KAIKALUR (Krishna Dist): The Kolleru lake has seen a steady rise in the number of migratory birds visiting it every year since 2006 when the Operation Kolleru was taken up.
The biggest fresh water lake in the country, the Kolleru lake is a bird watchers’ delight with birds like pelicans, painted storks, corborates, grey pelicans, purple herons, grey herons, night herons, egret, river turn and open bill storks coming to roost there.
The Atapaka bird sanctuary is the main roosting and nesting place for pelicans in Kolleru wildlife sanctuary and a good destination for enthusiastic bird watchers. A forest guard at the Atapaka said over 3000 pelicans were spotted during December.
Bird census available with the Wildlife authorities underline an increase in migration of birds since Operation Kolleru. A large number of fish tanks were demolished and a 500 acres tank was developed.
The officials also took steps to remove water hyacinth from the tank and released fish seedlings to attract more birds.
Speaking to Express, Divisional Forest Officer (wildlife), Eluru, B Nageswara Rao said that proposals were sent to the government to provide more facilities at the bird sanctuary with funds for compensatory afforestation project. He said that a fence would be built around the tank to prevent entry of cattle into the tank bed, disturbing the natural habitation of the birds.
An approach road to the santuary was also developed and benches were set up on the tank bund last year for the convenience of bird watchers, he added.