Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary

About Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary

• Location: It is a significant wetland sanctuary located in the West Godavari and Krishna districts of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
• It was established in November 1999, under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• The sanctuary protects part of the Kolleru Lake wetland, which gained Ramsar Convention for International importance in 2002.
• It is a crucial wetland ecosystem and serves as a stopover point for migratory birds.
• Flora: The sanctuary’s flora includes various aquatic plants, submerged macrophytes, and wetland vegetation that provide essential food and shelter for the diverse bird species.
• Fauna:   Commonly found birds in the sanctuary are: little egret, cattle egret, pied kingfisher, small blue kingfisher, blackcapped kingfisher, pond heron, reef heron, grey heron, night heron, etc.

Key Facts about Kolleru Lake:

• It is the largest freshwater lake in India.
• It is located in Andhra Pradesh between the Krishna and Godavari deltas and covers an area of 308 km².
• The lake serves as a natural flood-balancing reservoir for these two rivers.
• The lake is fed directly by water from the seasonal Budameru and Tammileru streams, and is connected to the Krishna and Godavari systems by over 68 inflowing drains and channels.
• It serves as a habitat for migratory birds.
• The lake was notified as a wildlife sanctuary in November 1999 under India’s Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and designated a wetland of international importance in November 2002 under the international Ramsar Convention.

Q1) What is an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ)?

An eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) is an area that is identified and demarcated around protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves, to minimize the impact of developmental activities on the ecosystem.

Source: Govt. to prepare inventory of land use adjacent to Kolleru wildlife sanctuary