Cheer and concern at Chilika lake

Odisha’s Chilika lake continues to be a favourite destination of migratory birds from across the globe.

A bird census recently carried out in the world famous brackish water lagoon revealed that a whopping 8.83 lakh avian guests from different parts of India and abroad had made the lake their winter home this season. The lake had played host to 8.4 lakh migratory birds in the 2010-11
season.

The census was conducted jointly by the government-run Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and wildlife division of the state forest department with the help from other agencies from within the state and outside like Bombay Natural History Society. Assistance of bird experts from Odisha as well as other states had also been taken. Besides, students of various universities in the country had also taken part in the exercise.

The 1100-sq km lake, considered to be the biggest brackish water lagoon in Asia, had been divided into 17 zonesand separ­ate groups were sent to each zone to carry out the census. About
80 people were engaged in the tedious exercise.

Apart from the increase in number of birds, another significant highlight of this year’s census was the maiden appearance of a new variety of bird species called Glossy Ibis. About 980 of them were found in Chilika for the first time. Glossy Ibis is a wader which are seen mainly in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Carribean regions of America.

A total of 167 species of birds were sighted in the popular lake this season during the two-day estimation exercise.

The government officials in charge of the lake maintain that the Odisha lagoon continues to be a hot favourite of the migratory birds from across the globe mainly due to the steps initiated by the government agencies for their safety-- to stop poaching to be precise.

“Steps are being initiated every year to provide adequate safety to the migratory birds. As a result, incidents of poaching have come down drastically in the lake. In fact, some of the areas within the lake which were earlier known as poachers’ paradise have now become safe havens for the winged guests,” said an official of the Chilika wildlife division.

He was obviously indicated towards Mangalajodi, an area where a maximum 1.35 lakh birds were sighted this season during the annual census.  

However, observers and experts are of the view that the government agencies need to do much more to ensure safe stay of the winged visitors during their winter sojourn. Killing of innocent birds still continues. This season more than a dozen cases of poaching  had been recorded in the lake and about a hundred dead birds had been seized from the poachers.

“It is true that poachers are being caught and sent to jail. But the government agencies need to do more if they want to see the number of winged guests touch a record high in the coming years,” said Himansu Pradhan, an empl­oyee of a construction company whose love for migratory birds drives him from Bhubaneswar to Chilika at least twice every season.

As many as 15.23 lakh migratory birds had visited the scenic Odisha lagoon in the 2001-02 season which is an all time record. Though the overall number of migratory birds in Chilika saw an increase this season compared to last year, the 15. 5 sq km Nalabana bird sanctuary inside the
lagoon witnessed a drop in the winged visitors. The census revealed that of the total number of 8.83 lakh birds only 3.18 lakh preferred to stay inside the bird sanctuary. The number was 3.82 lakh last season.

Officials attributed this to the reduction of water level inside the sanctuary due to
climatic changes which resulted in availability of less food for the avian guests. As sufficient food was not available, the birds preferred to fly to other areas within the lake instead of staying inside the sanctuary. Though it turned out to be a good winter for bird lovers, it was not so for
dolphin admirers.

For, a similar fresh enumeration drive of the friendly water animal in the Odisha lake saw their
numbers dropped. Chilika lagoon has also been home to Irrawaddy dolphins, a
highly endangered species, since long.

The census revealed that the number of Irrawaddies in the picturesque lake had come down from 156 last year to 145. The reduction in numbers is likely to set the alarm bell ringing among the conservationists as the total population of Irrawaddy dolphins across the world is less than 7,500.

The CDA officials believe that the dolphins could have been migrating to sea leading to the reduction in their numbers inside the lake. “Therefore, we have now decided to set up a permanent monitoring station at the mouth of the lake to study the dolphins’ migratory behaviour. The
station will be equipped with highly efficient hydrophones developed by Japan’s Tokyo University,” said CDA Chief Executive Dr Ajit Kumar Patnaik.

The CDA has already signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan University to set up the special project.