Gudavi bird sanctuary faces threat, Biodiversity board steps in

Shimoga: The Karnataka Biodiversity Board submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa stating the threat faced by Gudavi bird sanctuary and urged a plan for immediate restoration.

Gudavi bird sanctuary in Shimoga district is the largest bird sanctuary which today faces issues due to deterioration of wetland, absence of supervision, and overuse of pesticides in the surrounding areas which lack basic infrastructure.

Around 217 subspecies of birds have been recognized in the sanctuary. The memorandum stated that the sanctuary hosts 15,000 birds during the monsoon-winter period and that the rich biodiversity of the sanctuary has eroded now.

It further added that the sanctuary needs wetlands and that the increased use of pesticides is posing a threat, even mentioned the monkey menace disturbing the birds.

The memorandum stressed on a study to access the quality of water flowing into the sanctuary.

As per the reports, Anant Hegde Ashisar, Chairman of the Board informed that the initial steps to improve the sanctuary was to make sure lower-rung staff had necessary facilities and regular payments.

He further sought basic infrastructure such as canteen, toilet, information center to be built to encourage tourism activities.