CHITRANGUDI BIRD SANCTUARY

The Sanctuary is 5 km from Mudukulathur and 25 km away from Paramakudi of Ramanathapuram. The wetland is a protected area since 1989 and declared as Bird Sanctuary. Internationally, Chitrangudi comes under the Important Bird and Biodiversity Area. (IBA; code IN261, Criteria A1, A4i) as reported by Bird Life International and Wetlands International, besides being part of the Key Biodiversity Areas of the world The crescent-shaped Kanmoi starts at a northern point where an aqueduct from the Gundar River flows into the Kanmoi. The Sanctuary area is within the 15 m (49 ft) high embankments of a community irrigation tank. The total length of the embankment is 4.01 km (2.492 miles). Area calculated as 260.47 ha. The fluvial landforms near Chitrangudi wetland comprises of flood plains of Vaigai, Varshalei, Pambar, Kottakkarai and Gundar rivers. The marine landforms comprise sand mounds (Teri’s) and barrier dunes along the coast. Main source of water for the wetland is rainfall, groundwater, the surrounding runoff from the catchment area and from the Vaigai and Gundaru Rivers. As the wetland is mostly dependent on the rainfall and runoff waters. This helps in replenishing the groundwater.

Salient Features

• Listed as international bird and biodiversity area with IBA site code : in-tn-06, by bird life international and is a part of the central asian migratory flyway
• The farmers are benefited from the guano (bird excreta) enriched water that is used for irrigating their farmlands

CRITERIA

Criterion 3 : supports plants (70),birds (122), reptiles (17), amphibians (6), odanates (8), butterfly (55), fishes (8) and mammals (8) and maintains the biological diversity of the bio geographic region.
Criterion 4 : supports resident bird species such as egrets, herons, ibises, cormorants and other water birds at critical stages of their life cycles and provides refuge during adverse climatic conditions.
Criterion 6 : supports 1% population of black headed ibis (nt) and spot-billed pelican (nt).

RAMSAR Certificate