Hundreds of spot-billed pelicans, an endangered species, are found roosting in mobile towers in and around the Chilika lake in absence of a natural rooting site.
A study conducted by the Wild Orissa headed by its vice chairman Nanda Kishore Bhujabal detected this roosting behaviour of pelicans. The study, based on field observations in and around the Chilka lake, observed that last year, a record of 140 pelicans were found to roost on various towers, at a given time. This year also pelicans have started roosting on towers.
“Direct human interference is by no means the only problem. Pollutants in water take their toll, especially in the feeding grounds of pelicans. Fish ingest the pollutants that are released from the factories and the pesticide residues washed into the wetlands during rains. The pelicans eat the fish, with their accumulated load of contaminants,” said Bhujabal of Wild Orissa.
About a decade ago, the spot-billed pelicans were found in small number in a few Ganjam wetlands, though Chilka lake has been regularly hosting every year till date. This species also spends time in Rajnagar mangroves. Approximately 300 of pelicans are found in Chilka, in which Nalaban is main, while smaller populations are being seen in Mangalajodi, Bhusandpur, Tinimuhani, etc.
In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Atapaka, a water body in Kolleru, has become India's favourite pelicanry, where around 6,000 pelica ns are present. This population roosts and breeds on iron stands put up by the AP Forest department, a decade ago, due to lack of natural roosting sites.
Whether the roosting of this bird in Odisha on mobile towers will continue in the coming years and whether spot-billed pelicans will prefer to breed on similar iron stands if they are put up at appropriate places, will remain to be seen. Earlier the Chilka population was believed to be from the breeding population of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, who come to Chilka lake for foraging, but now pelicans from Kolleru may also forage in Chilka in future.
“With distribution of this species in Odisha coming down, except for Chilka, due to adverse factors including scarcity of fish food, it will be important to consider providing them with artificial roosting sites on which they could breed and rear chicks. The possibility of increasing competition with fishing activities needs to be kept in mind,” said Bhujabal.