba diving is a popular recreation here.

HIKKADUWA NATIONAL PARK

HIKKADUWA NATIONAL PARK

Hikkaduwa national park is one of the two marine national parks in Sri Lanka.  The park contains a fringing coral reef of high degree of biodiversity. The area was declared a sanctuary on May 18,1979, and then on August 14, 1988, upgraded to a nature reserve wit...

HIKKADUWA NATIONAL PARK

Hikkaduwa national park is one of the two marine national parks in Sri Lanka.  The park contains a fringing coral reef of high degree of biodiversity. The area was declared a sanctuary on May 18,1979, and then on August 14, 1988, upgraded to a nature reserve with extended land area and the reef was declared a national park on September 19, 2002.

Covering an area of about 101 ha Hikkaduwa National park is home to a highly diverse fringing coral reef located at a depth of 5m that extends about 4 Km out to sea from the beach.  The reef is home to about 175 species of reef fish, sea grass and algae which in turn nourishes, crab , prawns, shrimps, oysters, sea worms and many species of ornamental fish. Blacktop reef sharks have been found along the outer edge of the of the  reef while Hawksbill, green and olive ridely turtles visit the reef and have been declared as endangered.

Over the years the reef has experienced several catastrophi c events including a bleaching set off by a hot spell in 1998 when a good part of the reef was destroyed. The 2004 tsunami itself did little damage but the need for proper reef management is very much a concern. The reef experiences daily threats particularly from the removal of ornamental fish.

Sri Lanka Tour and Travel (indigo ocean travels)

The turtles are one of the rare species found in the world. As far as turtles concerned, they are the top on the endangered list all around the world....

The turtles are one of the rare species found in the world. As far as turtles concerned, they are the top on the endangered list all around the world. There are all together seven turtle species have listed up to now, such as green turtle, hawks bill turtle, Oliver twist turtle, leather back turtle, kemp's ridly, and flat back. But five of these are presenting in srilanka coastal area.

Now a days so many turtle hatcheries are mushrooming along the southern coastal belt. They are doing a great favor to increase the capacity of this giants descending from Jurassic period.

The turtles get together in certain areas of the ocean annually to mate. After mating the female turtles come to the sea shore to lay their eggs. They are supposed to lay eggs after they attain the age of about 30 years. They are said to lay their eggs on the sea shore at night. It is said that these turtles prefer to lay their eggs on the same beach they were born. They are supposed to lay about 120 eggs at a time.

Their eggs are white and they are similar to Ping-Pong balls. The eggs are kept damp by the female turtle by emitting a juice to cover the eggs. After laying eggs these turtles go back to the ocean. They keep no connection with the eggs or their new born kids. The eggs are hatched with the help of the warm sand heated by the rays of the sun.

After a hatching of nearly 60 days these tiny ones are making their own way right direct to the deep blue sea. This time they may get the dangerous attractions from birds, crabs and fish. Few of them will survive for breed their posterity. Humans are the main threaten for them. To avoid these circumstances social services have started to protect them in hatcheries.

They buy eggs from villagers and they spend whole nights when the nesting season starts for turtles on the beach to find eggs. The baby turtles hatch after 48 days if they can get lots of sun shine where it is raining take up to 60 days before the turtles emerge from the eggs. They are then placed in the tanks and for first 3 days remain without food to cleanse them of material ingested form the eggshell.

Hatchery holders feed them with tiny fish two times each day. In this time they learning to dive down into the tank to take the food. After they can be safely released into the sea where they can fish for themselves on the coral reefs. Turtles are frequently injured at sea as many of them get caught in fishing nets. After three months of time they release them in to the sea.

Peraliya in Telwatta Hikkaduwa and Kosgoda area is famous for turtle hatcheries. All the five species are displaying in these places. They may charge a little amount for the maintenances of the turtles. Well, no need to think twice to look them on your necked eyes as really as in the deep blue sea.

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