Pelicans sighted at Lalbagh

Pelicans sighted at Lalbagh
Deccan Herald

The Independence Day horticultural show at Lalbagh in Bangalore has a new attraction this year: five spot-billed Pelicans, deemed an endangered species, were sighted at the Lalbagh lake. The birds were spotted on Friday by Mr J Ramesh, wildlife photographer and artist, who has been engaged in bird-watching at Lalbagh since 1993. “This is a pleasant surprise,” he says. The attraction for the birds, he adds, could be the fish in the recently-desilted lake.

With breeding time for pelicans due in October, the sighting of the birds has caused a flutter among bird-watchers. “Very few pelicans have been noticed in the last few years in Bangalore. Five is a good number. It raises hopes that there will be more in the coming days,” says Harish Bhat, a researcher at the Indian Institute of Science.

Kokkrebellur near Mandya is said to have been the home for these birds for several years besides Mysore’s Karanji lake. “There are only 5,000 spot-billed pelicans in India and Sri Lanka. As such there is a need for protecting these birds by providing the necessary habitat and reducing human interference,” says Bhat. “The Lalbagh lake has an island with trees. One hopes that these birds would roost there,” adds Ramesh.

Mr G K Vasanth Kumar, chairman, Mysore Horticultural Society, says: “The lake was desilted last August. Sewage was diverted and with some good rains, fresh water is available in the lake for the birds along with plenty of green cover.” The lack of boating on the lake has helped preserve the serenity for the birds.