By IANS,
Bhubaneswar: At least 10,000 migratory birds from places as far as Siberia and Iraq have arrived in the Bhitarkanika National Park in Orissa’s Kendrapara district, an official said Thursday.
The birds which have been sighted during the last two days include brahmani ducks, whistling teal, cotton teal and shelduck, Divisional Forest Officer Manoj Mohapatra told IANS.
The total number of migratory birds would be at least 10,000. Gradually their numbers will grow and will pick in December, he said.
The highest concentrations of birds so far were found at Satabhaya and Bagapatia areas of the park, he said.
The Bhitarkanika National Park, which is also a wildlife sanctuary, is located about 170 km from Bhubaneswar. It is home to over 200 species of birds, including 98 species of migratory birds.
The sanctuary found a mention in the Guinness World Records in 2006 with its 23-foot-long saltwater crocodile listed as the largest in the world. It is also widely known as the world’s largest rookery of Olive Ridley sea turtles.
Every year, more then a million migratory birds from places as far as Siberia and Iraq flock to various sites of Orissa in October and return in March.
In 2008, the number of birds sighted in the park was 101,293 while in 2009 the number was 105,949. Last year, the number dropped to 45,610.