Pigeon Island National Park

Pigeon Island National Park is a marine national park about 1 km off Nilaveli Beach, north of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province. It suits snorkellers and divers who want to see coral, reef fish and blacktip reef sharks in shallow water, on a half-day boat trip from the mainland.

Rock pigeons and a sanctuary since 1963

It is one of three marine national parks in Sri Lanka and covers about 471 hectares of sea and islands, governed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. The name comes from the rock pigeons that breed on the island. It was declared a sanctuary in 1963 and became the country's 17th national park in 2003. In colonial times the island served as a shooting range, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami affected the area.

Two islands ringed by Acropora coral

The park includes two islands. The larger is about 200 metres long and 100 metres wide, with rocky outcrops and a small beach; the smaller is ringed by rocky islets. The reef around them, dominated by branching Acropora corals, is among the best remaining coral reefs in Sri Lanka. Around 100 coral species and about 300 reef fish species have been recorded in the Trincomalee area, many of them inside the park. Blacktip reef sharks patrol the shallows, and hawksbill, green and olive ridley turtles visit.

Tourism damage and how visitors can help

Heavy and poorly controlled tourism has damaged parts of the reef and reduced its biodiversity, while fishing and the collection of ornamental fish add pressure. A proposed pier between the mainland and the island has also drawn criticism. Help by not standing on coral, not feeding fish and taking every scrap of rubbish back to the mainland.