According to a forest official on Tuesday, the Chilika Wildlife Division has established 22 temporary bird protection camps, two mobile patrol units, and a control room to safeguard migratory birds that are anticipated to arrive at the lagoon over the coming weeks. According to Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Amlan Nayak, the camps, which went into operation on October 1, would continue to operate until the end of March, when the migrating birds start their trek back.
To bolster anti-poaching efforts and keep an eye on bird habitats around the lagoon, a minimum of two to three personnel have been assigned to each camp. Eleven of the twenty-two camps have been set up in the endangered Tangi range, four in the Balugaon range, three in the Rambha range, and two in each of the Satapada and Chilika ranges. According to the DFO, the lake will be patrolled around-the-clock to keep a close eye out for poachers and protect migratory birds. The protection measures have been implemented in advance of the thousands of migrating birds that will arrive at Chilika, which is a significant wintering ground for a number of bird species.
