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Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary Kancheepuram

Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary is the oldest bird sanctuary in the country established in 1858 with varieties of species of flora and fauna. It is spread across 30 hectare (74 acre) of government protected area.It is located at a distance of 75 km from central Chennai on the national highway (NH45).

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary in Kancheepuram

History of Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Unlike other sanctuaries where the government is responsible for protecting and nurturing the sanctuary, here the locals have taken all the responsibilities to protect the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary.
This love originated back in the 18th century when the locals realized that the bird droppings in the water tank created such properties in water that when used for irrigation increased the productivity of the crops to a great extent substituting the need of fertilizers. After this realization the locals demanded from collector to set up a sanctuary to protect the birds. In 1936 the lake was given the status of a sanctuary and in 1962 it got the status of reserved forest under the Madras Forest Act.
Birds in Vedanthangal Bird sanctaury


What to see in Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary

Vedanthangal bird sanctuary is rich in flora and fauna. Around 30000 migratory birds come every season to rest at this place before flying away to their destination, at that time whole sanctuary gets lively with colorful birds. These birds visit the place in abundance between October and January.

Facts about Vedanthangal Bird Sanctaury

One of the first birds to arrive at Vedanthangal are Openbilled storks and breed twice during the same season before leaving the sanctuary. Other bird species visiting the sanctuary are Great cormorant, Egrets, Spot billed pelican, Darter, night heron, Painted stork, Great Egret, Indian Cormorant, Eurasian spoonbill, Grey Heron, Asian openbill, Purple Heron, pond heron and ducks like Comb duck, sand piper, dabchick, ringed plover, pintails, little stilt, common teals, shoveller, black-winged stilt, red shank, and curlew and arboreal birds like babblers, mynas, barbets, parakeets, bee-eater, cuckoos onoles, Brahminy kite, rollers,drongos and raptors such as black winged kite, pariah kite are seen in Vedanthangal . Apart from birds, mammals like Jackal, Jungle Cat, Black-naped Hare, and Wild Boar are also seen here.

Some of the flora species are Barringtonia acutangula, Acacia nilotica, Alangium salviflorum trees and dry evergreen scrub and thorn forests. The birds chirp and nest in the The Barringtonia trees at the edges and the center of the tank and are a beautiful scene to watch.

Facts of Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary

Timings: All days of the week, 08:00 am to 06:30 pm
Entry fee: Rs. 5 per person for adults, Rs. 25 per still camera, Rs. 50 per cam recorder. Entry is fee for children below 5 years of age.
Best time to visit: November to April

Address of Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary

Kanchipuram, Chengalpet, Tamil Nadu
Telephone: 044 2744 2232

How to reach Vedanthangal bird sanctuary

Road: Vedanthangal bird sanctuary is at a distance of 34 km from Chengelput bus stand, 45 km from Mamallapuram bus stand. There are numerous buses plying from these places via NH45 that connects to this sanctuary.

Train: The nearest railway station is Chengalputtu railway station, one can take buses or autos to reach the sanctuary which is only 25 km away from the station.

Hotels near Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary

Forest guest house
Address: Wildlife Warden, 259 Anna Salai, DMS compound, Teynampet. Chennai 600 006
telephone: 044-24321471

L ocean guest house
Address: H M KasimSalai,Ambour Salai, 170, Lancien Hospital Street (Rue Milad), M.G. Road Area, Puducherry, 605001
Phone:097 86 074557

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