Chilika is the largest brackish water wetland along the east coast of India with a unique assemblage of marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystem. It qualifies as a wetland of international importance for several reasons. The area of the lake exceeds 100,000 ha and it is of great value for ...more ↓
Chilika is the largest brackish water wetland along the east coast of India with a unique assemblage of marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystem. It qualifies as a wetland of international importance for several reasons. The area of the lake exceeds 100,000 ha and it is of great value for preserving genetic ecological diversity because of the variety of habitats, flora and fauna. It is one of the biodiversity hotspots with over 540 vertebrate species and shelters a number of endangered species listed in the IUCN red data book. Based on its rich biodiversity and socio-economic importance, it was designated by the Government of India as a Ramsar Site in 1981, under the Convention of Wetlands of International Importance, especially as waterfowl habitat. It is a highly productive ecosystem with rich fishery resources and it sustains the livelihood of more than two hundred thousand fisherfolk, who live in and around the lake.
Chilika is also renowned for the vast numbers of migratory waterfowl congregating in India. Over 150 species of migratory and locally migratory birds, including nine threatened species , have been recorded here.
This is India's One of the First Ramsar Site . A wetland and migratory home to birds from all over Asia and Arctic. A convergence of feather friends starts with the annual migration in October and stretches until March .
A true conservation story , emerged in 1996 , where this area faced with massive amount of water fowl poaching . Painstaking and a turn around effort emerged , when Wild Orissa made a significant turnaround in this place. The Poachers turned bird field guides. The famed bird protection committee (Sri Sri Mahavir Pakshi Surakshya Samiti) of Mangalajodi (constituted in 2000). Members of SSMPSS along with Shri Nanda Kishore Bhujabal Governor Tangi Regional Chapter of Wild Orissa, and other members of Wild Orissa have made this place a paradise for the birds.
This little known village on the shores of Chilika Lake is now an global concern area attracting visitors from across the globe. One of India's successful poachers' driven initiative by Wild Orissa, today it is a subject matter of research from different disciplines. Mangalajodi is an Important Bird Area under the IBCN.
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