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Chilika Lake

2022 JAN 6

Preliminary   > Geography   >   Places in news   >   Places in news

Why in news?

  • Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lake and wintering ground of the birds in the Indian subcontinent, saw a million of birds, including uncommon Mongolian gull, visiting the waterbody this year.
  • As per the water bird status survey-2022 conducted in the Chilika, a total of 10,74,173 birds of the 107 water bird species were counted at the entire lagoon.

About Chilika Lake:

  • Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over three districts of Odisha at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal.
  • It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest coastal lagoon in the world.

Migratory birds

  • The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season.
  • Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia and Ladakh come here.

Conservation

  • In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention due to its rich biodiversity.
  • The Nalaban Island within the lake is notified as a Bird Sanctuary under Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
  • The Government of Odisha had set up Chilika Development Authority (CDA) for restoration and overall development of the lake under the Indian Societies Registration Act.

Fauna:

  • The rare and threatened animal species identified are:
    • Green sea turtle (Endangered)
    • Dugong (Vulnerable)
    • Irrawaddy dolphin (Endangered)

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements:

1. Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention

2.  Ashtamudi lake is the largest fresh water lake in India

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer