Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department - Tamil Nadu State Wetland Authority Toll Free 18005997634-4
Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission

Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary

Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary is a protected area near Mudukulathur Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. India, declared in 1989. Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary is located within the village of Kanjirankulam, Ramanathapuram district, southern Tamil Nadu, India. KBS has an estimated area divided between Keela (lower) Kanjirankulam (66.66 hectares) and in Mela (upper) Kanjirankulam (30.231 hectares). The wetland performs three main ecosystem services to the fringe population in particular including hydrological regulation of floods and droughts, carbon sequestration and climate regulation, and storm protection. Normal annual rainfall is 827 mm with high rainfall along the coast decreasing inland. The relative humidity is between 79 and 84%. Excess water that is stored during rainy season within the bunds is later utilized for agriculture purposes. The sanctuary acts as a store space for an efficient flood control, flood storage mechanism

Salient Features

Supports more than 2000 hectares of agricultural land, Important for the irrigation of the surrounding paddy field, banana plantation and coconut groves on which more than 1000 families are dependent, Listed as international bird and biodiversity area with iba site code : in-tn-24, by bird life international and is part of central asian bird migratory flyway

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Location Ramanathapuram
Area 96.89 hectares
Wetland Type Inland wetlands - Freshwater, tree-dominated wetlands
Date of Designation 08-04-2022
Ramsar Site No. 2486

Values and Benefits

  • Provisioning Services
  • Fresh water
  • Wetland non-food products
  • Regulating Services
  • Maintenance of hydrological regimes
  • Climate regulation
  • Erosion protection
  • Cultural Services
  • Recreation and tourism
  • Scientific and educational
  • Supporting Services
  • Biodiversity
  • Soil formation
  • Nutrient cycling

Threats

  • Human settlements (non agricultural)
  • Unspecified development
  • Water regulation
  • Water abstraction
  • Drainage
  • Water releases
  • Agriculture & aquaculture
  • Livestock farming and ranching
  • Biological resource use
  • Logging and wood harvesting
  • Gathering terrestrial plants
  • Human intrusions & disturbance
  • Unspecified/others
  • Climate change & severe weather
  • Droughts
  • Temperature extremes
  • Storms and flooding
  • Transportation and service corridors
  • Unspecified
  • Natural system modifications
  • Vegetation clearance/ land conversion
  • Invasive and other problematic species and genes
  • Invasive non-native/ alien species
  • Pollution
  • Excess heat
  • sound
  • light

Ramsar Criteria

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Management Authority Bund repair and maintenance works by PWD (Public Works Department) and The administration of the sanctuary is under the control of Forest department
Protection Status Bird Sanctuary

Species Count

Birds 56
Fishes 15
Plants 65
Mammals 8
Reptiles & Ambhibians 11
Arthropods 64

Site Images