The Chilika lake, South Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, seems to have invited winter and migratory birds to come together this year relatively early.
While cool wind has begun blowing with the onset of winter, over 30,000 foreign birds reached the water lagoon by Thursday, according to Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary officials. Of these, 6,000 birds were spotted on the Nalabana island alone.
They said while birds belonging to more than 160 genres used to flock the lake in winter every year, only 44 genres of migratory birds have arrived so far.
Meanwhile, the Forest Department has erected 19 camps in five forest ranges around Chilika to check poaching of birds in the area. The camps are now operating in Balugaon, Tangi, Rambha, Satapada and Chilika forest ranges. A mobile squad has also been formed for the purpose.
Besides, awareness programmes about safety of birds are being created in villages along Chilika coast, they said.