Bhubaneswar, Jan 4: The annual bird census in Odisha's Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lagoon in Asia, began on Thursday morning.
According to sources, the counting began at 5.30 AM and will continue till PM. During this time, Chilika has been closed for visitors.
Over 100 people, including ornithologists, wildlife activists and researchers of different organisations, including the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), participated in the bird census in the lake.
At least 21 teams comprising 5-6 ornithologists in each have been deployed in the counting of the migratory and domestic birds in Chilika lagoon. Each team, provided with binoculars, two-way radios (walkie-talkie), GPS scale and other equipment, is conducting the bird census in five ranges Chilika, Balugaon, Satapada, Tangi and Rambha under the Chilika Wildlife Division.
Spread over Puri, Ganjam and Khorda districts, Chilika Lake covers an area of around 1,100 sq km.
Migratory birds from faraway regions like northern Eurasia, Siberia, the Caspian region, Kazakhstan, Lake Baikal and remote areas of Russia and other neighbouring countries visit the lake every year and return home before the onset of summer.
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In last winter's survey, as many as 11,31,929 birds of 184 different species were counted at the 1,100 sq km blue lagoon. These included 10,93,049 feathered guests of 105 various species, and 38,859 of 79 species of resident birds, sources said.