Jaffna Lagoon
The Jaffna Lagoon ( Tamil : யாழ்ப்பாணக் கடல் நீரேரி Yāḻppāṇak kaṭal nīrēri , English : Jaffna Lagoon ; also: Kilali lagoon ) is a lagoon in the northern province of Sri Lanka .
The Jaffna Lagoon is located between the main island and the Jaffna Peninsula, southeast of the city of Jaffna and has an area of about 400 square kilometers. In the west there is a connection to Palk Bay . To the east, an artificially raised dam on the Elephant Pass separates the Jaffna lagoon from the Chundikkulam lagoon . The Jaffna lagoon is subject to the tidal range , the salinity is high. There are extensive mudflats in the west . The lagoon is overgrown with sea grass, especially in the southeast it is lined with mangroves .
At the Jaffna Lagoon srilankaweit the largest population of living Pink Flamingos (5000 copies). Among the migratory birds that have been sighted during the winter of sickle beach runner , the dwarf beach runners , the black-tailed godwit , the northern pintail , the wigeon and teal .
The Jaffna lagoon is used for salt extraction and fishing . During the civil war in Sri Lanka (1983–2009), however, fishermen's access to the lagoon was severely restricted.
Web links
- SW Kotagama, Leonard Pinto & Jayampathi L. Samarakoon: Sri Lanka. Weltlands International. Pp. 15-16. (PDF; 398 kB)
Coordinates: 9 ° 32 ′ 9 ″ N , 80 ° 19 ′ 8 ″ E