Vigil stepped up in Chilika before arrival of migratory birds

Berhampur: The Chilika wildlife division has set up 22 temporary bird protection camps, along with two mobile patrol units and a control room, to guard migratory birds, who are expected to arrive at the Chilika over the next few weeks. The camps, operational since Oct 1, will remain active till March-end, when the birds begin their return journey, said divisional forest officer (DFO) Amlan Nayak on Tuesday.At least two to three personnel have been deployed at each camp to strengthen anti-poaching measures and monitor bird habitats across the lagoon. Of the 22 camps, 11 have been established in the vulnerable Tangi range, four in Balugaon range, three in Rambha range and two each in Satapada and Chilika ranges. "Round-the-clock patrolling will be conducted in the lake to maintain strict vigil on poachers and ensure safety of migratory birds," said Nayak.Every winter, thousands of birds from Northern Eurasia, Siberia, the Caspian region, Kazakhstan, Lake Baikal and parts of Russia and neighbouring countries flock to the brackish-water lagoon to escape harsh winter conditions. Last year, the birds began arriving at the Chilika during the second week of Oct. "The water level in Chilika is currently high because of the recent rain. Their arrival will be assessed by the end of the first fortnight of Oct," the DFO said.According to the mid-winter bird census conducted on Jan 18 this year, Chilika hosted 11.32 lakh birds belonging to 196 species, including 11.10 lakh migratory birds of 106 species and 21,943 resident birds representing 90 species.