Atapaka in Kolleru, largest home of spot-billed pelican:
Week 14-21 Feb,2016
● Atapaka Bird Sanctuary, located in Kolleru Lake on the borders of Krishna and West Godavari districts, has been identified as the largest spot-billed pelican home in the world.
● Environments and bird watchers who visited the sanctuary said Atapaka has the highest number of spot-billed pelicans, also known as grey headed pelicans.
● According to the Forest Department, about 5,200 spot-billed pelicans were counted at Atapaka, about 1,000 similar species of birds were spotted at Madhavapuram sanctuary, located in West Godavari district.
● Conservation Biologist in United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Scientist Santhi Selvam said, as per the Asian Water Bird Census, about 22,000 grey headed pelicans are spread across the globe, of which about 35 to 40 per cent were roosting at Atakapa Bird Sanctuary.