The Islands

South Button Island National Park, one of a cluster of small coral islands near Wandoor in the Andamans, is India's smallest national park at roughly 0.03 sq km and is essentially a protected coral-reef islet rather than a forest tract.

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park, near Wandoor in the South Andamans, protects a cluster of small islands and their surrounding coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves, and is a popular glass-bottom-boat and snorkelling destination showcasing the Andamans' marine biodiversity.

Rani Jhansi Marine National Park, in the Ritchie's Archipelago east of Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep) Islands, protects a cluster of coral islands and reef systems and is named for the Rani of Jhansi, commemorating the Indian National Army's wartime association with the islands.

Campbell Bay National Park, on Great Nicobar Island, is part of the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve and protects some of India's southernmost tropical rainforest, home to the endemic Nicobar megapode and giant leatherback turtle nesting beaches.

Saddle Peak National Park, on North Andaman Island, contains the highest point in the Andaman archipelago and protects tropical evergreen forest important for the endemic Andaman wood pigeon and other island-restricted birds.

Memory hook (all five islands, south to north): "A tiny Button floated to Mahatma Gandhi's Marine park, then Rani Jhansi sailed past to Campbell's Saddle." South Button Island → Mahatma Gandhi Marine NP → Rani Jhansi Marine NP → Campbell Bay → Saddle Peak — the last three roughly run south-to-north up the archipelago, matching your mental map's Islands "room."

Practice Recall: Before reading on, name all five National Parks of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in this book.

Answer: South Button Island NP, Mahatma Gandhi Marine NP, Rani Jhansi Marine NP, Campbell Bay NP, Saddle Peak NP.