Kaliveli Wetlands to be Declared as Bird Sanctuary

 The Villupuram District Government of Tamil Nadu issued its first statement under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The purpose of this statement is to declare the Kaliveli wetland a bird sanctuary.

Highlights:

♦ This decision is highly appreciated by officials of the Ministry of Forests and conservationists because it will strengthen their efforts to protect wetlands, which are home to animals and plants.

♦ The first declaration was issued under Article 18 of the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act.

♦ Kaliveli wetland is the second-largest saltwater lake in southern India. The first largest is Pulicat Lake. Wetlands are ecologically important. It is located near Marakkanam on the east coast road of Lake Kaliveli.

♦ The wetland area is 670 square kilometers. Kaliveli Lake is connected to the Waterbody i.e. Bay of Bengal through Uppukalli Creek and Edayanthittu Reserve.

♦ The southern part of the wetland was declared a reserved area in 2001.

♦ According to a 2004 report by the Indian Bird Conservation Network and Bird Conservation International, the Kaliveli Wetland supports approximately 20,000 birds every year. 

♦ The lake also provides a feeding place for long-distance immigrants migrating from the cold subarctic, central Asia, and Siberia. 

♦ Some migratory birds include Black-tailed God, White Stork, Eurasian Curlew, Ruff, and Dublin. This is why the wetland needs to be covered up as a bird sanctuary.

♦ Building flood control dams downstream may affect the water level and salinity of wetlands. In addition, the establishment of flood control dams will harm plans to establish a fishing port at the mouth of the lagoon system.