A Visit To Pallikarni Lake, Chennai

On 2nd February, the day which is celebrated as Wetland day throughout the world, we students along with our teacher paid a visit to Pallikarni Lake, Chennai. There we saw a lake which has been transformed to a garbage dumping area over a long period of time.
The lake was filled with reeds and garbages and there was no proper place for watching the lake, where a large number of birds migrate from other countries.
Bad smell has polluted the marshland and people became unaware about its importance. Since it is a wetland, we can find many kinds of bird species there. It was amazing that birds come here; even it was neglected and abandoned by human. The condition became worse, after the construction of roads.
Some of the birds we saw there were BLACK WINGED STILT which is found in Australia, Central and South America, Africa, Southern and South eastern Asia, Eurasia etc… We have also seen MOORHEN, which breeds in UK, England. NORTHERN PIN TAIL DUCKS, which breeds in Europe, Asia, PIED CUCKOO which breeds in Africa and POND HERON which is found in Myanmar, South Iran and Sri Lanka, was also found in this Pallikarni Lake. PELICAN were also found here. These species get attracted to this polluted wetland because they find more food and comfort. But it is not sure that they are healthy.
Pallikarni Lake is an important place in Chennai. If this place is properly cleaned and protected, it is sure that this lake will be transformed to a beautiful tourist place and also attracts even more birds. This place is a good bird watching center and it can encourage people to learn more about birds.
Through public awareness, support from government and through strict laws against dumping of garbage, here, this lake can become a paradise for the migrating birds in our country.