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Monday, Feb 23, 2009
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Bird study centre declared open

Special Correspondent

The centre has been established at a cost of Rs.28 lakh
It will help study the wetland ecosystem

NAGAPATTINAM: A bird migration study centre of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) established at a cost of Rs.28 lakh at the Point Calimere bird sanctuary in the district was declared open by R. Sundararaju, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, Tamil Nadu, on Sunday.

The BNHS, an NGO, the State Forest Department and the private companies that had advanced more than Rs.27 lakh for the project and by the locals.

The centre would go a long way in ensuring a proper training and study of the wetland ecosystem of 25.48 lakh hectares in the country of which 2.10 lakh hectares are in Tamil Nadu.

P.L. Gautam, Chairman, National Biodiversity Authority, presided over inauguration.

A.R. Rahmani, Director, BNHS, explained the role played by Point Calimere team headed by S. Balachandran, Assistant Director, BNHS, in studying the migratory habits of birds. A large number of birds marked with rings in Point Calimere are found in many northern hemisphere centres.

J.C. Daniel, secretary, BNHS, said that satellite tracking system has been attached to 84 birds so far of which 24 were in Tamil Nadu. Each of the highly sensitive device costs over Rs.2 lakh.

Dr. Balachandran said the centre would be organising several training programmes.

V. Thirunavukkarasu, Wildlife Warden, Nagapattinam, listed the steps taken for protecting the evergreen dry forest of the Point Calimere, salt pans of migratory birds, the blackbuck sanctuary, the herbal species and the sea turtles that were regularly hatching eggs in the coastal district.

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