Decline in flamingoes visiting point Calimere

Nagapattinam, Jan 12 (PTI): There has been a decline in thenumber of flamingoes visiting the vast Point Calimere(Kodiakarai) wildlife sanctuary this year, as per a cenus bythe district forest department,in coordination with researchbodies and college students.

The 20 square km sanctuary in dry evergreen forests inthe district serves as the abode for Black bucks, chitals,feral horses, wild boars, Olive Ridley turtles and about 200rare species of birds.

Point Calimere forest area was declared as a wildlifesanctuary in 1967.

Lagoons in this area, with their rich fish populationattract thousands of migratory birds from countries as far asSiberia. They visit the sanctuary during October and stay uptoMarch every year.

Birds like Blue Jay, Egret, Myna, Drongo, Brahmini Kite,Curlew, brown headed gull, flamingo, teal, black-tailedgodwit, whiskered tern, blue tailed bee eater, red shank,little stint, painted stork visit this sanctuary every year.

The department conducts the bird census every year to keeptrack of the count of winged visitors. The census is done withthe help of volunteers from colleges, NGOs and researchorganisations.

Noted Ornithologist Dr S Balachandran from Bombay NaturalHistory Society offered technical guidance.