Chundikkulam Lagoon

The Chundikkulam Lagoon (Tamil: சுண்டிக்குளம் கடல் நீரேரி Cuṇṭikkuḷam Katal nīrēri, English: Chundikkulam Lagoon ) or Elephant Pass Lagoon (Tamil: ஆனையிறவு கடல் நீரேரி Āṉaiyiṟavu Katal nīrēri, English: Elephant Pass Lagoon ) is a lagoon in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

The Chundikkulam Lagoon is located between the main island and the Jaffna peninsula. In the West, Chundikkulam lagoon is separated by an artificial causeway Elephant Pass from the lagoon of Jaffna, in the east by a narrow spit from the Bay of Bengal. From west to east the Chundikkulam lagoon measures some 25 kilometers at a maximum width of only about four kilometers. The area is approximately 135 square kilometers.

The water in the lagoon is brackish Chundikkulam. The lagoon is covered with seaweed and is partially lined with mangroves. Originally Chundikkulam Lagoon was a part of the lagoon from Jaffna by the construction of road embankment at Elephant Pass but was separated from it. Thus, the lagoon was cut off by the tide, the salinity decreased, also the Chundikkulam Lagoon now dries out during the dry season from April to September large parts.

An area in the southeast of the lagoon is counted under protection since 1938 as a bird sanctuary ( Chundikkulam Sanctuary ). Among the bird species that can be observed in winter, include the Greater Flamingo, the Garganey, the pintail, the teal, the Painted Stork, the Schwarzkopfibis, the spoonbill and coot.