Way to go, say conservationists

CHENNAI: Conservationists and scientists on Saturday broadly welcomed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to designate the wetlands around Suseendram, Therur and Manakkudikayal as a bird sanctuary. The area, in Kanyakumari district, plays hosts to a wide range of bird species, and experts say its designation as a bird sanctuary could have a positive impact not only on wildlife conservation but also on local agriculture.“Suseendram and Therur are fresh water wetlands while Manakkudikayal is on the coastal side.The creation of a safe haven for birds would also mean the water, in which bird droppings and such other things dissolve, could prove greatly beneficial to agriculture,” said P Dhandapani, retired senior scientist of the Zoological Survey of India.He added that the area played host to a number of migratory birds in the winter months. Cotton teal, spot-billed duck, lesser whistling teal, phesant-tailed jacana, bronze wing jacana, coot and Indian moorhen are among the wetland species that sought refuge in this area in large numbers. Manakkudikayal plays host to flamingoes, thanks to the large number of small crustaceans and plants in the soil.“Most of the species that come to this area do not breed here. They come here because of the large water spread and wide availability of food. They come here during the winter, take shelter and grow. But there is a wide spread of elephant grass in Manakkudikayal that could be serving as nesting grounds to warblers and other small birds,” said Dhandapani.