Flocks of migratory birds, Painted Storks and Spot-billed Pelicans, heaved a sigh of relief in the ongoing breeding season as Kolleru Lake authorities erected an additional 40 iron bunds for the birds’ nesting at the Atapaka Birds Sanctuary in Krishna district.
“A few Pelican chicks died due to crowd nesting during the last season at the sanctuary, owing to lack of space for new born chicks. However, there is no fear of death of chicks this season,” Wildlife Division, Eluru, Chief Conservator of Forests S.S. Sreedhar told The Hindu . A row of additional iron bunds was adjacent to the old row of iron bunds in the heart of the sanctuary.
Nearly four hundred pairs of Pelicans and Painted Storks have made the new iron bunds their ideal winter spot, avoiding worry about security of their chicks from poachers. The migratory birds, which set the sanctuary their winter home, used to rely on trees for nesting outside the sanctuary till the last winter in the wake of insufficient space for nesting on the old bunds. “We are regularly monitoring the movements of the birds and chicks on the new bunds. However, availability of abundant fish in the sanctuary waters is ensuring timely food for the birds”, said staff at the Atapaka Birds’ Sanctuary.
Pond conservation: Predicting that the present water level of the pond in the sanctuary would not sufficient for birds in coming months, the authorities began drawing the water from surrounding canals to fill the pond. “Water is being drawn into the pond from different sources including Polraj Drain,” Kaikaluru Forest Ranger A. Sunil Kumar told The Hindu .
