SAMBALPUR: With the onset of winter, migratory birds have started arriving at the Hirakud Dam reservoir where Great Crested Grebe were sighted on Monday.
Every year, thousands of birds of different species migrate to the reservoir, which spans over an area of 746 sq km and has a shoreline of over 640 km, in November and stay put for four months till the end of February before flying back in the first week of March.
The migratory birds come from Caspian Sea, Baikal Lake, Mongolia, Central and South East Asia and Himalayan region to the reservoir every year due to the presence of large wetland. Migratory birds like Common Pochard, Red Crested Pochard, Great Duck Bill, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Pond Heron and Painted Stork besides other species are sighted in the reservoir area during the winter season.
DFO (Hirakud Wildlife Division) Sanath Kumar N said Gulls and Common Pochard have also flown in to different parts of reservoir. The DFO said arrangements have been made to ensure protection of the birds and regular boat patrolling is being conducted to prevent poaching and hunting of the birds. Similarly, bird protection teams have been deployed at seven places including Zero Point, Barakhandia, Parbatitong, Chaurasimal, Badduma, Mahultaru and Gobindpur.
In last season, 1,45,946 migratory birds of 92 species had come to the reservoir. Forest officials said hills around the reservoir, climate and availability of sufficient food here attract the birds. Some birds also breed during this time.
Delay worries greens
BERHAMPUR: In Ganjam disrict, though, delay in arrival of migratory birds in Chilika has left environmentalists worried. The brackish water lagoon that spreads across Puri and Ganjam districts gets thousands of migratory birds from far off places, including Northern Eurasia, Caspian region, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Lake Baikal and other remote parts of Russia by the end of September every year.
However, this year they are yet to flock the lagoon or Nalaban, the bird sanctuary inside the lake. Environmentalists said climate change and heavy rainfall leading to increase in water level of the lagoon may have delayed the arrival of birds. They start their homeward journey with the onset of the summer season.
Olive Ridleys arrive in Rushikulya
On the other hand, sporadic presence of Olive Ridleys has been seen along the coast near Rushikulya rookery. Usually, the endangered turtles reach Ganjam coast during December every year for nesting and wildlife experts were apprehensive this year that the turtles would arrive late due to continuous rain and sea erosion. However, after sporadic sighting of the turtles, forest officials and voluntary organisations have started cleaning the beach.
Forest Office in-charge of Rambha division, Somanath Mallick said six camps have been set up in Rushikulya for safety of the turtles and each camp is manned by two forest officials.