Vedanthangal sanctuary to close from June 30 as birds fly back

VEDANTHANGAL (KANCHEEPURAM ): Its time to rest your binoculars as the Vedanthangal bird sanctuary will officially be closed for visitors from June 30.

The four lakes in the 200-yearold sanctuary, some 82 km southwest of Chennai, are near-empty and thousands of birds, 80% of them migratory, have left. “The season is over and most birds have left with their young ones,”wildlife warden V Karuna Priya told ToI. The Karakill bird sanctuary , 8 km from Vedanthangal, will also be closed for the season from Thursday.

Every year, between November and June, hundreds of birds, some from as far as Siberia in Russia, other parts of Europe, Chile and Brazil, flock here to feast on the fish and for nesting. Others wing their way here from Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia , Sri Lanka, during the migratory season. Almost 40,000 birds, including 26 rare species, come here every season.

Spread over 73 acres of land off GST Road, the sanctuary is the oldest one for water birds in the country. This season, Little Cormorant, Night Heron, Grey Heron, S p o o n Bill, Little E g re t , Large Egret, White Ibis, Cattle Egret, Pintail, Pond Heron , Shoveller duck, Dab Chick, Indian Moorhen, Grey Pelican and Open-Bill Stork were among the winged visitors here. “Several visitor-friendly measures have been taken this season,” chief conservator of forests, K S S V P Reddy, told TOI.

In November 2010, facilities such as toilets, water taps, granite seating arrangements and concrete pathways were restored and two additional watch towers also came up. “To make the birds stay longer, we introduce thousands of fish into the lakes. An ideal climate and plenty of fish attract thousands of migratory birds every year,” senior forester A Selvam said.