Data Zone
Site description (2004 baseline):
AVIFAUNA: Chilika Lake in general and Nalabana area in particular are among the most important waterfowl habitats in India. The total number of waterfowl in Chilika is close to 8,00,000 birds. Of the 211 species of birds recorded in Chilika and its environs, 121 species were reported from Nalabana. Seven Vulnerable species, and many Near Threatened species are found. In January 2003, more than 4,50,000 birds were counted on Nalabana Island, and more than 2,40,000 birds were counted in the northern sector from Kalupadaghat to Teenmuhani area. Very large numbers of birds were also observed in the Kansari River and Gangadharpur area (Sana Nairi village). Similarly, the unapproachable areas in the southern sector near Taltaola, Rambha, Naupada and outer-channel Jahnikuda provide refuge to more than 1,70,000 ducks and waders. It is estimated that Chilika Lake supported over 8,00,000 birds during the 2002- 2003 winter season (Balachandran et al. 2003). Large numbers of birds such as the Pintail Anas acuta (80,000), Garganey Anas querquedula, Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa (48,000), Gadwall Anas strepera (1,00,000) Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope (40,000) Brown-headed Gull Larus brunnicephalus (20,000), and the marine terns (Large Crested Sterna bergii and Lesser Crested Sterna bengalensis) congregate on and around the island at dusk for roosting, and most of them depart in the morning. Over 1,000 Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus spend the winter at Nalabana every year. During 3 years of monitoring the maximum wader population (1,44,000) was recorded in January 2003. The rare Asian Dowitcher Limnodromus semipalmatus was seen in small numbers (10-15) and a total of five individuals were also ringed between 2002 and 2003. Large congregations (>1000) of Lesser Whistling Duck Dendrocygna javanicus were seen during January 2003. Over 5,000 Brahminy Shelducks Tadorna ferruginea were observed between Satapada (outer-channel area) and Nalabana. The globally threatened Pallas’s Fish-Eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus was regularly sighted, solitarily or in pairs in Nalabana from December to March. Among other threatened species of Chilika Lake, between 175 to 300 Spot-billed Pelican were seen. Large breeding colonies of terns, namely the River Tern, Gullbilled Tern and Little Tern Sterna albifrons, along with the waders such as Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus were recorded at Nalabana Island. The majority of nests were found in the middle of the island. Among the 1,032 nests noted in 2002, 540 and 323 respectively belonged to River Tern and Gull-billed Tern. The other two wader species breeding at Nalabana are Oriental Pratincole Glareola maldivarum and Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus (Balachandran et al. 2002a). Many waders and ducks occur in much greater numbers than their 1% population threshold determined by Wetlands International (2002). For some species such as the Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Asian Dowitchers, this site is extremely important in India.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: Chilika Lake hosts 158 types of fish and prawn species. Fish include both marine and estuarine species. Penaeus indicus and Penaeus monodon are commercially important prawns. The sand crab Scylla serrata is the most abundant commercial crab of Chilika.
A remnant population of the highly endangered Irrawady Dolphin Orcaella brevirostris occurs only in Chilika in India.
Chilika Lake has undergone major ecological changes for the last several years, mostly due to the salinity changes caused by choking of the outer-channel and closure of the Lake’s mouth to the sea, and the restoration measures (providing of a new mouth) undertaken by the Chilika Development Authority. Nalabana Island has large breeding colonies of Gull-billed and River Terns. But during the onset of monsoon in May, many nests are washed away by floods caused by heavy rain and wind. Near total breeding failure was noticed in the above two species in 2002 and over 75% in 2003 (Balachandran et al. 2002a, 2002b, 2003). Nests of the River Tern are generally prone to flooding in most of their breeding areas (Ali and Ripley 1987), but the poor breeding success from this largest colony will have a particularly adverse effect on this species. Conservation measures are urgently needed for these species to protect them from natural calamities. The BNHS suggested flat floating platforms 1 m high with an area of 25 x 10 m, covered with 15 cm or more of sand or pebbles, as nest beds in the major nesting localities as a possible conservation measure for breeding terns. Birds are also being adversely affected by the increasing numbers of mechanized boats which emit smoke, noise and oil pollution. The forest department constructed raised platforms of sand to serve as nesting sites for the breeding terns inside the Nalabana Sanctuary. But during the breeding season of 2004, none of the terns laid nests in these platforms. Nalabana being a popular tourist destination witnesses a large number of visitors who litter the place which is a grave threat. This litter is periodically burnt off which releases noxious gases that obviously shall affect the birds since most of the waste is plastic wrappers and bags (Biswajit Mohanty pers. comm. 2004).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Nalabana Bird Sanctuary (Chilika Lake) (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/nalabana-bird-sanctuary-(chilika-lake)-iba-india on 22/12/2024.