http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedanthangal_Bird_Sanctuary
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
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| Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
| nature reserving sanctuary | |
 View of Vedanthangal Lake | |
 
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
| |
| Coordinates: 12°32′44″N 79°51′21″ECoordinates: 12°32′44″N 79°51′21″E | |
| Country |  India |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| District | Kancheepuram |
| Established | 1936 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.3 km2 (0.1 sq mi) |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Tamil |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Nearest city | Chennai |
| Governing body | Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India |
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a 30-hectare (74-acre) protected area located in the Kancheepuram District of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sanctuary is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) from Chennai on National Highway 45 (NH45), south of Chengalpattu. More than 40,000 birds (including 26 rare species), from various parts of the world visit the sanctuary during the migratory season every year.[1]
Vedanthangal is home to migratory birds such as pintail, garganey, grey wagtail, blue-winged teal, common sandpiper and the like.[2]
Vedanthangal is the oldest water bird sanctuary in the country.[1][3] Vedanthangal in Tamil language means 'hamlet of the hunter'.[4] This area was a favourite hunting spot of the local landlords in the early 1700s. The region attracted a variety of birds because it was dotted with small lakes that acted as feeding grounds for the birds. Realising its ornithological importance, the British government undertook steps to develop Vedanthangal into a bird sanctuary as early as 1798. This was established in 1858 by the order of the Collector of Chingleput.
The best time to visit this sanctuary is from November to March. During this time, birds are seen busy building and maintaining their nests.
Villagers near this sanctuary are very concerned about the sanctuary and its winged residents, and they have taken many serious steps to avoid disturbance to the flow of birds.
Contents
[hide]History[edit]
The Vedanthangal lake bird sanctuary has a tradition of the people actively protecting birds coming to the area since time immemorial. The local people understood the relationship between birds and the productivity of their crops even before the concept of wildlife conservation came into vogue. They knew that the bird droppings in the water created guano which acted as fertilizer. Towards the end of the 18th century local villagers complained to the collector ofChengalpet Lionel Palace, about the British soldiers shooting the birds. They demanded and obtained a 'Cowle' from the collector (Mr Place, Collector of Chingleput 1796-1798[5]) to protect the birds. In 1936 the collector officially recognized the lake as a sanctuary. In 1962 it was given the legal status of reserved forest under the Madras Forest Act.
Several accounts of the sanctuary were published in the mid-19th Century.[6][7]In 1936, the park was notified as asanctuary, and in 1962, the Madras Forest Act legally accorded the status of a reserve forest to Vedanthangal. Ten years later, the place was declared as a wildlife sanctuary.
In the government order dated 8 July 1988, the area was declared as 'Vedanthangal Lake Bird Sanctuary', under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
In 1967, a rest house was constructed for the convenience of visiting inspecting officers and tourists.
The area had a compact grove of more than 500 Barringtonia trees earlier. An additional 100 trees were planted in 1973 and over 1,000 trees were planted in 1996.
Karikili Bird Sanctuary[edit]
Karikili bird sanctuary is located at a distance of around 9 km from the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary. The best time for bird watching is in the morning.
Bird species[edit]
The Vedanthangal lake bird sanctuary features thousands of birds coming from various countries, some of which can be easily identified. Some easily found bird species include Cormorants, Darter, Grebes, Large Egret, Little Egrets, Moorhen, Night Herons, Paddy Bird, Painted Stork, Pintails, Pond Heron, Sandpiper, Shovellers, Terns, White Ibis and many more. The migratory birds include Garganey Teals Canada, Snake Bird Sri Lanka, Grey Pelican Australia, Grey Heron Bangladesh, Open-billed Stork Bangladesh, Glossy Ibis Sri Lanka, Painted Stork Siberia, Spoonbill Burma and the Spot Bill Duck.
Location[edit]
The Lake[edit]
The Vedanthangal lake is situated 122 m above sea level. It supplies water to 250 acres of agricultural land around the area. The west and south sides of the lake are bordered by a long bund, whereas the northern and eastern sides extend to the agricultural lands. Input of water into this lake is through four small canals. Maximum depth of the lake is 5 meters. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 10 mm, mostly from the North-East monsoon.[3]
Flora and fauna[edit]
Flora: Barringtonia acutangula, Acacia nilotica, and Alangium salviflorum trees and dry evergreen scrub and thorn forests.
Fauna: Monkeys and other common mammals can be spotted.
Avian-Fauna: Garganey teals, glossy ibis, grey heron, grey pelican, open-billed stork, painted stork,vsnake bird, spoonbill, spot bill duck, cormorants, darter, grebes, large egret, little egrets, moorhen, night herons, paddy bird, painted stork, pintails, pond heron, sandpiper, shovellers, terns, white ibis. They migrate from Europe during November and December to escape the frost that sets in.
List of Fauna[edit]
- Grebes (Podicipedidae)
- Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
- Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
- Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)
- Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)
- Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)
- Darters (Anhingidae)
- Darter (Anhinga melanogaster)
- Herons (Ardeidae)
- Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)
- Intermediate Egret (Egretta intermedia)
- Little Egret (Egretta garzetta)
- Indian Pond-heron (Ardeola grayii)
- Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
- Storks (Ciconiidae)
- Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala)
- Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans)
- Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)
- Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
- Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)
- Ducks, Geese and Swans (Anatidae)
- Lesser Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna javanica)
- Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
- Stilts and Avocets (Recurvirostridae)
- Black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)
- Terns (Sternidae)
- Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
- Cuckoos (Cuculidae)
- Common Hawk-cuckoo (Cuculus varius)
- Typical Owls (Strigidae)
- Spotted Owlet (Athene brama)
- Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
- Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis)
- Cuckoo-shrikes (Campephagidae)
- Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike (Coracina melanoptera)
- Sunbirds (Nectariniidae)
- Purple-rumped Sunbird (Leptocoma zeylonica)
Conservation[edit]
Several steps have been taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu to protect the area. Water channels have been built by thePublic Works Department to facilitate water supply to the sanctuary from neighbouring lakes.[1]
In 2013, two lakh Barringtonia saplings were planted in the sanctuary to allow birds to nest. The Vedanthangal lake was also desilted and deepened to hold more water.[1]
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