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Vedanthangal sanctuary opens on Sunday
Posted on: 10/Nov/2012 11:21:16 AM
Tamilnadu forest department will open the bird sanctuaries at Vedanthangal and Karikili to visitors from Sunday(Nov 11,2012), signifying the start of the migratory season.
Most water bodies, including the lake that feeds Vedanthangal, are full to the brim, so the forest department has decided to open the sanctuaries. Close to 20,000 migratory birds have arrived and started building nests.
Most of the migratory birds come from Siberia, Russia, South-east Asia, Pakistan and northern Europe. Little cormorants, night herons, grey herons, spoonbills, egrets, white Ibis, common teals, shoveller ducks, moorhens, darters, open-billed storks, wagtails, and common sandpiper have arrived.
More amenities for tourists, including additional toilets, water taps, seating arrangements and concrete pathways, are being created at Vedanthangal. Apart from the two existing watchtowers, two small watchtowers are being built for visitors.
The forest department has 11 pairs of binoculars that visitors can borrow. A large number of Barringtonia saplings have been planted in the sanctuary and finger fishes have been dropped as feed for the birds. Most of the migratory birds also feed in the adjoining paddy fields.
Spread over 73 acres, the Vedanthangal sanctuary is the oldest water bird sanctuary in the country and is home to more than 40,000 birds. At least 26 migratory species come to the sanctuary between November and March every year. The lake was declared a bird sanctuary under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Karikili sanctuary is located about 9km from Vedanthangal and is home to many kinds of ducks.
