ARIYALUR: The bird count at Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary – recently designated a Ramsar site -- in the district has recorded a 15% increase as compared to last year, the annual synchronised wetland bird census undertaken by the forest department last month has found.
No new species, however, has been recorded, those part of the survey said. They also attached no special significance to this year’s increase in winged visitors’ arrival.
A team of forest department staff led by District Forest Officer D T Elangovan along with NGOs and over 50 students from the Ariyalur government arts college and Bishop Heber College in Tiruchy undertook the census at the sanctuary during January 27-28.
The students were guided by professors Dr K Jeremiah and Dr J Nesarajan of the Department of Zoology at Bishop Heber College. The survey at the sanctuary spread over 453 hectares at Keezhapalur counted a total of 10,372 birds from 64 species, including nightjars, frogmouths, terns, storm-petrels, herons, pelicans, hornbills, kingfishers, kestrels and falcons.
Several of the birds from countries like Russia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and Nigeria migrate to the sanctuary, particularly during November-February. Last year’s census counted around 9,000 birds from 45 species. While mentioning the team having taken up the census taking into consideration the Shannon index, strip transect, point transect and random sampling, Dr Jeremiah said there was no new bird species spotted this time.
Since the undertaking of the annual census, a total of 206 bird species have been identified at the sanctuary over the years. Besides the sanctuary, the census also covered the Sukkiran and Venganur lakes, Dr Jeremiah further said.
“As aquatic plants thrive in the lakes, birds were spotted there too,” he said. Mentioning him having made another visit to Karaivetti on Saturday, the professor said, “The number of birds has increased. More are likely to arrive later this month."
Meanwhile, DFO Elangovan told TNIE, "This year we are going to provide all necessary facilities, including steel cages for the birds to rest in. We also plan to plant native saplings. The arrival of birds is likely to improve as a result."