The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : `Bird heaven' turns hell for winged species

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 25, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

`Bird heaven' turns hell for winged species

By G. Nagaraja

ELURU, JUNE 24. The status of `Bird Heaven' associated with the sprawling Kolleru Lake spread over West Godavari and Krishna districts appears to have become passé. The dwindling number of visiting birds for a variety of reasons bears testimony to this.

The lake was the most favoured destination for about 25-lakh birds of more than 170 species in the seventies. The number has now come down to around 7-8 lakhs, according to the Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), E. N. Srinivasulu.

The lake still draws a large number of migratory birds during November-January. They come for breeding from far-off places like Siberia, as they find their original habitats not conducive for nesting during the period due to heavy snowing. The most famous of birds being the Grey Pelican, which had been spotted at Srungaralatota by the wildlife personnel a couple of weeks ago.

Kolleru is considered a good feeding and breeding place for a wide range of aquatic and terrestrial birds like Painted Storks, Egrets, Grey Herons, Purple Herons, Night Herons, Open Bill Storks, Black Ibises, White Ibises, Moorhens, Cormorants and water birds like Pintails, Teals, Shovellers, Black winged Stilts, Coots, Terns etc. The visiting predatory birds feed on insects, fishes and snails, which are abundant in the lake.

Of late, the `winged guests' are finding the going tough, thanks to the fast conversion of the once pristine fresh water lake into fishponds. Water pollution, caused by the emergence of fish ponds, dumping of chemicals, cow dung and poultry waste for growing fishes has destroyed the birds' habitat. The DFO said the lake water was unfit for consumption by the birds. With the flora being eclipsed by fish tanks, the birds find it difficult for nesting. Even as the birds attempt to feed on the fishes in the ponds, the pond owners burst crackers to scare them away.

Above all, death stalks the winged guests in the form of poachers. The wildlife authorities recently apprehended poachers, who said the live birds are caught and supplied to star hotels in the district. The birds often form part of the `delicious' menu during feasts organised by the elite on Sundays.

According to the DFO, poachers have devised a novel way to kill the hapless birds at Sringaralatota. They inject poison in lotus seed, resulting in the unsuspecting birds getting killed when they feed on it.

Restoration of the lake's past glory as a Bird Heaven appears to be a daunting task for the authorities concerned despite the Supreme Court's direction to the State Government to protect the lake as a wildlife sanctuary. The sprawling lake area shrank from 961 sq. km to 308 sq. km with the conversion of 80 per cent of the lake area (22,000 hectares) into fishponds.

The lake appears to be no longer a favoured destination for the winged guests, thanks to the officials entrusted with the execution of the court directives, who indulge in a blame game. At this rate the lake is faced with threat of extinction.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh