Home > Indian History > Flora & Fauna > Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
Known to be the oldest water bird sanctuary in the country, Vedanthangal is home to myriad types of migratory birds including 26 rare species.

Share this Article:

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Tamil NaduEstablished in the year 1936, the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary spreads over an area of 74 acres and is located in the Kanchipuram district of the Madurantakam taluk in the state of Tamil Nadu. The sanctuary has a lake, which is situated 122 m above sea level and supplies water to 250 acres of agricultural land around the area. The maximum depth of the lake is about 5m and is bordered by a long bund on its western and southern sides whereas the northern and eastern sides extend to the agricultural lands. In 2013, the lake was de-silted and deepened to hold more water.

Climate of Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
The climate in Vedanthangal is extremely hot and humid during the summer months from March to July, when the temperature can reach a maximum of 40° C. The winter season on the other hand is pleasant and mild when the temperature ranges between 16° C to 27° C. During the monsoon season, the area receives heavy rainfall mostly from the north-east monsoon winds and the average annual rainfall is about 10mm.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Tamil NaduFlora and Fauna of Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary features a plethora of plant and birdlife from all over the world. There is a wide spectrum of birds from cormorants, darters, grebes, large and little egrets, moorhens, and night herons to paddy birds, painted storks, pintails, pond herons, sandpipers, shovellers, terns, white ibises and many more. There are also a variety of migratory birds like the garganeys and teals from Canada, the snake birds and gloss ibises from Sri Lanka, the grey pelicans from Australia, grey herons and open-billed storks from Bangladesh, painted storks from Siberia, and the spoonbills and spot-billed duck from Burma. Other than these, there are also monkeys and other common mammals that are found here. The flora here includes trees like Barringtonia acuntangula, Acacia nilotica, and Alangium salviflorum trees and dry evergreen scrub and thorn forests.

Visiting Information on Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary
The nearest airport to Vedanthangal is in Puducherry at a distance of 58 km and the closest railway station is the Chengalpattu Junction at a distance of 21 km. By roadways, one can take the National Highway 45 from Chennai, which is at a distance of about 75 km.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Flora & Fauna


Flora Of Uttarakhand
Uttaranchal falls under the west Himalayan Biogeography zone and it is well-known for floral diversity .
Flora and Fauna of Ladakh
Flora and Fauna is typical to t he kind of mountainous terrain which dominate the entire landscape of the region. Though some varieties of fauna are to be found here, the vegetation is very limited due to the dry and cold climate.
Flora and fauna in Tripura
Two-thirds of Tripura is forested where different species of trees, orchids, birds and wildlife are found. There are four sanctuaries in the state namely, Rowa wildlife sanctuary, Sepahijala wildlife sanctuary, Trishna wildlife sanctuary and Gumti wildlife sanctuary.
Flora and Fauna in Meghalaya
70 percent of Meghalaya is forested. Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support a vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity.
Flora and Fauna of Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is rich in flora and fauna. Flora includes thorn bush type of the arid plain to the temperate and alpine flora of the higher altitudes. Faunal species found here are leopard, cheetah and deer, wild sheep, bear, brown musk shrew, muskrat; varieties of snakes, bats, lizards etc.
Flora and fauna in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Economy of this region is primly based on agriculture. In Andaman island, paddy is the main food crop, while in Nicoabar island coconut and areca nut are the main crops. Some field crops like pulses, oilseeds and vegetables are also grown here.
Flora And Fauna Of Uttar Pradesh
Flora and Fauna of Uttar Pradesh is widely diversified and adds pride to the state.
Flora and fauna of Kerala
Flora and Fauna of Kerala are diverse. The favourable climate with heavy rainfall and good quality of the soils helps both the flora and fauna to thrive. Forest covers a large area in the Western Ghats of Kerala.
Flora and fauna of Karnataka
Flora and fauna of Karnataka are diverse and comprise of plants, animals, birds, reptiles, etc. Flora of Karnataka comprises of species like eucalyptus, teak and rosewood. Fauna of Karnataka comprises of species like leopard, gaur and wild pig.
Flora and Fauna of Rajasthan
The flora and fauna of Rajasthan supports all kinds of animal species and forests. The diverse flora and fauna of Rajasthan has made it a popular tourist destination.
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh includes infinite species and is a subject of great interests for the botanists.
Flora and Fauna of Manipur
Flora and fauna of Manipur are known to be the assemblage of a huge variety including the endangered ones. The place is especially famed for orchid species which includes the most vibrant and beautiful ones of the world.