India’s second largest lagoon: a bit of history and a whole lot of birds

Pulicat, a small town in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, sits on the seaward side of the Sriharikota island, the key launch site for Indian rockets. Just 60 kilometres north of Chennai, the Pulicat Lake, India’s second largest lagoon, is in the heart of the town.

During the British colonial era, it became known for its fishing village and health resort. Today, the Pulicat Lake is an ecological hotspot, drawing migratory birds from across the world, especially between October and March every year.

Iconic residents

Flamingos are the most iconic residents of the lake, as they flock to the marshland in large numbers. Alongside, one can spot Eurasian curlews, oystercatchers, and bar-tailed godwits that make their annual journey from Europe and Siberia to escape the biting cold of the winter.

Pulicat is also home to a cottage industry that supports the local community. Women in the town craft beautiful products from palmyra leaves, such as jewellery boxes, masala boxes, and pouches. These goods are sold through the Palmyra Leaf Co-operative Society, which has gained recognition for the skill and craftsmanship behind each item.

The town is a major hub for seafood exports, with products like white and tiger prawns, jellyfish, and fin fish, being sent out to markets far and wide.

Serene landscape

Surrounded by large stretches of tranquil water, Pulicat offers a serene landscape where fishing boats glide silently across the surface and flamingos wade through the shallows. Spread on 60,000 hectares, the Pulicat Lake is an essential ecological site. It has been designated as one of India’s 467 Important Bird Areas by the Bombay Natural History Society and Birdlife International. The lake supports over 220 bird species across seasons, many of which are migratory.

A portion of the lake has even been turned into the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary, which provides these birds with a safe haven. The lake also harbours a number of endangered species that are put on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. During the peak migratory season, the Pulicat Lake is home to 250 species of birds, 50 of which are intercontinental migrants.

This migratory bird season, naturalist S. Venkatraaman, known as ‘Poochi’ Venkat, made an exciting discovery. He spotted five bar-tailed godwits sitting together on a landmass in the lake. It’s rare to see these birds together in such a number, and Venkat shared his photographs with experts from Madras Naturalists’ Society.

Annamalaicheri, located on the southern tip of the Pulicat Lake, is also a hidden gem for birdwatching. The village, which relies on shrimp fishing, is situated on the edge of the brackish waters of the lake. The area is particularly famous for the sighting of the white-bellied sea eagle, once seen in large numbers.

eBird platform

Notably, several bird species have been recorded at Pulicat through eBird, a citizen science platform. Chennai-based birder Magesh Rajamani on February 1 spotted birds such as ruddy turnstone, brown-headed gull, Pallas’s gull, lesser black-backed gull, little tern, Caspian tern, lesser crested tern, Asian openbill, painted stork, little cormorant, black-headed ibis, little egret, Indian pond heron, great egret, medium egret, grey heron, spot-billed pelican, and blue-tailed bee-eater.

At the 18th edition of the Chennai Bird Race organised by Madras Naturalists’ Society on February 1, Abigail, a young birder, spotted 44 species in and around Pulicat.

Despite its ecological importance, the Pulicat Lake is facing numerous challenges. In 2010, the Global Nature Fund declared it a “threatened lake”. Yet, it has not been added to the Montreux Record, a list of wetlands facing significant threats. This is a crucial step towards getting the lake listed under the Ramsar Convention, which would provide it with greater protection.

Ecosystem under pressure

Conservationists call for immediate action to protect Pulicat’s fragile ecosystem, which is increasingly under pressure from climate change and global warming.

K.V.R.K. Thirunaranan of The Nature Trust explains that managing the water levels of Pulicat is critical to maintaining the health of the lake. He says the water level needs to be just right for the ecosystem to thrive. The river mouth should remain open naturally, allowing the tidal flows to nourish the wetland’s mudflats and sand dunes, the habitats essential for birds like crab plover and white-bellied sea eagle. This natural process ensures that the lake can support shorebirds and migratory species like flamingos.

Yet, Mr. Thirunaranan has expressed concern over the delay in the arrival of flamingos this year, noting that the water level has not been ideal.

In addition to these natural challenges, Pulicat faces pressure from development projects. The proposed expansion of the Adani Port could threaten the delicate balance of the lake’s ecosystem. Mr. Thirunaranan says the increasing tourist activity needs to be regulated to protect the bird habitat.