Data Zone
Country/territory: India
IBA criteria met: A1 (2004)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here
Area: 460 ha
| IBA conservation status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2003 | not assessed | medium | not assessed |
| For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here | |||
Site description (2004 baseline)
Telineelapuram is located c. 5 km east of Tekkali town in Srikakulam district. The Telineelapuram Gram Panchayat (village council) governs four villages: Telineelapuram (460 ha), Viswanadhapuram and Vemalavada (410 ha), and Srirangam (56.3 ha). Very large numbers of Spot-billed Pelican Pelecanus philippensis and Painted Stork Mycteria leucocephala breed in these villages, mainly on Prosopis chilensis. Some nests are also found on Tamarindus indica and Enterolobium saman. Common trees of human habitations, such as Azadirachta indica, Tamarindus indicus, Enterolobium saman and the introduced Prosopis chilensis, are widespread at the site.
Key biodiversity
AVIFAUNA: This breeding colony is surviving mainly because of the protection provided by villagers, who consider them sacred and auspicious. If the birds fail to come for breeding (in drought years), villagers believe that harm will come to them. About 150 pelicans and about 250 Painted Stork breed regularly at Telineelapuram. The pelicans mainly breed on four large Ficus trees, while the storks breed on Acacia trees. Their main foraging ground is at Kakarpally Creek, locally known as Kakarapally parras, located about 10 km from the Telineelapuram heronry. The creek spreads over 1000 ha and fills up with sea water during high tide. This site is selected as an IBA solely for its importance as a breeding site of the globally threatened Spot-billed Pelican.
OTHER KEY FAUNA: There is no mammalian fauna of any significance, as the IBA site is located in a village.
Acknowledgements
Key contributor: V. Kannan.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Telineelapuram (India). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/telineelapuram-iba-india on 28/11/2024.