Winged guests arrive at Odisha's Chilika

Migratory birds from different countries have started thronging Odisha's Chilika Lake, the country's largest brackish water lagoon.The Chilika lake has occupied a special place in world tourism map because of the visit of these foreign birds.

Khordha (Odisha): From the beginning of the winter the winged guests have started to arrive in Odisha's Chilika lake.

The lake is overjoyed with chatters and quacks of the migratory birds from countries like Mongolia, Siberia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

Two islands inside the lake, Manglajodi and Nalabana, are eagerly awaiting to welcome these guests.

The wildlife department has set up 11 base camps and engaged 33 employees for the safeguard of these winged visitors.

Srinibas Behera, Bird Security Employee has ensured ETV Bharat, "There are no poachers in the village and village people have realised that the birds can help in the economic growth."

While every year around the month of November, 180 varieties of Birds from different countries visit the lake, but this year the count is 120.

As per the report of the bird census taken in January, a total of 10.47 lakh birds belonging to 181 varieties had visited the lake.

Likewise in January 2018, as many as 8.93 lakh birds representing 158 varieties had camped here, while in January 2017 their number was 9.47 lakh belonging to 167 varieties.

The Chilika lake has occupied a special place in world tourism map because of the visit of these foreign birds. Therefore, everybody should be careful in future to ensure an increase in the number of these winged visitors from abroad.