Yet in another major initiation for conservation of migratory birds at Atapaka Birds’ Sanctuary, the Wildlife Management authorities are erecting at least additional 40 iron stands here, facilitating the birds to arrange nests and preventing death of chicks.
The steps are being taken up by the Wildlife Management Division, Eluru, as their teams have recorded Pelicans arranging nests on current poles in the last winter. In 2013 winter, a breeding season for these two bird species, nearly 8,000 pelicans and a good number of flocks of Painted Storks turned the sanctuary into their breeding spot.
“The growing number of feathered guests demands us to put up more number of stands in the heart of the pond on the premises of the sanctuary. However, lack of sufficient availability of water at Manuguluru, a portion of Kolleru Lake, will also force these birds to stay at the sanctuary,” Wildlife Management Division, Eluru, Chief Conservator of Forests S. Sreedhar told The Hindu .
In recent years, the Wildlife authorities’ studies have confirmed the presence of Pelicans and Painted Storks at Manuguluru, 5-km away from Atapaka Birds’ Sanctuary, and Madhavapuram and Pydichintapadu. “There is also a need to erect bunds at the above three locations and we are working on it. The number of birds preferring these locations for its nesting and breeding will be recorded in the coming season,” added Mr. Sreedhar. The ongoing works of erection of iron stands at the sanctuary are likely to complete before the birds start arriving from November.
On the other hand, a row of several varieties of trees, located on the bund in the middle of the sanctuary, are becoming a very immediate spot for the birds to arrange nests. In mid winter, the birds including chicks occupy the trees completely, making noise round-the-clock, leaving the visitors in great delight.
