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Lakshminarayanan Nataraja
10-08-2009, 07:34 AM
Shrirangapatna is historically famous for it was the capital of Muslim emperor Tipu Sultan. It is 16kms by road from Mysore. The national highway connecting the cities of Mysore and Bangalore cuts across Shrirangapatna. This NH was widened during the year 2006 and today the vehicle traffic seldom ceases even during midnight. The huge fruit-bearing trees which adorned the erstwhile road were all cut during the widening project and were never re-planted. Creatures, especially the herpatafauna is at grave risk during every attempt they make to cross this road.

Ranganathitoo bird sanctuary is about 3.0 Kms from the Shrirangapatna Railway station. River Cauvery is split and flows in to two viz. Cauvery north & Cauvery south and forms numerous islets which are today haven for migratory birds. The river in Ranganathitoo is placid and a little stagnate thus supporting rich numbers of fish and other aquatic lives. The cluster of islets is all well wooded with rocky boulders offering ample cover for migrants to roost and ground birds to build their nests. The banks of the river too is well wooded and the gallery forests support rich bird life.

Ranganathitoo is one of the few places in South India where the Mugger (or) Indian Marsh crocodile can be seen very easily. These cold blooded reptiles flourish in the river, where they are assured of good fish and occasional tit-bits in the form of ground birds or flying foxes. Flying foxes or fruit bats are gregarious and vociferous. Here they are found in their thousands and they hang in the large trees grown in the islets. Muggers of Ranganathitoo are less shy of man and permits boats to reach as near as 5 feet away from them. During hot part of the day, they bask in the sun occupying the small rocks and can be readily approached and photographed if undisturbed. Of course, differentiating a rock from a Mugger is not that easy!!

Ranganathitoo is bird watchers’ and naturalists’ paradise. Morning or evening boat ride in the river can be highly rewarding with good sighting of birds. Birds are less shy of approaching boats and readily pose for fine pictures. Birds include Storks – open billed, painted, adjutant; Egrets – median, little, cattle & large; Herons – night, pond, purple & grey; Cormorants, Darters, Spoon bills, Ibises – glossy & white; King Fishers – white breasted, dwarf, stork billed, pied & common; Wagtails, Kites – Brahminy & black; Mynas, Parakeets, River terns, Serpent eagles, Bulbulls – red whiskered, red vented, black headed; Sun birds, Bee eaters, Fly Catchers, Flower peckers, Weavers, Munias – red, green & spotted; Swifts, Robins, Patridges etc are the few to name specifically.

Besides, there are plenty of huge fruit bearing ficus trees which ensure continuous supply of fruits, attracts Indian grey hornbills. The 49Km road from Shrirangapatna to Hunsur is the approach road for Ranganathitoo & the road sides are full of fruit bearing ficus, mango and Java plum trees. Paddy fields interspread with sugarcane & coconut groves are seemingly endless in sight around the reserve.

The increasing tribe of naturalist photographers and bird watchers is a welcome sign for the Ranganathitoo sanctuary as its plights can be brought in to light. The forest department is maintaining the sanctuary neat and tidy.

Problems:

1.0 Ranganathitoo is well connected with wide roads. Modern vehicles are designed to run at a terrific speed and amateurs & drunkards at steering wheel can pose a great threat to any road user. Many migrant birds, ground birds, snakes and other small mammals can get killed almost daily. The farmers too are not safe!!!! Speed limit in the connecting roads is a must.
2.0 Paddy is cultivated right up to the bank of the river near the sanctuary. Effluents of toxic nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides can heavily disturb the aquatic life and promote growth of hydrophytes such as water hayacinth and other invasives. This can be disastrous. Conservationists should counsel local farmers on these issues and a proper study on current status will be of worth.
3.0 The land area of the sanctuary is very less that it cannot withstand excessive non-serious tourism. Noisy tourists can shoo away migrants once for all. Further, they putrefy the environment.
4.0 This little bird dynasty can survive only if the rural set-up of the region is carefully maintained. Further development of roads, housing colonies, commercial establishments, Railway lines, Industries etc., will result in increased pollution of Air, Water and Land making it unfit for the birds and other wildlife to survive.

Preservation of Ranganathitoo reserve is meant not only for the birds and Muggers but also for the great Cauvery River which is the life line of the region. Much of Cauvery’s rich bio-diversity is already lost with human advancement and it is our foremost duty to protect at least the left over wilderness of this benevolent river…

AB Apana
10-08-2009, 10:56 AM
Hi,

The traffic on the Siringpatam-Ilwal bypass is not all that heavy and in any case Ranganathittu lies off the road.

Regarding tourists, the FD has created picknicking areas away from the birds. So only interested people will go towards the birds and on the boat, etc.

Apana

Sabyasachi Patra
10-08-2009, 09:03 PM
I agree. We don't realise the impact of pesticide and nitrogenous fertillizers on our water bodies. We hardly understand the impact of the chemicals on the birds as well as on us.

In the paddy fields near the bird sanctuaries, the farmers don't need to use lot of fertilisers, as the bird droppings enrich the water that flows into the fields. The villagers around the sanctuary can be educated so that they don't use synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. They will definitely do it if they can find a suitable mode of tapping the organic market. Ofcourse, it takes time to be given the organic branding, as in the initial years, there would be some chemical residues. I am sure, there can be some means of achieving this.

Unfortunately, the rural landscape is going to change. With explosion of population there would be more concrete structures. Probably, more reclamation of the village ponds and swamps. I hope there is mapping of the overall area is done to establish the linkages and dependencies of all the birds on the same.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Mrudul Godbole
11-08-2009, 01:02 PM
A lot of difference in Ranganathittu can be seen in just last five-ten years. Due to the reasons already mentioned by Laxmi. I hope that in future, care is taken by the villagers and the FD to maintain this beautiful wilderness.

Thanks Laxmi for the detailed information.

Bibhav Behera
11-08-2009, 03:08 PM
Agree about Ranganathitu's situation. It is a very small habitat there and is islanded by civilization. It needs to be protected before it shrinks to a zero.