Recognising unsung heroes of wildlife conservation

The 12{+t}{+h}Sanctuary Wildlife Awards on Thursday honoured some of the most passionate nature enthusiasts across different age groups as “India's Earth Heroes” here.

George Schaller, a well-known American scientist, was given the Lifetime Service Award.

“His path-breaking research on the Indian tiger in the Kanha National Park has become the gold standard for field biology across the world,” said a release by Sanctuary Asia, one of the organisers of the award ceremony.

The awards were given in five categories: one Lifetime Service Award, five Wildlife Service Awards, one Green Teacher Award, three Young Naturalists Awards and a ‘Wind Under the Wings' Award for an organisation that has supported one or more of its employees to be of service to nature.

Best in the field

“The awards have been constituted to recognise the best-in-the-field of wildlife conservation and to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes who are defending the wilderness and thus the food and water security of the Indian subcontinent. The awardees are nominated by Sanctuary Asia readers and supporters from across the country,” the release stated.

The awards were given to diverse individuals for their contributions to wildlife protection. Shekar Dattatri was awarded for successfully using films to highlight disappearing wildlife and habitats.

S.D. Biju, a field biologist, was awarded for his contribution to the discovery of several amphibian species, including many in the Western Ghats.

Service to urban dwellers

Gerry Martin, another Wildlife Service Award winner, and founder and director of the Gerry Martin Project, helps urban dwellers to connect with wildlife issues far removed from their daily life.

Daulat Singh Shaktawat, a Range Forest Officer of the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, was awarded for his continuous resolve to save the big cats despite having been attacked by them many a time.

He is the surviving tale of dedication despite adversities, the organisers said.

Chief Administrative Officer of Namma Sangha P. Suresha was awarded for working towards improving people's relationship with the Bandipur National Park, close to his house.

The Maharashtra government was given the ‘Wind Under the Wings Award' for “enabling and encouraging Praveen Pardeshi, Principal Secretary (Forests), to reinvigorate wildlife conservation in Maharashtra.”

Young Naturalist

Ramnath Chandrashekhar (award-winning wildlife photographer and activist), Aishwarya Sridhar (writer, poet and passionate conservationist) and Tengbat Sangma (skilled tracker, naturalist and budding field biologist) were awarded the Young Naturalist Awards.

A Joint Green Teacher Award was presented to Pournima and Rajendra Kerkar, who work as educators, conservationists and social workers to protect wilderness areas in Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Natural heritage

Bittu Sahgal, Editor, Sanctuary Asia , said: “Sanctuary Asia has consistently sought to network and unite different segments of society believing that nature conservation is the surest way to secure the food, water, climate and economic security of India's billion-plus population. For us the tiger, elephant, rhino and lion are metaphors for an ecologically secure planet and within us exists an unstoppable drive to safeguard this natural heritage for our children and their children.”

Paradise for birds

Pulicat Lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary, located near Sullurpeta in SPSR Nellore district, are a virtual paradise for hundreds of species of birds.

It is a convenient breeding ground for rare and endangered species of lily grey pelicans, flamingos, painted storks, egnats, grey herons, little cormorants, open bill storks, spoonbills, white ibises and night herons.

For years, the arrival of these lovely creatures into Nellore district went unnoticed. However the sanctuary and lake, which are very close to Isro’s rocket launching centre, Shar, Sriharikota, became popular in recent years because of the initiative taken by the locals and authorities to organise a flamingo festival every year in winter.

The local villagers treat the birds with reverence believing them to be celestial creatures and accordingly protect them during their five-month stay. The sight of the magnificent flamingos as they set to flight is an experience that is overwhelming in its sheer beauty.

Villagers call them “Parrots of the Sea” or Samudrapu Ramachilakalu. Many winter migratory birds which fly in from countries such as Siberia, breed here and train the younger ones to fly so that they can return to their original habitat. Their winter home, Pulicat Lake adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India spread over Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The lake with a rich biodiversity and high biomass of fish, prawn, crustaceans, coelenterate and plankton, offers ideal food to the migratory birds and provides protection from predators.

Around 164 species visit the bird sanctuary during the winter.
In addition to these, members of a Hyderabad-based Birdwatchers Society spotted a rare bird, the grey-headed lapwing (vanellus cinereus) for the first time near Pulicat lake last winter. This species of birds breeds in Northeast China and Japan.

The wildlife wing of the forest department has established an environmental education centre at Nelapattu sanctuary, with a museum, library and auditorium with audiovisual equipment.

The tank bund of Nelapattu sanctuary is protected with chain links on both sides with a kind of trail for the visitors to view the birds. There are bund beaches and hideouts as well so that visitors can observe the birds at close range without disturbing them.

Binoculars are also provided to the visitors. Meanwhile, authorities of the district have planned the flamingo festival at Sullurpeta, tentatively between January 8 and 11, 2012. The annual festival attracts tourists from far and near to witness the migratory birds from close quarters, without disturbing their tranquillity.

It takes less than two hours by car to the bird sanctuary and the lake, which are 90 km away from Nellore as well as Chennai. One can reach Sullurpeta by train both from Chennai and Hyderabad. The station is between Chennai and Vijayawada.

There are also a number of buses to Sullurpeta from Nellore, as well as Chennai. There is a tourism
department guesthouse on the National Highway at Tada, 20 kmfrom Sullurpeta.

There are also some budget hotels in Sullurpeta. Restaurants all along the highway serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

Pit stop

Holy abode

Tourists visiting Pulicat Lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary can also visit the historical Changala Parameswari temple at Sullurpeta. The goddess is the family deity for thousands of devotees not only in Andhra Pradesh, but also in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The unique feature of the temple is there is no door to the sanctum sanctorum.

According to temple priests, the goddess herself instructed the temple sculptor, in his dream, not to fix any doors to her temple. It is widely believed that offering prayers at the temple will cure any kind of sickness among children. Annual Brahmotsavams are held during the Dasara festival.

Trivia

Fish delights

The most sought-after food item in the region is the White Prawn (Gaju Royyalu). All the popular non-vegetarian hotels in Sullurpeta region serve various dishes prepared with this prawn, which is available in Pulicat Lake only during winter months. The locals also love the Moyi fish, which is available in all the hotels around Sullurpeta.