Which one of the following is a marine national park?

The correct answer is D) Gulf of Mannar. It lies between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, and its Marine National Park, notified off the Tamil Nadu coast, is India's first marine national park. The key test here is whether the protected area is a sea-based park or a land-based one with mangroves.

• A) Bhitar-Kanika (Odisha): A terrestrial and estuarine wildlife sanctuary with mangroves and crocodiles, not a marine national park.
• B) Sundarban (West Bengal): A tiger reserve and national park in the Ganga delta. It is largely a mangrove forest on land and tidal channels, not a marine park.
• C) Gahirmatha (Odisha): A marine wildlife sanctuary known for Olive Ridley mass nesting. It is a sanctuary, not a national park.

The concept is the classification of protected areas under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and India's obligations under the Biological Diversity framework. For Mains, Gulf of Mannar links to coastal ecosystems, coral reefs and fisheries conflicts, and it is also a Biosphere Reserve.

Trap: Candidates pick Sundarban or Bhitar-Kanika because both are famous mangrove areas. Check whether the option is a national park, a sanctuary or a biosphere reserve, and whether it is marine or terrestrial.