Kerala floods one month after: Fewer migratory waterbirds at Thattekad Bird Sanctuary
After the floods, the Forest Department worked over ten days to remove plastic waste and slush from the park.
Published: 19th September 2018 03:04 AM | Last Updated: 19th September 2018 10:50 AM | A+A A-
Birds of same feather flock together: Migratory birds like White storks seen in the marshy land. (EPS | A Sanesh)
KOCHI: The arrival of migratory waterbirds to Thattekad Bird Sanctuary is likely to be affected post-flood, though the sanctuary which took a bad hit in the flood has been revived through the efforts of the Forest Department.Migratory birds fly in to the sanctuary from different parts of the globe between October and March. After the Periyar River, flowing close to the bird sanctuary, flooded, plastic waste and slush accumulated in the lakes and waterbodies inside the sanctuary. Some of the animals protected in cages, including king cobras, pythons, porcupines, peacocks and tortoises, were released.
Then post-flood, the Forest Department worked over 10 days to remove plastic waste and slush from the park. Also, preparatory work was carried out to ease the stay of migratory birds, according to a press release from the District Information Office.Thattekad annually witnesses the arrival of water and forest birds. Ornithologist R Sugathan said the flood is likely to affect it.
“Around 322 species of birds arrive at Thattekad, while across Kerala, around 523 species reach the same time,” he said.A sandbed has appeared on a 5-km stretch from Thattekad to Kuttikal on the Periyar riverside. The sand bed has affected the movement of animals in the sanctuary. As the shrubs on the river bank were washed off in the flood, the situation will affect the survival of waterbirds this year.
