Bhubaneswar, October 2: Migratory birds have arrived in Chilka Lake one month earlier than their scheduled time this year.
The early arrival of migratory birds in Chilika Lake, Odisha, one month before their usual schedule, has prompted swift action by the Chilika Wildlife Division to ensure their protection.
Amlan Nayak, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Chilika Wildlife, said that the lake, Asia's largest brackish water body, is already witnessing the arrival of migratory birds, which typically happens at the end of October.
To safeguard these birds, the division has set up multiple camps across different ranges of the lake—four in Balaguan, eleven in Tangi, and two each in Satpura and Rambha.
These camps will be active from October 2024 to March 2025. Both local community members and departmental staff, including forest guards and foresters will monitor in the lake .
The DFO also informed that a zero-tolerance policy against poaching will be adopted this time. , Patrols have been intensified with the deployment of additional boats, both hired and departmental. A bird census is scheduled for December or January, and precautions against bird flu are also in place.
In 2024, the annual water bird survey recorded over 11 lakh birds, with the majority being migratory. These birds typically arrive from regions such as the Caspian Sea, Siberia, and Russia, congregating in Chilika's Nalabana Bird Sanctuary and Mangalajodi village.
Authorities expect a significant increase in bird numbers this year due to efforts to create a conducive environment for their arrival.
