Area: 500-sq-km/50,000 ha.
Location: 60-km North Of Chennai, Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh
Description:
Pulicat
Sanctuary is located 60-km from Chennai, spreading over Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu
.
It covers a total area of 500-sq-km. It is famous as the second largest brackish
water lagoon in India along the coast of Bay Bengal. Backwaters of the sea attract
large numbers of migratory water birds.
It is also a well-known feeding and breeding ground for a variety of aquatic
and terrestrial birds.
Visiting Season
October To March
Access:
Rail: Nearest railway station is at Sulurpet.
Road: By road it is about 60-km from Chennai in the Andhra Pradesh border Tourists
can taxis and buses from Chennai.
Temperature:
The mean annual rainfall ranges from 500mm to 1,000mm and the mean annual temperature
from 12oC to 42oC.
Accomodation:
Pulicat is not really a place offering creature comfort. There are Inspection
Bungalows available at Sullurpet & Tada.
Wildlife
Flora:
People living in the adjoining 16 islands and 30 villages are directly or indirectly
dependent on the lake for their livelihood. It supports a rich bio-diversity.
It is surrounded by southern tropical dry evergreen forest with species like
Manilkara Hexandra, Albizzia Amara, Strychnos Muxvomica, Ficus Tiela, Dryopteris
Sepiata, Pteriospermus, Uberifolium, Glaucum etc and mangrove forest with species
like Ezcocaria, Agollocha, Auicenia Officinales, Acanthies Ilicifolius, Rhizophora
Apiculata, Xylocarpus Moluecenix, Degiceros Conrniculatum.
Fauna: The most important bird species of this lake is Flamingo.. Other
birds found here are Pelicans, Painted Storks, Open Billed Storks, Grey Herons,
Cormorants, White Ibis, Spoon Bills, Egrets, Reef Herons, Spot Billed Ducks,
Shovellers, Pintails, Sand Pipers, Gills, and River Tern etc.
Invertebrates like Prawn, Plankton and Mollusks and fishes of about 65 different
species like Sable Fish, Sargin Fish, White, Black and Silver Promphets etc.
can also be seen here. One can find reptiles like Monitor Lizard, lizards, snakes
including poisionous ones like the spectacled cobra, Russel's Viper, and Krait
etc.
