CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday declared Elathur Lake in Erode district as the State’s third Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS), recognising its rich birdlife, unique wetland ecosystems, and cultural significance. The notification was issued by the Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department under Section 37(1) of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Elathur Lake joins Arittapatti in Madurai, declared in November 2022, and Kasampatty in Dindigul, listed earlier this year, in a growing network of heritage sites across Tamil Nadu. Officials described the notifications as part of a State-wide strategy to protect biodiversity outside conventional protected areas, with communities playing a central role in stewardship.
Spread across 37.42 hectares in Nambiyur taluk, the wetland is a mosaic of deep and shallow waters, marshes, mudflats, scrubland, and rocky patches, providing niches for a wide range of species. Surveys have recorded 187 bird species, including migratory waterfowl, raptors, and threatened species. Among the notable sightings are the Endangered Steppe Eagle, the Vulnerable River Tern and Greater Spotted Eagle, and five Near Threatened species such as the Woolly-necked Stork, Painted Stork, Oriental Darter, and Black-headed Ibis.
Environment and forest secretary Supriya Sahu clarified that BHS status does not curtail customary community practices but enhances ecological sustainability in line with guidelines of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
"During peak migratory months, the lake hosts nearly 5,000 birds, with winter visitors including the Northern Pintail, Garganey, Bar-headed Goose, Green-winged Teal, Wigeon, and Shoveler. Wagtails, sandpipers, warblers, shrikes, and migratory raptors add to the site’s seasonal diversity. Apart from avifauna, Elathur sustains native fish, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, and wetland flora, making it a reservoir of genetic diversity," she said.
Deepak Venkatachalam, founder of Suzhal Arivom, who was part of the team that proposed the site to the government said: "At one point, a contractor planned to cut-off dry and deciduous trees, which are the roosting sites for the birds. He even won the auction, but after we documented all the birdlife and approached the then collector Raja Gopal Sunkara, he understood the importance and canceled it. There was rampant poaching and recreational hunting also. We undertook nature walks and now there is a sense of belongingness."
The move was backed by community and administrative support. The Elathur Town Panchayat passed a resolution in January this year, which was endorsed by the District Collector later that month. The Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board subsequently recommended the site, citing its ecological and cultural value and its role in supporting migratory flyways.
Officials emphasised that the BHS designation is not regulation-heavy but aimed at fostering a conservation ethic, bringing recognition to local communities, and strengthening livelihoods through ecological resilience.