Bhubaneswar: The Wildlife Wing of the Forest Department has made all necessary arrangements to welcome migratory birds to the Chilika Lagoons in this winter season.
According to official sources, the Forest Department has set up 21 temporary camps to prevent poaching activities in the area. The camps will remain active until the end of March, when the birds begin their journey home.
Each camp has three personnel to assist wildlife staff with patrolling. The highest number of camps—11—has been set up in the vulnerable Tangi range, while four camps are located in the Balugaon range. Two camps each have been established in Rambha, Satapada, and Chilika, the officials said.
A meeting was held with all staff involved in the temporary camps, where they were advised to conduct round-the-clock patrolling and maintain strict vigilance against hunters. Over 15 boats have been deployed for patrolling the lake, they.
Poaching activities typically increase with the arrival of migratory birds, as the meat of these aquatic birds is in high demand in nearby towns.
The birds, which primarily come from regions beyond the Himalayas—such as Northern Eurasia, the Caspian region, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Lake Baikal, and other remote areas of Russia and neighbouring countries—visit Chilika every winter to escape the harsh cold of their native habitats, departing before the onset of summer.
The first batch is expected to swoop down in the second week of October. Last year, the first group arrived on October 10.
During the previous winter, Chilika hosted 1,137,759 birds from 187 species. There were no reported cases of bird poaching during the migration period last winter because of strict patrolling measures in place.