A new bird sanctuary takes wing at Nanjarayan Tank in Tiruppur
Tamil Nadu’s 17th hen sanctuary, a safeguarded birding hotspot in Tiruppur district, is an abode of colorful, vivid, and rare migratory birds
Tamil Nadu’s 17th chook sanctuary, a guarded birding hotspot in Tiruppur district, is an abode of vibrant, vivid, and scarce migratory birds
A muddy, green patch on the farthest conclude of a 440-acre lake is where by we spot pelicans, painted storks, and coots, in hundreds, all through a stroll along the lake on a windy early morning. The Nanjarayan Tank, a bio-diversity hotspot, has just been declared as the 17th hen sanctuary of Tamil Nadu on April 25.
“Just two days in the past, the rely was at 220 cormorants and 165 pelicans,” states Ravindran Kamatchi, President of Nature Society of Tirupur, started off in 2009. “The mud flats scattered in the middle of the lake aid a thriving ecosystem and are out of bounds for human beings. This undisturbed habitat draws in birds in significant quantities.”
The Nanjarayan Tank also regarded as Sarkar Periyapalayam Reservoir, is located on the outskirts of Tirupur metropolis in the vicinity of Koolipalayam, about 60 kilometres from Coimbatore. “It is in excess of 800 several years old and birds have been checking out for generations,” says Ravindran, who was in the forefront alongside with a few other naturalists with a prolonged-standing request to declare the lake as a protected wetland or hen sanctuary.
A bio-diversity hotspot
Ruddy Shelduck
| Photograph Credit: Ravindran Kamatchi
The team has so significantly recorded 181 species of birds, like migratory and inhabitants, 16 species of reptiles, above 40 types of butterflies, 11 species of mammals and as lots of as 76 sorts of flora. “When C Samayamoorthy took charge as the to start with District Collector of Tiruppur, which was formed in 2009, we approached him with a petition to declare the tank as a chook sanctuary. In 2019, we submitted a task report to I Anwardeen, IFS, More Principal Main Conservator of Forests. We manufactured a one particular-moment online video with drone pictures to give a glimpse of the tank’s loaded variety… We have been performing in direction of this for many years. We received guidance from officers like S N Tejaswi, DFO and also NGOs like Vanathukkul Tirupur,” explains Ravindran.
The tank, designed by the then area King Nanjarayan as a resource for irrigation, is a haven for migratory birds. “We noticed 4 bar-headed geese in 2010, the to start with sizeable sighting of a migratory hen, 1 of world’s optimum-flying birds from Europe that soar over the Himalayas when migrating in winter season. We applied to journey to Koothankulam or Point Calimere to sight this chicken,” he remembers. A different noteworthy sighting is a flock of 14 ruddy shelducks that breed in pieces of Europe and Central Asia (a first-time record for Tamil Nadu in this kind of big numbers in 2020).
The 18-member crew is a standard at Forest Division surveys and census reports, and also rescues injured birds, generally owls, koels, and peacocks before handing them more than to animal rescue centre.
Little Stints
| Photo Credit history: Ravindran Kamatchi
They roped in folks who are living on the banking companies of Nanjarayan Tank as stakeholders in conservation. “They inform us when they spot unlawful fishing routines. We created awareness in opposition to bursting crackers for the duration of Deepavali as it coincides with peak migratory year. They don’t disturb the habitat of migratory birds that flock the lake.”
But, it is a induce for worry that the numbers are declining. They recall unforgettable sights when the lake resembled a blue canvas speckled with black, brown, and white colors after thousands of ducks like northern shovelers, garganeys, northern pintails and common teals arrived for the duration of the migratory season, between December and March..
A flourishing chicken haven
| Photograph Credit: Ravindran Kamatchi
“The desilting work in 2015 carried out by the Public Operates Section depleted the mudflats (sediment deposits). With effluents from dyeing units allow in, drinking water pollution is rampant, generating it a lot less conducive for the migratory birds. A number of decades back, we counted far more than 20,000 birds. Now, the figures are 2000. When the Forest Section consider ways to restore the habitat right after placing up the bird sanctuary, we can anticipate the figures to raise.”
A conservation centre is expected to occur up to doc the bird range as very well as watch towers, interpretation centres, walkways and a butterfly back garden. Educating youngsters is a priority, claims Ravindran. The culture has so significantly finished about 300 education and learning programmes on appreciating Nature and has achieved out to as a lot of as 80,000 youngsters throughout Tiruppur, Erode, Coimbatore, Pollachi, and Tuticorin.
“Initiating small children into Nature, and motivating them toward conservation with a scientific mood is our goal. We speak about how birds, as farmers of the forests, have a wonderful ecological significance in dispersal of seeds and regeneration of forests. Then, we chat about habitat, conservation…and bring them listed here to the lake.”
