UDUPI : The prevailing dry spell in the region has hit the arrival of migratory birds at the famous Malyady Bird Sanctuary near Kundapur. Located about 8 km from Kundapur, most of the waterbodies in the bird sanctuary are almost dry, and this has resulted in lesser arrival of the winged visitors this year.
The sanctuary — a man-made wetland — is a heaven for birds like Whistling Teals, Purple Moorhens, White Ibis, Comb duck, Cormorants, and Darters. A 15-acre lake near Sri Nandikeshwara Temple in Malyady is the last hope for the birds from Europe and other parts of the world.
However, due to the spread of salvinia molesta, a kind of weed, that has covered most of the lake, birds find no place to quench their thirst. Experts want the government to initiate steps to nurture this sanctuary.